Recent TV newscasts or newspaper articles about the Proposition 8 controversy caused many people to incorrectly believe that our company contributed to the campaign to pass Proposition 8. That is NOT the case. NO donations in support of, or against, Proposition 8 were made by El Pollo Loco or on behalf of our franchise organizations.

Our inclusion in news coverage is due to the fact that the name of a single individual who is associated with an El Pollo Loco franchise appears in a published list of contributors.

We are proud to be an organization that respects and values the different perspectives of our employees and our guests and our franchise owners. We believe in equal rights and as well as the rights for people to express their opinions. We believe that our company is made stronger because of our differences and we reinforce our beliefs through our training programs.

Some of our guests who mistakenly drew the conclusion that El Pollo Loco contributed to the passage of Prop 8 wrote to tell us they would no longer eat at El Pollo Loco restaurants. We invite you to read the letter that one of our executives sent to those guests.

As an executive of El Pollo Loco, I received your message indicating your intention to stop eating at our restaurants because one of our franchisees made a personal donation in support of California’s Proposition 8.  I voted against Prop 8.  On a personal level, I not only understand your anger, I share it. 

You have shared your opinions with us and we have read them.  But before you decide El Pollo Loco is tainted forever due to one person’s political donation, I respectfully ask that you let me tell you about the El Pollo Loco I know. 

Six years ago, I joined El Pollo Loco.  During my interviews, I asked my boss-to-be, the President/CEO, if the company offered domestic partner insurance because I would need it to cover my partner.  He said, “Actually I don’t know, but it’s clearly the right thing to do, so if we don’t already have it, we’ll get it.”  I am very proud that one of my first jobs was to announce that El Pollo Loco now offered domestic partner insurance coverage.

How many companies can you name that have an out gay or lesbian on their executive team?  My female partner and I will celebrate our twentieth anniversary later this month.

My partner has participated in all El Pollo Loco events that include “spouses/partners”, which is the language we use on invitations to those events.  Our relationship has never been treated any differently from the heterosexual relationships of the rest of the El Pollo Loco management team.  I do not hide our relationship in any way.  Her picture is on my desk.

One of my staff’s responsibilities is to investigate and resolve employee complaints.  Feel free to ask anyone on my staff about the prompt and serious employment consequences for anyone caught making disparaging comments about gays or any other group. 

El Pollo Loco has almost 5,000 employees.  We also franchise the El Pollo Loco brand to other companies.  Those franchisees combined probably employ another 10,000 people.  It was a member of one of those companies, not El Pollo Loco, Inc., who apparently made that political donation.  Of course a group comprised of many companies and about 15,000 people will include a wide variety of political perspectives.  I am not aware of a single person or company who donated as an El Pollo Loco representative to support Prop 8.  The only time the Prop 8 issue came up within El Pollo Loco, Inc. was when I received a complaint from a customer that the staff in one of our restaurants had put Post-It notes all over the cash registers and counters saying “Vote No on 8!”  We told the staff of that restaurant the same thing I will tell you.  People are encouraged to vote their beliefs, but El Pollo Loco is a restaurant company and we do not take positions on political issues.  
  
I honestly believe that anger directed at El Pollo Loco over Prop 8 is ill advised, but it is certainly your right to eat wherever you choose.  You will be missing the world’s greatest chicken. 

Put me on your mailing list and I will join your efforts in those areas where I believe they are being done responsibly, appropriately and with all the facts right.  My email is jscott@elpolloloco.com.

Sincerely,
Jeanne A. Scott
Senior Vice President
Human Resources & Training
El Pollo Loco, Inc.