Sec Form 4 Filing - Acoca Bernard @ El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. - 2019-05-08

FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person Acoca Bernard 2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. [ LOCO] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) X __ Director _____ 10% Owner X __ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) President and CEO (Last) (First) (Middle) C/O EL POLLO LOCO HOLDINGS, INC., 3535 HARBOR BLVD., SUITE 100 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YY) 05/08/2019 (Street) COSTA MESA, CA92626 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YY) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) __ X __ Form filed by One Reporting Person _____ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip)

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned 1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (MM/DD/YY) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (MM/DD/YY) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 05/08/2019 A 43,592 ( 1 ) A $ 0 211,864 ( 2 ) D Common Stock 05/09/2019 F 8,853 ( 3 ) D $ 11.74 203,011 ( 4 ) D Common Stock 05/09/2019 F 11,946 ( 5 ) D $ 11.74 191,065 ( 6 ) D

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned ( e.g. , puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities) 1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3) 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (MM/DD/YY) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (MM/DD/YY) 4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5) 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (MM/DD/YY) 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4) 8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5) 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4) 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares Non-Qualified Stock Options $ 11.47 05/08/2019 A 85,472 ( 7 ) 05/08/2029 Common Stock 85,472 $ 0 85,472 D

Reporting Owners Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships Director 10% Owner Officer Other Acoca Bernard C/O EL POLLO LOCO HOLDINGS, INC. 3535 HARBOR BLVD., SUITE 100 COSTA MESA, CA92626 X President and CEO Signatures /s/ Edith R. Austin, as attorney-in-fact 05/10/2019 Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

( 1 )Consists of restricted shares granted under the 2018 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan, vesting in four equal installments on each of the first four anniversaries of the date of grant. ( 2 )Includes 96,156 time-vested restricted stock units and 72,116 performance stock units, each of which may be settled on a 1-for-1 basis, only in shares of common stock, and 43,592 shares of common stock. ( 3 )Shares withheld to satisfy tax withholding obligation applicable to the vesting of 24,039 stock-settled restricted stock units. ( 4 )Includes 72,117 time-vested restricted stock units and 72,116 performance stock units, each of which may be settled on a 1-for-1 basis, only in shares of common stock, and 58,778 shares of common stock. ( 5 )Shares withheld to satisfy tax withholding obligation applicable to the vesting of 36,058 stock-settled performance stock units. ( 6 )Includes 72,117 time-vested restricted stock units and 36,058 performance stock units, each of which may be settled on a 1-for-1 basis, only in shares of common stock, and 82,890 shares of common stock. ( 7 )Granted by a nonqualified stock option agreement under the 2018 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan, vesting and becoming exercisable in four equal installments on each of the first four anniversaries of thedate of grant.

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).

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