Document:

Exhibit

Exhibit 10.25

EL POLLO LOCO HOLDINGS, INC.
2018 OMNIBUS EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN 
RESTRICTED SHARE AGREEMENT

NON-OFFICER DIRECTOR

This Restricted Share Award Agreement (this “Restricted Share Agreement”), dated as of ____________, ______ (the “Date of Grant”), is made by and between El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) and _______________ (the “Non-Officer Director”).  Capitalized terms not defined herein shall have the meaning ascribed to them in the El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. 2018 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan (as amended from time to time, the “Plan”).  Where the context permits, references to the Company shall include any successor to the Company.
1.Grant of Restricted Shares.  The Company hereby grants to the Non-Officer Director ___________ Shares (such shares, the “Restricted Shares”), subject to all of the terms and conditions of this Restricted Share Agreement and the Plan.
2.    Lapse of Restrictions.
(a)    General.  Except as otherwise set forth in this Section 2, the restrictions on Transfer (as defined in Section 6(a)) set forth in Section 2 shall lapse with respect to 1/3 of the Restricted Shares on each of the first three anniversaries of the Date of Grant (each anniversary of the Date of Grant, a “Vesting Date”), subject to the continued service of the Non-Officer Director for the Company from the date hereof through the applicable Vesting Date, and provided that the Non-Officer Director has not given notice of resignation as of such Vesting Date.
(b)    Following Certain Terminations of Service.  Subject to the next sentence, upon termination of the Non-Officer Director’s service with the Company and its Affiliates for any reason (including the death or Disability of the Non-Officer Director), any Restricted Shares in respect of which the restrictions on Transfer described in this Section 2 shall not already have lapsed shall be canceled and immediately forfeited and neither the Non-Officer Director nor any of the Non-Officer Director’s successors, heirs, assigns, or personal representatives shall thereafter have any further rights or interests in such Restricted Shares.  Notwithstanding the foregoing:  
(x)    in the event that the Non-Officer Director’s service with the Company is terminated without Cause, then 100% of the Restricted Shares that are not vested as of the date of such termination shall immediately vest on the date of such termination of service, and the restrictions on Transfer of such Restricted Shares set out in this Section 2 shall lapse; provided that if such termination occurs prior to a Change in Control, then such vesting will be subject to the Non-Officer Director’s execution of a separation agreement prepared by the Company (or any Subsidiary of Affiliate) which includes, inter alia, a general release of claims; and

(y)    in the event that the Non-Officer Director’s service with the Company is terminated as a result of the death or Disability of the Non-Officer Director, then 100% of the Restricted Shares that are not vested as of the date of such termination shall immediately vest, and the restrictions on Transfer of such Restricted Shares set out in this Section 2 shall lapse.
(c)    Restrictions.  Until the restrictions on Transfer of the Restricted Shares lapse as provided in this Section 2, or as otherwise provided in the Plan, no Transfer of the Restricted Shares or any of the Non-Officer Director’s rights with respect to the Restricted Shares, whether voluntary or involuntary, by operation of law or otherwise, shall be permitted.  Unless the Administrator determines otherwise, upon any attempt to Transfer Restricted Shares or any rights in respect of Restricted Shares, before the lapse of such restrictions, such Restricted Shares, and all of the rights related thereto, shall be immediately canceled and forfeited.
3.    Adjustments.  Pursuant to Section 5 of the Plan, in the event of a Change in Capitalization, the Administrator shall make such equitable changes or adjustments to the number and kind of securities or other property (including cash) issued or issuable in respect of outstanding Restricted Shares as it determines to be necessary in its sole discretion.  
4.    Certain Changes.  The Administrator may accelerate the date on which the restrictions on transfer set forth in Section 2 shall lapse or otherwise adjust any of the terms of the Restricted Shares; provided that, subject to Section 5 of the Plan, no action under this Section shall adversely affect the Non-Officer Director’s rights hereunder.  
5.    Notices.  All notices and other communications under this Restricted Share Agreement shall be in writing and shall be given by facsimile or first class mail, certified or registered with return receipt requested, and shall be deemed to have been duly given three days after mailing or 24 hours after transmission by facsimile to the respective parties, as follows:  (i) if to the Company, addressed to the Company in care of its Vice President, Legal at the principal executive office of the Company and (ii) if to the Non-Officer Director, using the contact information on file with the Company.  Either party hereto may change such party’s address for notices by notice duly given pursuant hereto.
6.    Protections Against Violations of Agreement.  
(a)    Until such time as the Restricted Shares are fully vested in accordance with Section 2, no purported sale, assignment, mortgage, hypothecation, transfer, charge, pledge, encumbrance, gift, transfer in trust (voting or other) or other disposition of, or creation of a security interest in or lien on, any of the Restricted Shares or any agreement or commitment to do any of the foregoing (each a “Transfer”) by any holder thereof in violation of the provisions of this Restricted Share Agreement will be valid, except with the prior written consent of the Administrator (such consent shall be granted or withheld in the sole discretion of the Administrator).
(b)    In addition to Section 2, any purported Transfer of Restricted Shares or any economic benefit or interest therein in violation of this Restricted Share Agreement shall 

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be null and void ab initio, and shall not create any obligation or liability of the Company, and any person purportedly acquiring any Restricted Shares or any economic benefit or interest therein transferred in violation of this Restricted Share Agreement shall not be entitled to be recognized as a holder of such Shares.
7.    Taxes.  
(a)    The Non-Officer Director understands that he or she (and not the Company) shall be responsible for any tax liability that may arise as a result of the transactions contemplated by this Restricted Share Agreement. The Company shall not be required to withhold any amounts in respect of any such taxes.    
(b)    The Non-Officer Director shall promptly notify the Company of any election made pursuant to Section 83(b) of the Code.  A form of such election is attached hereto as Exhibit A.  
THE NON-OFFICER DIRECTOR ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT IS THE NON-OFFICER DIRECTOR’S SOLE RESPONSIBILITY AND NOT THE COMPANY’S TO FILE TIMELY THE ELECTION UNDER SECTION 83(b) OF THE CODE, EVEN IF THE NON-OFFICER DIRECTOR REQUESTS THE COMPANY OR ITS REPRESENTATIVE TO MAKE THIS FILING ON THE NON-OFFICER DIRECTOR’S BEHALF.

(c)    The Non-Officer Director acknowledges that the tax laws and regulations applicable to the Restricted Shares and the disposition of the Restricted Shares following vesting are complex and subject to change, and it is the sole responsibility of the Non-Officer Director to obtain his or her own advice as to the tax treatment of the terms of this Restricted Share Agreement.

BY SIGNING THIS RESTRICTED SHARE AGREEMENT, THE NON-OFFICER DIRECTOR REPRESENTS THAT HE OR SHE HAS REVIEWED WITH HIS OR HER OWN TAX ADVISORS THE FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AND FOREIGN TAX CONSEQUENCES OF THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED BY THIS RESTRICTED SHARE AGREEMENT AND THAT HE OR SHE IS RELYING SOLELY ON SUCH ADVISORS AND NOT ON ANY STATEMENTS OR REPRESENTATIONS OF THE COMPANY OR ANY OF ITS AGENTS.  THE NON-OFFICER DIRECTOR UNDERSTANDS AND AGREES THAT HE OR SHE (AND NOT THE COMPANY) SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY TAX LIABILITY THAT MAY ARISE AS A RESULT OF THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED BY THIS RESTRICTED SHARE AGREEMENT.

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8.    Failure to Enforce Not a Waiver.  The failure of the Company to enforce at any time any provision of this Restricted Share Agreement shall in no way be construed to be a waiver of such provision or of any other provision hereof.
9.    Confidentiality.  
(a)    The Non-Officer Director acknowledges that during the period of the Non-Officer Director’s service with the Company the Non-Officer Director shall have access to the Company’s Confidential Information (as defined below).  All books of account, records, systems, correspondence, documents, and any and all other data, in whatever form, concerning or containing any reference to the works and business of the Company or its affiliated companies shall belong to the Company and shall be given up to the Company whenever the Company requires the Non-Officer Director to do so.  The Non-Officer Director agrees that the Non-Officer Director shall not at any time during the term of the Non-Officer Director’s service or thereafter, without the Company’s prior written consent, disclose to any person (individual or entity) any information or any trade secrets, plans or other information or data, in whatever form, (including, without limitation, (i) any financing strategies and practices, pricing information and methods, training and operational procedures, advertising, marketing, and sales information or methodologies or financial information and (ii) any Proprietary Information (as defined below)), concerning the Company’s or any of its affiliated companies’ or customers’ practices, businesses, procedures, systems, plans or policies (collectively, “Confidential Information”), nor shall the Non-Officer Director utilize any such Confidential Information in any way or communicate with or contact any such customer other than in connection with the Non-Officer Director’s service by the Company.  The Non-Officer Director hereby confirms that all Confidential Information constitutes the Company’s exclusive property, and that all of the restrictions on the Non-Officer Director’s activities contained in this Restricted Share Agreement and such other nondisclosure policies of the Company are required for the Company’s reasonable protection. Confidential Information shall not include any information that has otherwise been disclosed to the public not in violation of this Restricted Share Agreement. This confidentiality provision shall survive the termination of this Restricted Share Agreement and shall not be limited by any other confidentiality agreements entered into with the Company or any of its affiliates.
(b)    With respect to any Confidential Information that constitutes a “trade secret” pursuant to applicable law, the restrictions described above shall remain in force for so long as the particular information remains a trade secret or for the two-year period immediately following termination of the Non-Officer Director’s service for any reason, whichever is longer.  With respect to any Confidential Information that does not constitute a “trade secret” pursuant to applicable law, the restrictions described above shall remain in force during the Non-Officer Director’s service and for the two-year period immediately following termination of Non-Officer Director’s service for any reason.
(c)    The Non-Officer Director agrees that the Non-Officer Director shall promptly disclose to the Company in writing all information and inventions generated, conceived or first reduced to practice by the Non-Officer Director alone or in conjunction with others, during or after working hours, while in the employ of the Company (all of which is collectively 

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referred to in this Restricted Share Agreement as “Proprietary Information”); provided, however, that such Proprietary Information shall not include (i) any information that has otherwise been disclosed to the public not in violation of this Restricted Share Agreement and (ii) general business knowledge and work skills of the Non-Officer Director, even if developed or improved by the Non-Officer Director while in the employ of the Company.  All such Proprietary Information shall be the exclusive property of the Company and is hereby assigned by the Non-Officer Director to the Company.  The Non-Officer Director’s obligation relative to the disclosure to the Company of such Proprietary Information anticipated in this Section shall continue beyond the Non-Officer Director’s termination of service and the Non-Officer Director shall, at the Company’s expense, give the Company all assistance it reasonably requires to perfect, protect and use its right to the Proprietary Information.

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(d)    Defend Trade Secrets Act.  Pursuant to Section 1833(b) of the Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016, the Non-Officer Director acknowledges that the Non-Officer Director shall not have criminal or civil liability under any federal or State trade secret law for the disclosure of a trade secret that is made in confidence to a federal, state, or local government official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney and solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law; or that is made in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal.  Nothing in this Restricted Share Agreement is intended to conflict with Section 1833(b) of the Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016  or create liability for disclosures of trade secrets that are expressly allowed by such Section.  Notwithstanding anything set forth in this Restricted Share Agreement to the contrary, the Non-Officer Director shall not be prohibited from reporting possible violations of federal or state law or regulation to any governmental agency or entity or making other disclosures that are protected under the whistleblower provisions of federal or state law or regulation, nor is the Non-Officer Director required to notify the Company regarding any such reporting, disclosure or cooperation with the government.
10.    Governing Law.  This Restricted Share Award Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware applicable to contracts made and to be performed therein.  Any suit, action or proceeding with respect to this Restricted Share Agreement, or any judgment entered by any court in respect of any thereof, shall be brought in any court of competent jurisdiction in the State of Delaware, and the Company and the Non-Officer Director hereby submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of such courts for the purpose of any such suit, action, proceeding or judgment.  The Non-Officer Director and the Company hereby irrevocably waive (i) any objections which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of the venue of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Restricted Share Agreement brought in any court of competent jurisdiction in the State of Delaware, (ii) any claim that any such suit, action or proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in any inconvenient forum and (iii) any right to a jury trial. 
11.    Incorporation of Plan.  The Plan is hereby incorporated by reference and made a part hereof, and the Restricted Shares and this Restricted Share Agreement shall be subject to all terms and conditions of the Plan and this Restricted Share Agreement.
12.    Amendments; Construction.  The Administrator may amend the terms of this Restricted Share Agreement prospectively or retroactively at any time, but no such amendment shall impair the rights of the Non-Officer Director hereunder without his or her consent.  To the extent the terms of Section 9 conflict with any prior agreement between the parties related to such subject matter, the terms of Section 9 shall supersede such conflicting terms and control.  Headings to Sections of this Restricted Share Agreement are intended for convenience of reference only, are not part of this Restricted Share Agreement and shall have no effect on the interpretation hereof.
13.    Survival of Terms.  This Restricted Share Agreement shall apply to and bind the Non-Officer Director and the Company and their respective permitted assignees and transferees, heirs, legatees, executors, administrators and legal successors.  

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14.    Rights as a Shareholder.  During the period until the restrictions on Transfer of the Restricted Shares lapse as provided in Section 2, the Non-Officer Director shall have all the rights of a shareholder with respect to the Restricted Shares save only the right to Transfer the Restricted Shares.  Accordingly, the Non-Officer Director shall have the right to vote the Restricted Shares and to receive any ordinary dividends paid to or made with respect to the Restricted Shares.
15.    Agreement Not a Contract for Services.  Neither the Plan, the granting of the Restricted Shares, this Restricted Share Agreement nor any other action taken pursuant to the Plan shall constitute or be evidence of any agreement or understanding, express or implied, that the Non-Officer Director has a right to continue to provide services as an officer, director, employee, consultant or advisor of the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate for any period of time or at any specific rate of compensation.
16.    Authority of the Administrator; Disputes.  The Administrator shall have full authority to interpret and construe the terms of the Plan and this Restricted Share Agreement.  The determination of the Administrator as to any such matter of interpretation or construction shall be final, binding and conclusive.  
17.    Severability.  Should any provision of this Restricted Share Agreement be held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unenforceable, or enforceable only if modified, such holding shall not affect the validity of the remainder of this Restricted Share Agreement, the balance of which shall continue to be binding upon the parties hereto with any such modification (if any) to become a part hereof and treated as though contained in this Restricted Share Agreement.  
18.    Acceptance.  The Non-Officer Director hereby acknowledges receipt of a copy of the Plan and this Restricted Share Agreement.  The Non-Officer Director has read and understands the terms and provisions of the Plan and this Restricted Share Agreement, and accepts the Restricted Shares subject to all the terms and conditions of the Plan and this Restricted Share Agreement.  The Non-Officer Director hereby agrees to accept as binding, conclusive and final all decisions or interpretations of the Administrator upon any questions arising under this Restricted Share Agreement. 

[Signature Page Follows]

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed and delivered this Restricted Share Agreement on the day and year first above written.

EL POLLO LOCO HOLDINGS, INC.

By     
Name     
Title     

NON-OFFICER DIRECTOR

___________________________________
                                                                          
             

EXHIBIT A
ELECTION UNDER SECTION 83(b)

The undersigned taxpayer hereby elects, pursuant to Section 83(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, to include in taxpayer’s gross income for the current taxable year the amount of any compensation taxable to taxpayer in connection with taxpayer’s receipt of the property described below:

1.    The name address, taxpayer identification number and taxable year of the undersigned are as follows:

NAME OF TAXPAYER:                                 

NAME OF SPOUSE:                                      

ADDRESS:                                          

IDENTIFICATION NO. OF TAXPAYER:                         

IDENTIFICATION NUMBER OF SPOUSE:                         

TAXABLE YEAR:                                     

2.    The property with respect to which the election is made is described as follows: _______ shares of Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share, of El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”).

3.    The date on which the property was transferred is: ________________, 20__.

4.    The property is subject to the following restrictions:  The property may not be transferred and is subject to forfeiture under the terms of an agreement between the taxpayer and the Company.  These restrictions lapse upon the satisfaction of certain conditions in such agreement. 

5.    The fair market value at the time of transfer, determined without regard to any restriction other than a restriction which by its terms will never lapse, of such property is:  $ ______________.

6.    The amount (if any) paid for such property is:  $ ______________.

The undersigned has submitted a copy of this statement to the person for whom the services were performed in connection with the undersigned’s receipt of the above-described property.  The transferee of such property is the person performing the services in connection with the transfer of said property.

The undersigned understands that the foregoing election may not be revoked except with the consent of the Commissioner.

Dated: _________________, 20__        
Taxpayer

The undersigned spouse of taxpayer joins in this election.

Dated: _________________, 20__        
Spouse of Taxpayer

-7-Exhibit

Exhibit 10.26

EL POLLO LOCO HOLDINGS, INC. 
RESTRICTED SHARE UNIT AWARD AGREEMENT

You (the "Participant') are hereby awarded restricted share units (the "RSUs"), pursuant to the El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. (the "Company") 2018 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan (the "Plan"), on the terms and conditions in this Restricted Share Unit Award Agreement (this "Award Agreement ") and on the terms and conditions in the Plan that are incorporated herein by reference.

WHEREAS, pursuant to that certain Employment Agreement by and between the Company and the Participant, dated as of __________________ (the "Employment Agreement "), the Company has agreed to make this grant to the Participant;

WHEREAS, capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Plan.

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants hereinafter set forth, the parties agree as follows:

		
	1.
	Specific Terms. The RSUs shall have the following terms: 

Name of Participant:  
Number of RSUs:    
Award Date:    
		
	Vesting
	The RSUs shall vest in four (4) equal installments on each of the first four (4) anniversaries of the Award Date, subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan.

		
	Settlement
	Each RSU shall be settled by the delivery of one (1) share of Common Stock to the Participant within thirty (30) calendar days following the date on which such RSU becomes vested in accordance with this Award Agreement.

2.Termination of Employment.  If the Participant's employment with the Company is terminated for any reason, the RSUs shall, to the extent not then vested, be forfeited upon such termination of employment for no consideration.

3.Delivery of Shares of Common Stock.  The shares of Common Stock deliverable upon the settlement of the RSUs may be either previously authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock or issued shares of Common Stock that have then been reacquired by the Company. Such shares of Common Stock shall be fully paid and nonassessable.

		
	4.
	No Right to Continued Employment. The granting of the RSUs evidenced hereby and this Award Agreement shall impose no obligation on the Company or any Affiliate to continue the employment of the Participant and shall not lessen or affect the Company's or any Affiliate's right to terminate the employment of the Participant.

5.Legend on Certificates. The certificates, if any, or book entries representing the shares of Common Stock deliverable pursuant to this Award Agreement shall be subject to such stop transfer orders and other restrictions as the Administrator or its delegate reasonably deems advisable under the Plan or the rules, regulations, and other requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, any stock exchange upon which such shares of Common Stock are listed, and any applicable Federal or state laws, and the Administrator or such other party may cause a legend or legends to be put on any such certificates or to be notated on the stock register to make appropriate reference to such restrictions.

		
	6.
	Transferability.

(a)    The RSUs may not be assigned, alienated, pledged, attached, sold or otherwise transferred or encumbered by the Participant other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, and any such purported assignment, alienation, pledge, attachment, sale, transfer or encumbrance in contravention of the foregoing shall be void and unenforceable against the Company or any Affiliate; provided, that the designation of a beneficiary shall not constitute an assignment, alienation, pledge, attachment, sale, transfer or encumbrance.  No such permitted transfer of the RSUs to heirs or legatees of the Participant shall be effective to bind the Company unless the Administrator shall have been furnished with written notice thereof and a copy of such evidence as the Administrator may deem necessary to establish the validity of the transfer and the acceptance by the transferee or transferees of the terms and conditions hereof.

(b)    The RSUs shall not be liable for the debts, contracts or engagements of the Participant or the Participant's successors in interest and shall not be subject to disposition by transfer, alienation, anticipation, pledge, hypothecation, encumbrance, assignment or any other means whether such disposition be voluntary or involuntary or by operation of law or by judgment, levy, attachment, garnishment or any other legal or equitable proceedings (including bankruptcy), and any attempted disposition thereof shall be null and void and of no effect, except to the extent that such disposition is permitted by Section 6(a) hereof.

7.Withholding. The Participant may be required to pay to the Company or any Affi liate and the Company shall have the right and is hereby authorized to withhold from any payment  due or transfer made under the RSUs or from any compensation (including base salary) or other amount owing to the Participant the amount (in cash, shares of Common Stock, other securities or other property) of any applicable withholding taxes in respect of the RSUs, or any payment or transfer under or with respect to the RSUs and to take such other action as may be necessary in the opinion of the Administrator to satisfy all obligations for the payment of such withholding taxes.

Exhibit 10.26

8.Securities Laws. The issuance of any shares of Common Stock hereunder shall be subject to the Participant making or entering into such written representations, warranties and agreements as the Administrator or any officer of the Company may reasonably request in order to comply with applicable securities laws and government regulations.

9.Notices. Any notice necessary under this Award Agreement shall be addressed to the Company in care of its Vice President, Legal at the principal executive office of the Company and to the Participant at the address appearing in the personnel records of the Company for the Participant or to either party at such other address as either party hereto may hereafter designate in writing to the other. Any such notice shall be deemed effective upon receipt thereof by the addressee.

10.Governing Law/Jurisdiction. This Award Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware applicable to contracts made and to be performed therein.  Any suit, action or proceeding with respect to this Award Agreement, or any judgment entered by any court in respect of any thereof, shall be brought in any court of competent jurisdiction in the State of Delaware, and the Company and the Participant hereby submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of such courts (and their appellate courts, whether or not located in the State of Delaware) for the purpose of any such suit, action, proceeding or judgment.  The Participant and the Company hereby irrevocably waive (i) any objections which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of the venue of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Award Agreement brought in any court of competent jurisdiction in the State of Delaware, (ii) any claim that any such suit, action or proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in any inconvenient forum and (iii) any right to a jury trial.

11.Incorporation of the Terms of the Plan. By entering into this Award Agreement, the Participant agrees and acknowledges that the Participant has received and read a copy of the Plan as set forth on Exhibit A hereto. The RSUs are subject to the Plan, as may be amended from time to time, and the terms and provisions of the plan are incorporated herein by reference.  In the event of any inconsistency between the Plan and this Award Agreement, the terms of the Plan shall control.

12.Section 409A. The intent of the parties is that payments and benefits under this Award Agreement comply with Section 409A of Code to the extent subject thereto, and, accordingly, to the maximum extent permitted, this Award Agreement shall be interpreted and be administered to be in compliance therewith.  Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, to the extent required in order to avoid accelerated taxation and/or tax penalties under Section 409A of the Code, the Participant shall not be considered to have separated from service with the Company for purposes of this Award Agreement and no payment shall be due to the Participant under this Award Agreement on account of a separation from service until the Participant would be considered to have incurred a "separation from service" from the Company within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code. Any payments described in this Award Agreement that are due within the "short-term deferral period" as defined in Section 409A of the Code shall not be treated as deferred compensation unless applicable law requires otherwise.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary 

in this Award Agreement, to the extent that any RSUs are payable upon a separation from service and such payment would result in the imposition of any individual income tax and late interest charges imposed under Section 409A of the Code, the settlement and payment of such awards shall instead be made on the first business day after the date that is six (6) months following such separation from service (or death, if earlier). The Company makes no representation that any or all of the payments described in this Award Agreement will be exempt from or comply with Section 409A of the Code and makes no undertaking to preclude Section 409A of the Code from applying to any such payment. The Participant shall be solely responsible for the payment of any taxes and penalties incurred under Section 409A.

13.Signature in Counterparts. This Award Agreement may be signed in counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument.

		
	14.
	Amendment and Termination. To the extent permitted by terms of the Plan, this Award Agreement may be wholly or partially amended, altered or terminated at any time or from time to time by the Administrator or the Board, but no amendment, alteration or termination shall be made that would materially impair the rights of the Participant under the RSUs without the Participant's consent.

15.Entire Agreement. This Award Agreement (including all exhibits hereto, if any) constitute the entire agreement of the parties and supersede in their entirety all prior undertakings and agreements of the Company and the Participant with respect to the subject matter hereof.

16.Electronic Signature; Electronic Delivery and Acceptance.  The Participant's electronic signature of this Award Agreement shall have the same validity and effect as a signature affixed by hand. The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide to deliver any documents related to the RSUs by electronic means.  The Participant hereby consents to receive such documents by electronic delivery and agrees to participate in the administration of the RSUs through an on-line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or a third party designated by the Company.

17.Waiver. The Participant acknowledges that a waiver by the Company of a breach of any provision of this Award Agreement shall not operate or be construed as a waiver of any other provision of this Award Agreement, or of any subsequent breach by the Participant.

18.Severability. The provisions of this Award Agreement are severable and if any one or more provisions are determined to be illegal or otherwise unenforceable, in whole or in part, the remaining provisions shall nevertheless be binding and enforceable.

[Signature Page Follows]

Exhibit 10.26

BY YOUR SIGNATURE BELOW, along with the signature of the Company's representative, you and the Company agree that the RSUs are hereby awarded under the terms and conditions of this Award Agreement and under the terms and conditions of the Plan.

EL POLLO LOCO HOLDINGS, INC.

                                                                        
By: ________________________________    
Name:
Its:

PARTICIPANT

By:                             
Name:

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