Los Pollos Hermanos: 10 Tasty Facts About Breaking Bad's Famous Chicken Joint
Los Pollos Hermanos plays a big role in AMC's "Breaking Bad" and the spinoff series, "Better Call Saul." The fictional fast-food chain makes a killing by cooking up fried chicken, among other things. The name of the restaurant is ungrammatical Spanish for "The Chicken Brothers," which refers to the co-founders, Gustavo "Gus" Fring (Giancarlo Esposito) and Max Arciniega (James Martinez).
It is a legitimate restaurant chain with food to die for, but that isn't the only way the business brings in money. Los Pollos Hermanos also serves as a front for a drug empire that helps with money laundering and distribution of illegal drugs like crystal meth.
While Los Pollos Hermanos appears in many episodes of both series, there is always a lot of drama going on, so some details about the restaurant are hard to catch. Is there more than one location? Is it a real restaurant? Keep reading to find out the answers to these questions and more.
The menu included much more than fried chicken
Los Pollos Hermanos specialized in fried chicken, but that doesn't mean it's the only item on the menu. Customers could order a wide range of Southwestern fare, including enchiladas, burritos, and tacos. Their New Mexico specialties included Indian fry bread, green chile stew, chicken wraps, and more. For sides, there are french fries, rice and beans, or chips and salsa, just to name a few options. Interestingly enough, the restaurant also offered several types of burgers, such as the All American Burger and the Bacon Cheeseburger.
But what if the whole family is feeling peckish? They offered chicken by the bucket (either original or spicy), party pans that can feed up to 20 people, vegetarian options, and there is even a Little Pollitos menu for the kids. Of course, no meal is complete without a refreshing drink, so they offered soda, orange juice, and more. Those who have room for dessert could indulge in churros, apple bites, or a shake. We can't be the only ones who are suddenly hungry now.
The real restaurant is called Twisters Burgers and Burritos
The Los Pollos Hermanos scenes were filmed at a restaurant called Twisters Burgers and Burritos. They have multiple locations across New Mexico and Colorado, but the show was filmed at 4275 Isleta Blvd SW, Albuquerque, NM 87105. "Breaking Bad" fans frequently visit the restaurant, which looks almost exactly like it did in the show, minus the Los Pollos Hermanos logo and the drug lord behind the counter.
"People kept coming in and saying, 'You're the new Gus! You're the new Gus!' and I had no idea what they were talking about," manager Jose La Rivera told Metro in 2013. "But I'm as hooked as anyone now. It's a really great show."
The restaurant has gotten a 10% boost in profits just from featuring in "Breaking Bad" and fans of the show love to sit and enjoy their meal in what's now known as Walt's booth.
"Everyone wants a photo in the booth," La Rivera said. "Competition for that seat is high around the start of each season ... We've even had the cast come back down here."
In 2018, Twisters transformed into Los Pollos Hermanos for the 10-year anniversary of "Breaking Bad." Debbie Ball, who made the blue meth props for the show, also made an appearance with blue rock candy in hand. Some guests added to the experience by wearing costumes for the occasion — bonus points for those who checked their cars for GPS trackers before leaving.
It has opened as a pop-up restaurant many times
Considering how delicious the fried chicken looks in the show, it's no wonder people want to get a fix for it. Real demand for the fake restaurant has led to pop-up branches of Los Pollos Hermanos opening in many cities in 2017, including Los Angeles, Austin, and New York City. From there, pop-up restaurants opened in Australia and Italy.
Fans flocked to the immersive experience, creating long lines and a buzz of excitement in the air. Once inside, they enjoyed a recreated version of the restaurant that had the whole menu on display, people dressed as employees, and Los Pollos Hermanos branded packaging on the food. Some of the locations only offered curly fries and three dipping sauces, not fried chicken, but at least the food was free and came with an "I Tried the Curly Fries" sticker.
Some fans were even lucky enough to see familiar faces from the show. Giancarlo Esposito, who plays Gus Fring, and Bob Odenkirk, who portrays Saul Goodman, stopped by the Austin location in 2017. Michael McKean, who played Chuck McGill in "Better Call Saul," also made an appearance at the New York City location. There may not have been fried chicken or blue crystal meth, but seeing the actors at the pop-up restaurants really helped bring the show to life.
It was so popular that it became a real restaurant
The pop-up branches were fun but there was still demand to make the fictional fast-food chain a reality, so Family Style Inc. teamed up with Sony Pictures Consumer Products to make it happen. In 2019, they launched a Los Pollos Hermanos virtual restaurant, serving spicy chicken sandwiches, french fries, chicken tenders, and coleslaw.
"Breaking Bad" creator Vince Gilligan told The Hollywood Reporter in a 2019 interview that he loved the concept. "For the longest time, I've harbored the idea of a real-life Los Pollos Hermanos where 'Breaking Bad' fans could savor Gustavo Fring's chicken ... but I knew the devil was in the details — the food needed to be not just good, but great. I'm relieved to report that the folks at Family Style got it right ... I think Gus would approve."
The virtual restaurant only had a three-year deal with Uber Eats, but there's a similar restaurant concept in London. The Los Pollos Hermanos there offers chicken wings, burgers, pizza, kebabs, and more. The restaurant has a secret, though ... and it's not the one you're thinking of. According to the Food Standards Agency's website, the restaurant is called Perfect Fried Chicken, so they may have just changed their name to attract "Breaking Bad" fans. While that is a bit of a bummer, they do specialize in fried chicken, so it's not all bad.
There's a mini web series of 10 training videos
Before Gus appeared in "Better Call Saul," AMC released a mini web series called "Los Pollos Hermanos Employee Training." There are 10 videos of Gus training his new henchmen — er, we mean employees — on the company's rules and policies. Anyone who has had to sit through restaurant training videos in real life knows that the poor audio quality, badly edited green screen effects, and cheesy music in these videos are spot-on.
Gus starts by welcoming the new hire and assuring them they'll be a great fit for the team since, in his words, "I like to think I see things in people." He then goes over how to use a box cutter, resolve conflicts, and dispose of trash safely and efficiently. Ironically, the company has a zero-tolerance drug policy.
If there's a problem with a customer, Gus explains that it's best to handle the issue privately rather than calling the police. If a gunman happens to threaten the restaurant, refer to the employee handbook for instructions on how to handle the situation. If there are items in a shipment that isn't on the inventory list, don't try to open or move the container; contact your supervisor and they'll make sure it "reaches its proper destination." He finishes one of the videos by reminding employees not to break the rules because "at Los Pollos Hermanos, someone is always watching."
There were at least 14 Los Pollos Hermanos locations in the show
Walt (Bryan Cranston) and several other "Breaking Bad" characters frequently visit the Los Pollos Hermanos in Albuquerque, New Mexico. While that is the flagship restaurant, it is far from the only location. In Season 4, Episode 9 ("Bug"), Walt and Hank (Dean Norris) look over the GPS tracker that Walt has put on Gus' car and discover some interesting information. There are at least 14 locations across the American Southwest, with the address of the flagship restaurant shown as 12000-12100 Coors Rd SW, Albuquerque, NM 87045 (this is different than the exact address of the restaurant in real life, although the city and state are the same).
However, those are only the locations of the restaurants in the United States. In Season 3, Episode 4 of "Better Call Saul" ("Sabrosito"), it is revealed that the first location opened in Michoacán, Mexico. We can assume that there is at least one location, if not more, still open in Mexico since Gus used his Los Pollos Hermanos trucks to carry drugs across the border. Plus, in one of the training videos, Gus mentions that the company has "partners down in Mexico" and that "it's a vast network that requires careful coordination." However many locations they had, it's clear they were killing the business.
The restaurant has a website and Yelp page
We can assume that Los Pollos Hermanos shut down after Gus' death, but the fast-food chain left a lasting legacy in real life. The fictional restaurant still has a website that fans can visit, and it looks just as legitimate and low-quality as any other fast-food restaurant's website. Their History page states that Gus Fring and his business partner, Max Arciniega, "made a name for themselves" by starting their business in Mexico, then expanding to the United States.
They even have job listings for those who are willing to get their hands dirty. Some positions include the Fry Cook, who's responsible for "making sure something delicious is always cooking," and the Truck Driver, who must "be able to take direction and initiative, no questions asked." The website says that all applicants must have "a 'will-do-anything' (and we do mean ANYTHING) attitude" and "never make the same mistake twice."
The Yelp page is filled with just as much tongue-in-cheek humor. One person commented, "Get the fried chicken. It is really addictive — can't quite explain why." Another said their meal was "so good it should have been illegal." Although there are some negative reviews about their food tasting like chemicals, the fried chicken chain currently has 3.5/5 stars, which is better than many real fast-food establishments out there.
Its parent company was Madrigal Electromotive GmbH
Los Pollos Hermanos was a subsidiary of a massive business conglomerate called Madrigal Electromotive GmbH. Besides being the parent company of Los Pollos Hermanos, Madrigal oversaw at least six other fast-food chains and manufactured industrial equipment. They were based in Germany, and judging by the size of the corporation, it's safe to assume they earned a lot in revenue.
They play an important role in "Breaking Bad" since they provide all the necessary funding, chemicals, and equipment for Gus' drug empire. Peter Schuler (Norbert Weisser) and Lydia Rodarte-Quayle (Laura Fraser) were both Madrigal employees who helped Gus out.
The link between the two companies is first mentioned during a Los Pollos Hermanos commercial in Season 3, Episode 9 ("Kafkaesque"), although it was so subtle that if you blink you might miss it. At one point in the commercial, there is small text at the bottom of the screen that reads: "Los Pollos Hermanos, Inc. is a registered trademark of Madrigal Electromotive GmbH." In addition to revealing the fast-food chain's link to the corporation, it is the first episode that Madrigal is ever mentioned.
An air freshener in Gus' car showed the restaurant's hours
Walt would often visit Los Pollos Hermanos to look for Gus, wait for business partners, and learn more secrets about Gus' drug empire. It wouldn't have made sense for Walt to go there when it was closed, as that would've been suspicious, but luckily the restaurant was open every day of the week. An air freshener in Gus' Volvo showed that the restaurant's hours were 7 a.m. — 10 p.m. Monday — Thursday, 7 a.m. – 12 a.m. Friday — Saturday (with the drive-thru open until 1 a.m. on Friday), and 7 a.m. — 9 p.m. Sunday.
Those are pretty solid hours, although they conflicted with the hours listed on a sign outside the restaurant stating they open an hour earlier at 6 a.m. That would've given the crew an extra hour to take care of any dirty work, so we can see how it would've been helpful. Whether they opened at 6 or 7 a.m. though, it still seemed like Gus had time to take care of business.
The restaurant's phone number was 505-146-0195
Gus often worked at the flagship restaurant in "Breaking Bad," whether he was behind the counter taking customers' orders or in his office figuring out how to undermine the Cartel. Some of Gus' business associates would call him there, which revealed that the restaurant's phone number was 505-146-0195.
This isn't the phone number of the pop-up locations, Los Pollos Hermanos-inspired restaurant concepts, or even the restaurant where these scenes were filmed. In fact, it isn't a valid phone number at all as phone numbers in the United States can't have a 0 or 1 as the fourth digit. It's understandable that the creators of the show chose to use a fake number in the show; If they'd used a valid number, fans might call to order chicken or go full-on Heisenberg and try getting in on Gus' secret business. Gus may have been raking in the cash as a drug kingpin, but we all know that blew up in his face.
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