EAST PROVIDENCE – Pollo Campero is hosting a grand opening on Thursday, July 9, for its second Rhode Island location, this one at the Pawtucket/East Providence line.
The restaurant staking claim to being the chicken experts since 1971 and serving the most flavorful fried and roasted chicken is located just on the East Providence side of the city line within the Narragansett Park Plaza off Newport Avenue.
This second Rhode Island location follows a 2013 opening in Providence, on Atwells Avenue.
Considered “national treasure of Guatemala and El Salvador,” Campero’s famous fried and roasted chicken is made from family recipes passed down from generation to generation, along with chicken sandwiches, empanadas and Campero nuggets, plus unique sides such as sweet plantains and yuca fries.
“From individual bites to family feasts and full-on catering spreads, Campero has something delicious for everyone at the table,” states a release.
As part of the opening celebration, the first 100 guests visiting the restaurant received a Golden Ticket entering them for a chance to win free Pollo Campero for a year. The winner receives two free individual meals per month for 12 months at one preferred guest location. Restrictions apply.
Opening day is also featuring an appearance from the brand’s mascot, Pollito, plus prizes and giveaways throughout the day.
The new Pollo Campero will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The plaza shared by Pawtucket and East Providence that is now home to Pollo Campero has multiple new retail/restaurant structures on both sides of the line.
Once hailed as “Pawtucket’s Chapel View” of the future, the development from the Carpionato Group was slowed and scaled back somewhat by pandemic impacts, as the extensive office space once planned was replaced with plans for more residential.
In 2024, representatives for Carpionato received planning approvals for new buildings fronting on Newport Avenue as part of what is still a mixed-use project on the 250,000-square-foot property. The slower phasing of the project will help fund additional
One of the biggest dominoes still to fall is the leasing of the former 58,000-square-foot Stop & Shop store in a plaza that also contains Planet Fitness and other stores. The rehab and redevelopment of the existing plaza behind the new retail buildings will lead to a mix of commercial, residential, and office space coming online.
Kelly Coates, of Carpionato, said back in 2024 that they were looking to spruce up the front side of the plaza as they looked to secure a deal to redevelop the rest of the plaza.
According to EastProv Hospitality, doors will officially open at 10 a.m. Wednesday and the celebration “is one you won’t want to miss. “Winner Winner Chicken Dinner.”
The first 100 guests in line – and there will be a line – will have the chance to win free Pollo Campero for a year through the Golden Ticket Giveaway. There will also be additional giveaways and family-friendly activities throughout the day. Participants must be 18 or older and make a qualifying purchase to receive a Golden Ticket.
The address for Pollo Campero is 50 Narragansett Park Drive, Suite 300, Rumford.
