Gonzalez Deborah 4

What Happened
Deborah Gonzalez, a director of El Pollo Loco Holdings, received a grant of 8,258 shares of common stock on March 17, 2026. The award was granted at a $0.00 purchase price (reported value $0) as a restricted stock award under the company’s Equity Incentive Plan. This is a compensation grant (award), not an open-market purchase or sale.

Key Details

• Transaction date: 2026-03-17 (reported on Form 4 filed 2026-03-19)
• Transaction type/code: Award/Grant (A) — 8,258 shares @ $0.00 (total $0)
• Vesting: Shares vest in full on the first anniversary of the grant (per footnote F1)
• Shares owned following transaction: Not specified in the supplied filing details
• Filing timeliness: Form 4 filed March 19, 2026, reporting the March 17 grant (no late-filing flag provided)

Context
Restricted stock awards are a form of compensation that typically vest over time (here, in one year). Because these shares are granted rather than bought or sold, they generally reflect compensation policy rather than an immediate insider market view. Upon vesting the shares become ownership and may have tax implications for the recipient.