| Type | Fast Food Chain, Drug Empire |
| Location | Albuquerque, New Mexico and many other locations |
| Owner(s) | Gustavo Fring Madrigal Elektromotoren |
| Featured in | Breaking Bad |
- “Los Pollos Hermanos, where something delicious is always cooking.”
- ―The slogan of Los Pollos Hermanos
Los Pollos Hermanos Inc. was a fast-food restaurant chain that specialized in fried chicken before being shut down due to its involvement in various drug trafficking operations. It is prominently featured in the 2007 television series, Breaking Bad and its spin-off series, Better Call Saul.
Overview
- “Just one man's humble opinion, that's all. But I think Los Pollos Hermanos is a front for the biggest meth distributor in the southwest.”
- ―DEA officer, Hank Schrader's accurate view on the true nature of Los Pollos Hermanos
The flagship restaurant of Los Pollos Hermanos
Los Pollos Hermanos was a prominent fast-food chain founded in Albuquerque by Gustavo Fring and Max Arciniega. Originally conceived as a front company for their drug manufacturing and distribution operation, it maintained close ties with the Mexican drug cartel. After Arciniega's demise at the hands of the cartel due to his manipulation of the drug lord Eladio Vuente, Mr. Fring transformed the restaurant into a widely popular fast-food chain. Its strong family-friendly image served as the perfect cover for his criminal enterprise.
As Los Pollos Hermanos gained prominence, it became a subsidiary of Madrigal Elektromotoren, a major German conglomerate that owned numerous other restaurants. This strategic move allowed the restaurant chain to evolve into the largest drug empire in the country over the next two decades. Peter Schuler, the head of Madrigal Elektromotoren's fast-food division, maintained a robust financial partnership with Fring, receiving a significant share of the drug profits in return for his support.
However, in its 20th year, the drug empire of Los Pollos Hermanos faced a gradual decline from its pinnacle position. Two critical factors contributed to this downfall. First, Walter White, Fring's former meth cook, established his own highly influential drug empire. Second, Fring desired independence from the Mexican drug cartel to retain more profits and seek vengeance for Arciniega's death.
Mr. White would then orchestrated his revenge by collaborating with the Mexican drug cartel and its leader, Hector Salamanca, who was more than willing to aid White after Salamanca's family had suffered mercilessly at Fring's hands. Their joint efforts brought an end to Fring and his drug empire. Their plans ultimately put an end to Fring and his drug empire once and for all.
After Gustavo Fring's demise, the arrest of his subordinates, and the exposure of his illegal activities, all Los Pollos Hermanos locations were shut down. The franchise was officially dissolved by Madrigal Elektromotoren, which meticulously erased any trace of the company's logos from their fast-food division.
Staff
Founder
- “Hello and welcome to Los Pollos Hermanos family! My name is Gustavo, but you can call me "Gus".”
- ―Gustavo Fring
CEO and founder of Los Pollos Hermanos, Gustavo Fring
Gustavo "Gus" Fring (aka "The Chicken Man") was the founder and CEO of the Los Pollos Hermanos restaurant chain. Fring projected an outwardly friendly and humble demeanor, and his love for crisp-fried chicken and Mexican cuisine endeared him to many. However, beneath this facade lay a darker truth: Mr. Fring was the mastermind behind a clandestine criminal empire. As one of the most prominent methamphetamine distributors in the southwest, he operated within the shadows, leveraging his restaurants as hubs for various illicit activities—drug trafficking, money laundering, and other violent criminal endeavors. Beyond Los Pollos Hermanos, Fring maintained a network of seemingly legitimate businesses, including the Lavandería Brillante industrial laundry department, all strategically serving as fronts for his expansive drug operation.
Gustavo Fring's true nature as a ruthless drug lord
His seemingly family-friendly image and apparent enthusiasm for chicken had earned him the ironic moniker of 'The Chicken Man.' However, those privy to his true identity understood that Mr. Fring was anything but humorous. He operated as a cold and ruthless businessman, willing to use threats or violence to eliminate anyone obstructing his path—whether directly or through his network of enforcers. Even allies and children were not spared if they posed a threat to his ambitions. To further conceal his activities, Fring went as far as posing as an anti-drug activist and making donations to the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The end of Gustavo Fring
Mr. Fring's cold ruthlessness and unwavering dedication to his drug empire ultimately led to his own undoing. Seeking to sever ties with his partners in the Mexican drug cartel and eliminate his former meth cook turned rival, Walter White, proved fatal. White, along with Fring's former cartel associate, Hector Salamanca, orchestrated a deadly trap for Fring. The confrontation took place at Salamanca's rest home, catching Fring and his men off guard. Salamanca activated a bomb hidden in his wheelchair, ensuring that both he and Fring would meet their demise. Despite the horrific explosion, Fring managed to walk out of Salamanca's room, his head nearly blown in half. Nurses nearby were horrified as they witnessed this walking dead man adjust his tie before finally collapsing.
Employees
- Cynthia
- Lyle
- Lucy
- Bob
- Deshawn
- Jill
- Jullian
- Miguel
- Tim
- Many subordinates and enforcers who handled the drug dealing aspect of the business and would pose as fast food employees when needed.
Menu
- “The finest ingredients are brought together with love and care, then slow cooked to perfection. Yes, the old ways are still best at Los Pollos Hermanos. But don't take my word for it. One taste, and you'll know.”
- ―Los Pollos Hermanos TV commercial
Lavandería Brillante
| Type | Industrial Laundromat, Drug Lab |
| Location | Albuquerque, New Mexico |
| Owner(s) | Gustavo Fring |
| Featured in | Breaking Bad |
Lavandería Brillante was an industrial laundromat department in Albuquerque and the affiliated sister-company of Los Pollos Hermanos, both owned by Gustavo Fring, and as with Los Pollos Hermanos, Lavandería Brillante was also used as a front for Fring's drug empire, with the laundromat serving as a "superlab" for meth production, and chemicals would be concealed among the shipments of detergents.
Overview
The Lavandería Brillante complex
The laundromat was first purchased by Fring after a suggestion from Madrigal executive Lydia Rodarte-Quayle. In April 2004, a construction project led by Mike Ehrmantraut commenced beneath the laundromat. The goal was to create a subterranean meth lab, cleverly concealed from prying eyes and authorities. Despite numerous challenges and investigations from both the DEA and the Mexican drug cartel, construction concluded in 2008.
Throughout its operational years, DEA authorities were unable to definitively confirm their suspicions, much to the frustration of DEA officer Hank Schrader. Following Fring's orchestrated demise at the hands of his former meth cooks, Walter White and Jesse Pinkman, the duo also destroyed the laundromat's meth lab. This decisive action finally eradicated all remnants of Fring's drug empire
Staff
Manager
Dennis Markowski, manager of Lavandería Brillante
Dennis Markowski was the manager of Lavandería Brillante and overseer for Fring's drug operations their, serving as his direct subordinate. Markowski was a cowardly criminal and was always cautious of the DEA and rival cartels, but his cautiousness was not able to protect him following Fring's death, and he was ratted out local authorities, presumably by Walter White himself, and arrested.
Following his arrest, White orchestrated Markowski's death as well, with the lowly former laundry manager meeting his death in a fiery blaze.
Employees
Lavandería Brillante exclusively hired desperate migrant workers for their work staff, as Mr. Fring purposely preferred taking advantage of such individuals knowing that he could easily blackmail them with threats of deportation should they step out of line and threaten to report his activities to authorities.
Fring also employed various chemists to serve as meth cooks for his superlab, among these being the infamous Walter White who would ultimately orchestrate Fring's death.
Trivia
- The name is Spanish for "The Chicken Brothers".
- It is likely a parody of the real life latin and chicken-themed fast food chains "El Pollo Loco" and "Pollo Tropical".
- It may also be a pastiche for the real Twisters fast food chain in Albuquerque, which was even used as the filming location for Los Pollos Hermanos in Breaking Bad and even containers from Twisters were used but with their logos replaced with Los Pollos Hermanos.
- In 2014, a meth dealer was arrested wearing a Los Pollos Hermanos t-shirt.[1]
See Also
