Juan Pollo facts for kids

Juan Pollo is a popular restaurant chain that serves Mexican-style rotisserie chicken. It was started in 1984 by a person named Albert Okura. The main office for Juan Pollo is in San Bernardino, California. Most of their restaurants are found in Southern California. You can find them in areas like Riverside, San Bernardino, and Orange counties. There are also some Juan Pollo restaurants in the state of Colorado.

The Story of Juan Pollo

Starting a Restaurant Idea

Albert Okura grew up in Wilmington, California. Before starting Juan Pollo, he worked as a manager at other fast food restaurants. In the 1970s and 1980s, he managed places like Burger King and Del Taco.

In 1981, while he was managing a Del Taco, a new chicken restaurant called El Pollo Loco opened nearby. Albert was very impressed by their char-broiled chicken. He liked how simple their business seemed to be.

From Idea to Reality

Albert started thinking about opening his own chicken restaurant. He met a person named Armando Parra. Armando told him that in his home area of Chihuahua, Mexico, there were many restaurants that cooked chicken using a rotisserie. A rotisserie is a special way of cooking where the chicken slowly turns on a spit over heat.

Albert found a good spot for a restaurant in Ontario, California. Armando thought the space was too small for char-broiled cooking. He suggested using rotisserie cooking instead. Albert liked this idea and changed his plans.

Opening Day and Growth

The very first Juan Pollo restaurant opened in January 1984. On the first day, they made $165 in sales. Albert worked hard to make the restaurant better. He figured out the best chicken sizes to use and the perfect cooking times.

The second Juan Pollo restaurant opened in San Bernardino in January 1986. A food critic from The San Bernardino Sun newspaper, Norman Baffry, wrote a good review about the restaurant. This helped both Juan Pollo locations become even more popular.

Albert Okura believed in his employees. He trained them to become owners of their own Juan Pollo restaurants. Today, many of the Juan Pollo locations are owned by people who used to work there.

Giving Back to the Community

The Original McDonald's Museum

In 1998, Albert Okura bought the land where the very first McDonald's restaurant was built. This original McDonald's opened way back in 1948. Albert bought the property for $135,000.

He moved the main offices of Juan Pollo to this historic spot. He also opened a special museum there. It's an unofficial museum about McDonald's history. Albert calls it the "historic site of the original McDonald's." This is because of some legal rules with the McDonald's company. Albert didn't plan to open a museum at first. But a news story incorrectly said he was going to, and that gave him the idea!

Supporting Route 66

Juan Pollo also helps with bringing back interest in Route 66. Route 66 is a famous old highway in the United States. Juan Pollo hosts its own yearly Veteran's Day Parade and Car Show. This event takes place right in front of the unofficial McDonald's Museum.

Juan Pollo also helps with a Christmas toy giveaway every year. They are one of the main groups that donate toys for this event. It happens at the Route 66 park in San Bernardino.

In 2005, Albert Okura bought the entire town of Amboy, California. Amboy is a small town located right on Route 66. He bought it for $425,000. Albert plans to improve the town. He wants to add a museum and make it a fun place for people who love Route 66 to visit.