RISE - Menu Monitor

Menu Positioning |
Pollo Tropical's menu features family-style meals, including chicken, pork, sandwiches, salads, sides, Tropical favorites, soup,
desserts and beverages. Its signature item is its grilled chicken, prepared with a proprietary marinade of tropical fruit juices
and spices, served in sandwiches, salads and platters. Other menu favorites include Chicken White Rice & Black Beans—
small casserole bowls with chopped chicken breast, white rice, black beans and special salsa; Ropa Vieja—shredded beef
with “sofrito” (sautéed red and green peppers, garlic and onion blend), with white rice and black beans; and Balsamic Tomato
& Chicken Salad—strips of grilled chicken, with mesculan lettuce greens and tomatoes in a balsamic vinaigrette dressing.
Regular and family meals include black beans and rice served with Caesar salad and Bananas Tropical. One of its newest
items is its Steak Skewer—grilled steak on a skewer priced at $5.19 with rice and beans, or $5.99 with a choice of any two
sides. Sides include black beans and rice, balsamic tomatoes, kernel corn, French fries, macaroni & cheese and red beans.
Desserts include key lime pie, flan and Caribbean Crème Cake. Menu prices range between $3.49 and $13.49. Checks
average $8.25.
Promotion Plans |
Pollo Tropical celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month with a promotion at Florida elementary schools. The chain provided
teachers with cards containing Spanish and English descriptions of menu items. After discussing the cards in class, students
were encouraged to redeem them at Pollo Tropical for a complimentary sample of the menu item named on the card.
(QSRmagazine.com 11/07/2007)
Personnel |
Jim Tunnessen, COO/President
Alan Vituli, CEO
Paul Flanders, CFO
Kim Miller, Executive Chef & Purchasing
Jeff Webb, Senior Director of Menu Development
News & Other |
Pollo Tropical reported for the fourth quarter same-store sales increased 4.9%. For the year, same-store sales rose 3.2%.
(Company Release 3/1/07)
Pollo Tropical announced that its entire menu in U.S. restaurants is now trans fat-free. Franchisees in Puerto Rico and
Ecuador will roll out trans fat-free menus next year. (The Miami Herald 11/03/07)
©Technomic Information Services 2007, CIS profiles may not be copied or distributed in any print or electronic format without a license or written consent.
Technomic believes that its sources of information are reliable, but does not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy of the information
published.
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