Pollo Campero has permanently closed at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda, according to a sign posted at their stall in the Dining Terrace food court. The Guatemalan chicken chain opened this location in July 2024. From what I can tell, this is one of the rare closures we can't necessarily blame the Montgomery County Council for. I see that quite a few Pollo Campero restaurants have closed elsewhere across the country this year.
I recall that the chain went through a major expansion push in 2024, after celebrating record sales growth the previous year. Several of the planned 45 new locations were here in Montgomery County. I notice that a recurring theme in news articles about the other closures is that they all opened during that heady expansion year of 2024.
Waiting for Popeyes to return.
ReplyDeleteDarn. I actually love that place. I think perhaps Bethesda is a bit too uppitiy for fried chicken.
ReplyDeleteHow will anyone know the difference? For some time I have grabbed a bite from next-door Panda Express at least once a week. In all that time, if I saw a dozen customers —total, as long as Pollo had been there— I’d be genuinely surprised. It gave off a strong aura of awfulness.
ReplyDeleteNext!
Waiting for the place across from the theater to close to make way for Slade's return.
ReplyDeleteAll of the stores, bowling alleys and restaurants that have come and gone over the past decade at Montgomery Mall. Who'd have thought the 747 jet simulator would have outlasted them all?
ReplyDelete