3 Restaurant Chains Report Mixed Results

Three Irvine-based restaurant chains owned by South Carolina-based Advantica Restaurant Group Inc. reported mixed first-quarter results this week.

Coco’s, which owns 150 of the bakery-oriented coffee shops and licenses 331 more, said first-quarter operating income dropped 33% to $5.5 million as sales dropped 16.2% to $54.8 million. Sales at company-owned stores open at least a year--a key measure of growth--fell 7.8%, a dramatic decline that Advantica attributes to a reduction in company-owned restaurants.

El Pollo Loco, which owns 102 Mexican charbroiled chicken eateries and franchises another 161, said first-quarter operating income dropped by 16% to $4.2 million mainly due to an increase in chicken prices. But sales increased by 7.6% to $34.2 million. In addition, same-store sales rose 5.9%.

Carrows, which owns 122 dinner houses and franchises 26 others, said first-quarter operating income fell by 43% to $2.5 million. Sales at Carrows also were down by 13.3% to 40.2 million, and same-store sales fell 3.6%.