The Central American chicken restaurant is set to open at 361 N Lowry St.Smyrna, TN 37167 on May 7th
Alberto Sosa, who already owns two Pollo Campero franchises in Tennessee, is bringing the Central American chicken concept to the Nashville suburb of Smyrna. With over 100 U.S. locations and another 350 worldwide, the Central American chicken franchise is growing quickly, bringing family-recipe-inspired, flavorful chicken meals to the markets it enters. Smyrna’s new Pollo Campero restaurant is expected to open at 361 N Lowry St., Smyrna, TN 37167 on May 7th.
Sosa has been a part of the Middle Tennessee community since 1993 and opened his first taqueria in 2003; he’s been in the restaurant business ever since. Sosa’s journey with Pollo Campero started back in 2015 when he was trying to decide what to do with an empty building he owned. After sampling the Central American chicken in Georgia and Texas, he fell in love with the brand. However, it was the passion of Pollo Campero’s customers that ultimately convinced him to give franchising a try.
Sosa opened his first Pollo Campero restaurant in Nashville in 2018 and his second in the suburb of Madison in 2022. Now he’s bringing the beloved franchise to Smyrna with a restaurant scheduled to open in May 2024.
“I first tried Pollo Campero in 2015, and immediately fell in love with the food. As a result, I became a franchisee, opening my first location in 2018. I believe in Pollo Campero and we are excited to bring the incredible food and flavors of Pollo Campero to the Smyrna community!” said Sosa.
Pollo Campero’s new Smyrna location is the latest addition to the fast-growing franchise brand’s roster of thriving restaurants, and marks the brand’s third location in the state.
“We are always looking for passionate leaders with strong ties in their communities to join our family,” said Blas Escarcega, vice president of franchise development. “Alberto knows exactly what makes Pollo Campero so special, and we couldn’t be more excited to have him introduce the brand to diners who haven’t tried us yet. We know they are going to find fantastic success in Smyrna.”
After opening 11 restaurants, increasing system-wide sales by 19%, and introducing new menu items at select locations in 2023, Pollo Campero crossed the 100-restaurant milestone in the U.S. earlier this year. With this major achievement, the leadership team is even more confident in the brand’s ability to continue its rapid growth nationwide with the support of both new and legacy guests.
“We have a fan base that has known us for many years in Central America and has continued to support our growth efforts wherever we go,” Escarcega said. “We’re very happy with the legacy customer base, and we also have new consumers that don’t know us but have been very open to coming and trying our food, and they continue to come. They love our food, menu and offerings.”
Pollo Campero is looking to continue its rapid growth across the U.S. with plans to open at least 25 new restaurants this year. The franchise is targeting expansion, both through corporate growth and franchise partnerships, in Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Northern Florida, Utah, South Texas and Colorado.
Founded in 1971 in Guatemala, Pollo Campero has risen to global fame with its distinctive and delicious chicken dishes. Boasting more than 350 locations worldwide, the franchise is rapidly expanding in the United States. As it celebrates its milestone of 100 U.S. stores, Pollo Campero is set to win over American hearts (and palates) by introducing the rich flavors, unique menu and warm traditions Central Americans have loved for decades, adding a vibrant twist to the thriving quick-service restaurant (QSR) chicken market in the U.S. Discover more about Pollo Campero at CamperoFranchise.com.
