Church's Texas Chicken vs El Pollo Loco: Menu Prices Compared (2026)
The short answer
Church's Texas Chicken is the cheaper of the two. Of the 5 directly comparable items we could match across both menus, Church's Texas Chicken is cheaper on 4 of them, by an average of $8.64 per item.
Make Church's Texas Chicken and El Pollo Loco at Home
Whichever of the two wins on price, cooking the favorites at home beats both. These are the sauces, mixes and kitchen tools that get closest to the real thing.
Deals Worth Knowing at Both
Church's Texas Chicken
- An 8-piece family meal at $24.99 works out to roughly $3.12 per piece with sides included, against $5.49 for a two-piece order.
- Honey-Butter Biscuits are included with combos and family meals — a dozen to go costs $9.99 and is the item most worth taking home.
- Church's consistently undercuts the larger chicken chains on family meals, often by $8 to $12 for the same piece count.
El Pollo Loco
- Family meals are the cheapest way to eat here — the 8-piece meal works out to under $9 a person for four.
- Loco Rewards members get a free two-piece or bowl on sign-up and regular points toward free chicken.
- Tuesday specials at many locations discount tacos and family meals.
Church's Texas Chicken vs El Pollo Loco — FAQ
Is Church's Texas Chicken cheaper than El Pollo Loco in 2026?
Church's Texas Chicken is cheaper on most matched items — 4 of 5. Across the whole menu Church's Texas Chicken is the lower-priced of the two, at $6.49 for a typical item against $8.49 at El Pollo Loco.
What is the price difference between Church's Texas Chicken and El Pollo Loco?
On matched items the average difference is $8.64, or about 12% overall. Church's Texas Chicken averages $10.97 across 42 priced items; El Pollo Loco averages $12.40 across 24.
Which has the cheaper entry price, Church's Texas Chicken or El Pollo Loco?
Church's Texas Chicken starts at $1.29 (Honey-Butter Biscuit (1)) and El Pollo Loco at $2.99 (Corn Cobbette).
Are these prices the same at every location?
No. Both chains let franchise owners set prices, so figures move by a dollar or more between markets and run highest at airport, stadium and highway locations. Treat these as the typical U.S. price, not a quote.