**Exhibit
      99.1**




**EPL
      Intermediate, Inc. Announces Results for the 13 Weeks and 39 Weeks Ended
      September 24, 2008**




COSTA
      MESA, Calif. — (BUSINESS WIRE) - November 6, 2008— EPL Intermediate, Inc. (“El
      Pollo Loco” or the “Company”), parent company of El Pollo Loco, Inc., today
      reported results for its 13-week third quarter and 39 weeks ended September
      24,
      2008. For simplicity of presentation, the Company has described the 13-week
      third quarters and 39-week periods ended September 24, 2008 and September 26,
      2007 as September 30, 2008 and September 30, 2007, respectively.




El
      Pollo
      Loco reported operating revenues for the 13-week third quarter ended September
      30, 2008 of $74.9 million, which is an increase of $2.6 million, or 3.6%, over
      operating revenues for the 13-week third quarter ended September 30, 2007 of
      $72.3 million. Operating revenues include sales at both company-operated stores
      and franchise revenues.




Same
      store sales for the system, which includes sales from both company-operated
      and
      franchised stores, remained flat for the 13 weeks ended September 30, 2008
      compared to the same period of 2007. Year to date same-store sales for
      restaurants system-wide increased 1.1% compared to the prior year same period.
      Restaurants enter the comparable restaurant base for same-store sales the first
      full week after that restaurant’s 15-month anniversary.




Changes
      in operating expenses in the third quarter of 2008 include:




·
            an
                increase in product cost of $1.9 million, or 9.3%, to $22.7 million
                for
                the 13 weeks ended September 30, 2008 from $20.8 million for the
                prior
                year same period. These costs, as a percentage of restaurant revenue,
                increased 1.7% to 32.6% during the third quarter of 2008 compared
                to 30.9%
                for the third quarter of 2007. This increase is attributed to higher
                chicken and commodity costs, along with heavier promotional discounting
                in
                the current period, partially offset by the benefit of menu price
                increases taken this year.




·
            payroll
                and benefits expenses that increased $0.9 million, or 5.1%, to $18.4
                million for the 13 weeks ended September 30, 2008 from $17.5 million
                for
                the 13 weeks ended September 30, 2007. As a percentage of restaurant
                revenue, these costs increased 0.4% to 26.4% for the 2008 period
                from
                26.0% for the 2007 period. This increase is primarily attributed
                to higher
                wages, due in part to increases this year in the federal and California
                minimum wage, partially offset by the leverage from menu price increases
                earlier this year.




·
            a
                0.9% increase in restaurant other operating expense, which includes
                utilities, repair and maintenance, advertising, property taxes, occupancy
                and other operating expenses, as a percentage of restaurant revenue,
                resulting from a 0.4% increase in occupancy costs as a percentage
                of
                revenue, which was primarily a result of higher rent expense in the
                current period. The increase was also due to a 0.6% increase in utilities
                as a percentage of revenue due to higher gas prices in the current
                period.
                The increase in restaurant other operating expense was partially
                offset by
                a 0.4% decrease in repairs and maintenance expense as a percentage
                of
                revenue and a 0.4% decrease in preopening costs as a percentage of
                revenue.









·
            a
                $2.1 million decrease in general and administrative expenses, attributed
                primarily to a $2.8 million loss recognized in the 2007 period from
                the
                sale of eight company restaurants that did not occur in the 2008
                period
                and decreased salaries and wages of $0.7 million due primarily to
                lower
                bonus expense in the current period. The decrease in general and
                administrative expenses was partially offset by an impairment charge
                of
                $1.2 million in the current period, recorded by the Company for two
                under-performing company stores that will continue to operate, and
                an
                increase of $0.2 million in meetings expense in the current period
                due to
                timing of the Company’s annual
                conference.




Operating
      income increased $0.4 million, or 6.9%, to $6.6 million for the third quarter
      of
      2008 from $6.2 million for the third quarter of 2007 due to the factors
      described above.




Interest
      expense, net of interest income, decreased $1.3 million, or 17.7%, to $6.1
      million for the 13 weeks ended September 30, 2008 from $7.4 million for the
      prior year same period. Average debt balances for the third quarter of 2008
      decreased to $248.3 million compared to $265.0 million for the third quarter
      of
      2007, and our average interest rate decreased to 9.15% for the 2008 period
      compared to 10.62% for the 2007 period. ****




Our
      provision for income taxes consisted of income tax expense of $43,000 and $2.8
      million for the 13-week periods ended September 30, 2008 and 2007, respectively,
      for an effective tax rate of 47.6% for 2008 and 36.5% for 2007. The higher
      income tax expense reported in 2007 occurred because of a large gain on sale
      for
      tax purposes related to the sale of eight restaurants in the third quarter
      that
      created additional income tax expense as most of the goodwill written off for
      book purposes was not deductible for tax purposes.




As
      a
      result of the factors above, there was net income for the third quarter of
      2008
      of $48,000, compared with a net loss of $4.0 million for the prior year third
      quarter.




Operating
      revenues for the 39-week period ended September 30, 2008 were $222.5 million,
      which was an increase of $13.7 million, or 6.5%, over operating revenues for
      the
      39 weeks ended September 30, 2007 of $208.8 million.




Operating
      income for the 39 weeks ended September 30, 2008 was $10.0 million, which was
      a
      decrease of $12.6 million, or 55.6%, over operating income of $22.6 million
      for
      the 39 weeks ended September 30, 2007. This decrease is attributed primarily
      to
      the $10.7 million expense included as general and administrative expense in
      the
      39 weeks ended September 30, 2008 to settle litigation between El Pollo Loco
      Mexico, S. A. de C.V. and El Pollo Loco, Inc. The settlement amount was paid
      by
      Chicken Acquisition Corp., the Company’s indirect shareholder, which was treated
      as a capital contribution to the Company.




Excluding
      the $10.7 million settlement expense, general and administrative expense
      decreased $0.7 million, or 3.0%, to $21.3 million for the 39 weeks ended
      September 30, 2008 from $22.0 million for the 39 weeks ended September 30,
      2007.
      As a percentage of restaurant revenue, general and administrative expense,
      excluding the settlement expense, decreased 1.0% to 10.3% for the 39 weeks
      ended
      September 30, 2008 from 11.3% for the prior year same period. The decrease
      was
      primarily attributed to a $2.8 million loss recognized in the 2007 period from
      the sale of eight restaurants that did not occur in the 2008 period. The
      decrease in expense was partially offset by an impairment charge in the current
      period of $1.2 million, which was recorded by the Company for two
      under-performing company-operated stores that will continue to operate and
      also
      due to an increase in legal expense of $1.0 million in the current period,
      primarily attributed to the Mexico Litigation.




2


Interest
      expense, net of interest income, decreased $2.2 million, or 10.0%, to $19.7
      million for the 39 weeks ended September 30, 2008 from $21.9 million for the
      39
      weeks ended September 30, 2007. Average debt balances for the 2008 period
      decreased to $254.6 million compared to $260.7 million for the 2007 period,
      and
      our average interest rate decreased to 9.69% for the 2008 period compared to
      10.63% for the 2007 period.




Our
      provision for income taxes consisted of an income tax benefit of $4.1 million
      for the 39-week period ended September 30, 2008 compared to income tax expense
      of $3.1 million for the 39-week period ended September 30, 2007 for an effective
      tax rate of 42.4% for 2008 and 32.6% for 2007.




As
      a
      result of the factors above, in particular the $10.7 million settlement expense,
      there was a net loss for the 39 weeks ended September 30, 2008 of $6.0 million,
      an increase of $3.6 million from the net loss for the 39 weeks ended September
      30, 2007 of $2.4 million.




Commenting
      on the Company’s year to date results, Stephen E. Carley, President and CEO of
      El Pollo Loco, Inc. said, “During these extraordinarily difficult times,
      consumers are worried about rising credit card debt while enduring losses in
      the
      value of their home equity, retirement nest egg and stock portfolios. As a
      result, many are deciding to eat out less frequently or spend less when they
      do.
      Despite an exceptionally difficult economy, El Pollo Loco has sustained positive
      system-wide sales growth year to date which we attribute in part to value
      pricing on our family meals, new product introductions and targeted couponing.”




Midway
      through the third quarter, El Pollo Loco successfully introduced the Grilled
      Chicken Tortilla Roll, a portable menu item featuring the chain’s signature
      citrus-marinated, flame-grilled chicken with two kinds of cheese rolled in
      a
      flour tortilla and grilled. This ‘grab and go’ entrée delivers high satisfaction
      and value at a $1.99 price point.




El
      Pollo
      Loco's store count changes for the 39 weeks ended September 24, 2008 compared
      to
      the third quarter of 2007 include:




**Company**
              **Stores**
            
            **Franchised**
              **Stores**
            
            **Total**December
                26, 2007
            
            
            159
            
            
            230
            
            
            389Q1 –
                Opened
            
            
            2
            
            
            2
            
            
            4Q1
                – Closed
            
            
            -
            
            
            (2
            )
            
            (2
            )At
                March 28, 2008
            
            
            161
            
            
            230
            
            
            391Q2
                – Opened
            
            
            3
            
            
            12
            
            
            15Q2 –
                Closed
            
            
            -
            
            
            -
            
            
            -At
                June 30, 2008
            
            
            164
            
            
            242
            
            
            406Q3
                – Opened
            
            
            1
            
            
            4
            
            
            5Q3
                – Closed
            
            
            -
            
            
            -
            
            
            -At
                September 30, 2008
            
            
            165
            
            
            246
            
            
            411





3


“We
      opened five restaurants during the third quarter of 2008— four franchise
      locations and one company restaurant,” Carley said. “Among them were El Pollo
      Loco’s first two restaurants in Utah; our first location in Oregon; our ninth
      franchise restaurant in the greater Atlanta area; and another restaurant in
      northern California. We remain poised to open approximately 30 restaurants
      in
      2008, 10 company locations and 20 franchise restaurants.”




The
      ongoing difficulties obtaining financing brought on by the financial market
      downturn have caused some franchisees to delay opening new restaurants under
      their existing development agreements. The Company has therefore adjusted its
      forecast for restaurant growth next year with approximately 10 company and
      10
      franchise stores forecast for 2009. The Company also expects continued pressure
      on commodity costs in the fourth quarter and beyond, which will require us
      to
      initiate price increases to help protect our margins.”




Including
      restaurants that opened during the third quarter, El Pollo Loco now operates
      in
      13 states: California, Arizona, Nevada, Texas, Colorado, Washington, Oregon,
      Utah, Illinois, Georgia, Virginia, Massachusetts and Connecticut.





**System-wide
      Sales**




Included
      above are franchise and system-wide same-store sales information. System-wide
      sales is a financial measure that includes sales at all company-owned stores
      and
      franchise-owned stores, as reported by franchisees. Management uses system-wide
      sales information internally in connection with store development decisions,
      planning and budgeting analyses. Management believes system-wide sales
      information is useful in assessing consumer acceptance of the Company’s brand
      and facilitates an understanding of financial performance as the Company’s
      franchisees pay royalties and contribute to advertising pools based on a
      percentage of their sales.




**Safe
      Harbor Statement**


This
      news
      release contains forward-looking statements, which are statements that do not
      relate solely to historical fact. They include, but are not limited to, any
      statement that may predict, forecast, indicate or imply future results,
      performance, achievements or events. They may contain words such as “believe,”
“anticipate,” “expect,” “estimate,” “intend,” “project,” “plan,” “will,”
“should,” “may,” “could” or words or phrases of similar meaning. The statements
      reflect management's current expectations regarding future events. Risk factors
      that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in
      the
      forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, concerns about
      food-borne illnesses; the current liquidity crisis, which could impair our
      ability to obtain or refinance debt financing; negative publicity, whether
      or
      not valid; adverse public perception due to the occurrence of avian flu;
      increases in the cost of chicken; our dependence upon frequent deliveries of
      food and other supplies; our sensitivity to events and conditions in the greater
      Los Angeles area; our reliance in part on our franchisees; our vulnerability
      to
      changes in consumer preferences and economic conditions; our ability to compete
      successfully with other quick service and fast casual restaurants; and other
      risk factors listed from time to time in the Company's reports filed with the
      Securities and Exchange Commission. Statements about the Company’s past
      performance are not necessarily indicative of its future results. The Company
      undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking
      statement, whether as the result of new information, future events or
      otherwise.





4


**About
      the Company**





El
      Pollo
      Loco® is the nation’s leading restaurant concept specializing in flame-grilled
      chicken. Headquartered in Costa Mesa, California, El Pollo Loco, Inc. operates
      a
      restaurant system comprised of 165 company-operated and 246 franchised
      restaurants (as of September 24, 2008) located primarily in California, with
      additional restaurants in Arizona, Nevada, Texas, Colorado, Oregon, Washington,
      Utah, Illinois, Georgia, Virginia, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. El Pollo
      Loco’s menu features the Company’s signature citrus-marinated, flame-grilled
      chicken in individual and family-size meals, along with a variety of
      contemporary, Mexican-inspired entrees containing the Company’s signature
      chicken as the central ingredient, including its specialty Pollo Bowl® entrees,
      pollo salads, signature grilled burritos, tacos, and Chicken Tortilla Soup.
      Chicken meals are served with a choice of corn or flour tortillas,
      freshly-prepared salsas and an assortment of side orders. For more information
      about the Company, visit www.elpolloloco.com .




5







**EPL
                INTERMEDIATE, INC.****(A
                Wholly Owned Subsidiary of El Pollo Loco Holdings,
                Inc.)****CONDENSED
                CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (UNAUDITED)****(Amounts
                in thousands)**




**13
                Weeks Ended September 30,**
            
            **39
                Weeks Ended September 30,****2007**
            
            **2008**
            
            **2007**
            
            **2008**OPERATING
                REVENUE:Restaurant
                revenue
            
            $
            67,266
            
            $
            69,653
            
            $
            194,690
            
            $
            206,806Franchise
                revenue
            
            
            5,048
            
            
            5,232
            
            
            14,149
            
            
            15,644Total
                operating revenue
            
            
            72,314
            
            
            74,885
            
            
            208,839
            
            
            222,450OPERATING
                EXPENSES:Product
                cost
            
            
            20,786
            
            
            22,711
            
            
            60,117
            
            
            66,948Payroll
                and benefits
            
            
            17,476
            
            
            18,363
            
            
            50,727
            
            
            54,506Depreciation
                and amortization
            
            
            3,014
            
            
            3,214
            
            
            8,707
            
            
            9,305Other
                operating expenses
            
            
            24,864
            
            
            24,000
            
            
            66,690
            
            
            81,667Total
                operating expenses
            
            
            66,140
            
            
            68,288
            
            
            186,241
            
            
            212,426OPERATING
                INCOME
            
            
            6,174
            
            
            6,597
            
            
            22,598
            
            
            10,024OTHER
                EXPENSE
            
            
            -
            
            
            399
            
            
            -
            
            
            399INTEREST
                EXPENSE—Net
            
            
            7,423
            
            
            6,107
            
            
            21,927
            
            
            19,724INCOME
                  (LOSS) BEFORE PROVISIONFOR INCOME TAXES
            
            
            (1,249
            )
            
            91
            
            
            671
            
            
            (10,099
            )PROVISION
                (BENEFIT) FOR INCOME TAXES
            
            
            2,763
            
            
            43
            
            
            3,095
            
            
            (4,105
            )NET
                INCOME (LOSS)
            
            $
            (4,012
            )
            $
            48
            
            $
            (2,424
            )
            $
            (5,994
            )






6


**13
                  Weeks Ended**
                **September
                  30,**
              
              **39
                  Weeks Ended**
                **September
                  30,****2007**
              
              **2008**
              
              **2007**
              
              **2008****Operating
                  Statement Data:**Restaurant
                  revenue
              
              
              100.0
              %
              
              100.0
              %
              
              100.0
              %
              
              100.0
              %Product
                  cost
              
              
              30.9
              
              
              32.6
              
              
              30.9
              
              
              32.4Payroll
                  and benefits
              
              
              26.0
              
              
              26.4
              
              
              26.1
              
              
              26.4Depreciation
                  and amortization
              
              
              4.5
              
              
              4.6
              
              
              4.5
              
              
              4.5Other
                  operating expenses
              
              
              37.0
              
              
              34.5
              
              
              34.3
              
              
              39.5Operating
                  income
              
              
              9.2
              
              
              9.5
              
              
              11.6
              
              
              4.8Other
                  expense
              
              
              0.0
              
              
              0.6
              
              
              0.0
              
              
              0.2Interest
                  expense
              
              
              11.0
              
              
              8.8
              
              
              11.3
              
              
              9.
                  5Income
                  (loss) before income taxes
              
              
              (1.9
              )
              
              0.1
              
              
              0.3
              
              
              (4.9
              )Net
                  income (loss)
              
              
              (6.0
              )
              
              0.1
              
              
              (1.2
              )
              
              (2.9
              )**Supplementary
                  Operating Statement Data:**Restaurant
                  other operating expense
              
              
              22.0
              
              
              22.9
              
              
              21.6
              
              
              22.5Franchise
                  expense
              
              
              1.4
              
              
              1.5
              
              
              1.4
              
              
              1.5General
                  and administrative expense
              
              
              13.6
              
              
              10.1
              
              
              11.3
              
              
              15.5Total
                  other operating expenses
              
              
              37.0
              
              
              34.5
              
              
              34.3
              
              
              39.5


Contacts:
              Joe
                  Stein
              Julie
                  WeeksChief
                  Financial Officer
              Vice
                  President of CommunicationsEl
                  Pollo Loco, Inc.
              El
                  Pollo Loco, Inc.714.599.5155
              714.599.5150jstein@elpolloloco.com
              jweeks@elpolloloco.com





7