El Pollo Loco (LOCO) director Deborah Gonzalez receives 8,258-share stock award

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

El Pollo Loco Holdings director Deborah Gonzalez received a stock award of 8,258 shares of common stock. The shares are part of a restricted stock award granted under the company’s Equity Incentive Plan and will vest in full on the first anniversary of the grant date.

After this award, Gonzalez directly holds a total of 41,126 shares of El Pollo Loco common stock. This is a compensation-related equity grant rather than an open-market purchase or sale, and no option exercises or derivative transactions are reported in this filing.

SEC Form 4

FORM 4

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

OMB APPROVAL

OMB Number:			3235-0287
Estimated average burden
hours per response:			0.5

Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

Check this box to indicate that a transaction was made pursuant to a contract, instruction or written plan for the purchase or sale of equity securities of the issuer that is intended to satisfy the affirmative defense conditions of Rule 10b5-1(c). See Instruction 10.

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person^*

Gonzalez Deborah

(Last) (First) (Middle)

C/O EL POLLO LOCO HOLDINGS, INC.

575 ANTON BLVD., SUITE 1100

(Street)

COSTA MESA CALIFORNIA 92626

(City) (State) (Zip)

UNITED STATES

(Country)

2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. [ LOCO ]

5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)

X	Director		10% Owner
	Officer (give title below)		Other (specify below)

2a. Foreign Trading Symbol

3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
03/17/2026

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)

X	Form filed by One Reporting Person
	Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed Of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
			Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price
Common Stock	03/17/2026		A		8,258(1)	A	$0	41,126	D

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)		8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)	9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)	10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
				Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares

Explanation of Responses:

1. Represents shares of common stock underlying a restricted stock award granted under the Equity Incentive Plan, vesting in full on the first anniversary of the date of grant.

	/s/ Jason Weintraub, Attorney-in-Fact	03/19/2026
	** Signature of Reporting Person	Date
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4 (b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB Number.
* Form 4: SEC 1474 (03-26)

FAQ

What did Deborah Gonzalez report in this Form 4 for El Pollo Loco (LOCO)?

Deborah Gonzalez reported receiving a grant of 8,258 shares of El Pollo Loco common stock. The award is in the form of restricted stock granted as equity compensation under the company’s Equity Incentive Plan, rather than an open-market transaction.

Is the Deborah Gonzalez LOCO Form 4 a stock buy or sell transaction?

The filing does not show a stock buy or sell; it reports an acquisition by grant. Gonzalez received 8,258 restricted shares at no stated purchase price as part of an equity award, so this is compensation, not a market trade.

How many El Pollo Loco (LOCO) shares does Deborah Gonzalez hold after this award?

Following the restricted stock award, Deborah Gonzalez directly holds 41,126 shares of El Pollo Loco common stock. This total includes the newly granted 8,258 restricted shares reported in the Form 4 insider transaction filing.

When do Deborah Gonzalez’s new El Pollo Loco restricted shares vest?

The 8,258 restricted shares granted to Deborah Gonzalez vest in full on the first anniversary of the grant date. Until vesting, the shares are subject to the restricted stock award terms under the company’s Equity Incentive Plan.

What is the nature of the equity award reported by Deborah Gonzalez at El Pollo Loco?

The award represents shares of common stock underlying a restricted stock grant under the Equity Incentive Plan. All 8,258 shares will vest together after one year, aligning compensation with continued service and the company’s long-term performance.