**Exhibit
      99.1**





**EPL
      Intermediate, Inc. Announces Results for the**


**13
      Weeks Ended March 31, 2008**





COSTA
      MESA, CA.— (BUSINESS WIRE) – May 8, 2008 - EPL Intermediate, Inc. (“El
      Pollo Loco” or the “Company”), parent company of El Pollo Loco, Inc., today
      reported results for the 13 weeks ended March 31, 2008.





El
      Pollo
      Loco reported operating revenues for the 13-week period ended March 31, 2008
      of
      $71.2 million, which is an increase of $4.4 million, or 6.5%, over operating
      revenues for the 13-week period ended March 31, 2007 of $66.8 million. Operating
      revenues include both sales at company-owned stores and franchise revenues.
      Increases in company-operated restaurant revenue are attributed to growth in
      new
      company-operated restaurants and increases in same store sales.





Same-store
      sales for the system (includes both company and franchise locations) increased
      1.8% in the first quarter of 2008. Restaurants enter the comparable restaurant
      base for same-store sales the first full week after that restaurant’s 15-month
      anniversary.





Operating
      income decreased $1.4 million, or 17.3%, to $6.4 million for the first 13 weeks
      of 2008 from $7.8 million for the first 13 weeks of 2007. Items impacting the
      comparison of operating income include:





·
            an
                increase in product cost of $2.4 million, or 12.5%, to $21.6 million
                for
                the first 13 weeks of 2008 from $19.2 million for the first 13 weeks
                of
                2007. These costs were 32.6% as a percentage of restaurant revenue
                for the
                first quarter of 2008 compared to 30.7% for the same period of 2007.
                The
                1.9% increase in the first 13 weeks of 2008 resulted primarily from
                increased commodity costs and heavier promotional
                discounting.





·
            an
                increase in payroll and benefit expenses of $1.4 million, or 8.4%,
                to
                $17.7 million for the first 13 weeks of 2008 from $16.3 million for
                the
                same period in 2007. As a percentage of restaurant revenue, these
                costs
                increased 0.6% to 26.7% for the first 13 weeks of 2008 from 26.1%
                for the
                same period of 2007. This increase is primarily attributed to the
                California minimum wage increase effective January 1, 2008 and higher
                spending on manager training.




·
            a
                0.9% increase in restaurant other operating expense (includes utilities,
                repair and maintenance, advertising, property taxes, occupancy and
                other
                operating expenses) as a percentage of restaurant revenue, resulting
                primarily from a 0.4% increase in occupancy costs as a percentage
                of
                revenue and a 0.2% increase in utilities as a percentage of revenue
                due to
                higher gas prices in the current period. Also contributing to the
                increase
                was a 0.1% increase in advertising expense as a percentage of revenue.
                Advertising expense each quarter may be above or below our planned
                annual
                rate of 4% of revenue, depending on the timing of marketing promotions
                and
                the relative weights and prices of media
                spending.





Interest
      expense, net of interest income, decreased $0.1 million, or 2.1%, to $7.2
      million for the first 13 weeks of 2008 from $7.3 million for the first 13 weeks
      of 2007. Average debt balances for the first 13 weeks of 2008 decreased to
      $256.8 million compared to $260.8 million for the first 13 weeks of 2007.








Our
      provision for income taxes consisted of an income tax benefit of $0.3 million
      in
      the first 13 weeks of 2008 compared to income tax expense of $0.2 million in
      the
      first 13 weeks of 2007.





As
      a
      result of the factors cited above, there was a net loss for the 13 weeks ended
      March 31, 2008 of $0.5 million compared to net income of $0.2 million for the
      same 13 weeks of 2007.





Commenting
      on results for the first 13 weeks of 2008, Stephen E. Carley, president and
      CEO
      of El Pollo Loco, Inc. said, “Consumers are being affected by the economy more
      dramatically this year as they struggle with the sustained effect of soaring
      gasoline costs, rising food prices, declining home values and the prospect
      of a
      recession. At the same time, restaurant companies are tackling record increases
      in commodity costs. Despite the convergence of these challenges, we are pleased
      to continue to deliver positive system-wide same-store sales growth.”





Focusing
      on the Company’s approach in reaching consumers in a challenging economy, Carley
      explained, “We are focused on building sales at both lunch and dinner by
      providing value to our guests and fresh, flavorful food featuring our signature
      flame-grilled chicken that they cannot find anywhere else,” Carley said. “The
      debut of our Queso Crunch Burrito during the first quarter of 2008 generated
      impressive response and drove traffic at lunch, while our family meal promotion
      helped sustain family meal sales in a tough economic environment.”




El
      Pollo
      Loco’s restaurant count changes for the first 13 weeks of 2008 are as
      follows:


Company
              
              Franchised Stores
              
              TotalDecember
                  26, 2007
              
              
              159
              
              
              230
              
              
              389Opened
              
              
              2
              
              
              2
              
              
              4Closed
              
              
              -
              
              
              (2
              )
              
              (2
              )At
                  March 31, 2008
              
              
              161
              
              
              230
              
              
              391





Addressing
      the Company’s growth, Mr. Carley said, “We are experiencing remarkable momentum
      with our restaurant expansion. We and our franchisees opened four new
      restaurants in the first quarter of 2008 and an additional eight locations
      since
      the end of the first quarter through today.”





Included
      in this group of newly opened El Pollo Loco locations are two restaurants in
      Georgia, one in Illinois, two in Nevada, three in Arizona, three in California,
      and the Company’s first restaurant in the state of Washington.” El Pollo Loco
      currently operates 399 restaurants; 236 are franchise owned and 163 are company
      owned.





The
      Company plans to open approximately ten company-operated restaurants in 2008
      and
      a moderately increasing number of company-operated restaurants in succeeding
      years. El Pollo Loco franchisees are expected to open up to 40 restaurants
      in
      2008.





**System-wide
      Sales**




Included
      above are franchise and system-wide same-store sales information. System-wide
      sales are 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; negative publicity, whether or not valid; adverse public
      perception due to the occurrence of avian flu; increases in the cost of chicken;
      an adverse ruling in our appeal of adverse judgments rendered in litigation
      involving El Pollo Loco-Mexico which could result in the imposition of
      significant monetary damages and loss of rights to the trademarks in Mexico;
      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.





**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 161 company-operated and 230 franchised
      restaurants (as of March 31, 2008) located primarily in California, with
      additional restaurants in Arizona, Nevada, Texas, Colorado, Illinois, Georgia,
      Connecticut, Massachusetts and (as of May 5, 2008) in Washington. 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, quesadillas, Grilled Chicken
      Nachos, 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 .





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





**Summary
      Financial Information**




**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 March 31,****2007**
            
            **2008**OPERATING
                REVENUE:Restaurant
                revenue
            
            $
            62,449
            
            $
            66,326Franchise
                revenue
            
            
            4,370
            
            
            4,852Total
                operating revenue
            
            
            66,819
            
            
            71,178OPERATING
                EXPENSES:Product
                cost
            
            
            19,201
            
            
            21,594Payroll
                and benefits
            
            
            16,315
            
            
            17,684Depreciation
                and amortization
            
            
            2,794
            
            
            2,985Other
                operating expenses
            
            
            20,711
            
            
            22,467Total
                operating expenses
            
            
            59,021
            
            
            64,730OPERATING
                INCOME
            
            
            7,798
            
            
            6,448INTEREST
                EXPENSE—Net
            
            
            7,328
            
            
            7,172INCOME
                (LOSS) BEFORE PROVISIONFOR
                INCOME TAXES
            
            
            470
            
            
            (724
            )PROVISION
                (BENEFIT) FOR INCOME TAXES
            
            
            236
            
            
            (268
            )NET
                INCOME (LOSS)
            
            $
            234
            
            $
            (456
            )








**13 Weeks Ended****March 31,****2007**
            
            **2008****Operating
                Statement Data:**Restaurant
                revenue
            
            
            100.0
            %
            
            100.0
            %Product
                cost
            
            
            30.7
            
            
            32.6Payroll
                and benefits
            
            
            26.1
            
            
            26.7Depreciation
                and amortization
            
            
            4.5
            
            
            4.5Other
                operating expenses
            
            
            33.2
            
            
            33.9Operating
                income
            
            
            12.5
            
            
            9.7Interest
                expense
            
            
            11.7
            
            
            10.8Income
                (loss) before income taxes
            
            
            0.8
            
            
            (1.1
            )Net
                income (loss)
            
            
            0.4
            
            
            (0.7
            )**Supplementary
                Operating Statement Data:**Restaurant
                other operating expense
            
            
            21.2
            
            
            22.1Franchise
                expense
            
            
            1.6
            
            
            1.5General
                and administrative expense
            
            
            10.4
            
            
            10.3Total
                other operating expenses
            
            
            33.2
            
            
            33.9