Payable under tax receivable agreement current.

No definition available.

Name:	loco_PayableUnderTaxReceivableAgreementCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	loco_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Payment to sellers for termination of obligations under tax receivable agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	loco_PaymentToSellersForTerminationOfObligationsUnderTaxReceivableAgreement
Namespace Prefix:	loco_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of operating loss carry forwards tax savings payable to pre initial public offering stockholders.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	loco_PercentageOfOperatingLossCarryforwardsTaxSavingsPayableToPreInitialPublicOfferingStockholders
Namespace Prefix:	loco_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The cash inflow from employee retention credit during the period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	loco_ProceedsFromEmployeeRetentionCredit
Namespace Prefix:	loco_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccountingPoliciesAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount accrued for interest on an underpayment of income taxes and penalties related to a tax position claimed or expected to be claimed in the tax return.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 55
-Paragraph 217
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482663/740-10-55-217

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 15
-Subparagraph (c)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482685/740-10-50-15

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES - Income Taxes (Details) - USD ($)			12 Months Ended
	May 29, 2024	Jul. 30, 2014	Dec. 27, 2023	Dec. 28, 2022	Dec. 25, 2024
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Unrecognized tax benefits, accrual of interest or penalties			$ 0		$ 0
Percentage of cash savings in taxes realized as a result of utilizing net operating losses payable to pre-IPO stockholders		85.00%
Payment to seller for termination of obligations	$ 400,000
Proceeds from employee retention credit			300,000	$ 3,100,000
Remaining obligations owed			$ 422,000		$ 0