Los Pollos Hermanos was the most popular eatery in Breaking Bad. Of course, the fast-food fried chicken restaurant also served as a front to Gus' meth business. Here's what happened to the restaurant by the end of the series.
Gustavo Fring (Giancarlo Esposito) co-founded Los Pollos Hermanos along with his business partner Maximino Arciniega in the '80s to cover up their dealings in the drug trade. Years later, the fast-food chain had expanded to 14 locations across the American southwest. The company was a subsidiary Madrigal Electromotive, who owned major stake into the chain. Gus eventually became the sole owner of the business and used his role to ramp up his meth distribution.
Los Pollos Hermanos played a key role in Gus' illegal business dealings. He even used the company's trucks to transport his product (even though they were proven to be targets of Cartel thugs). As a way to hide his true identity as a drug kingpin, he often worked inside the flagship restaurant. Throughout Breaking Bad, and the prequel series Better Call Saul, Gus would usually request that his colleagues met him at the restaurant. Because of that, Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk), Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks), and Walter White (Bryan Cranston) were avid Los Pollos Hermanos visitors. Gus' thirst for power would go on to lead to his downfall and death in Breaking Bad season 4, but what happened to Los Pollos Hermanos after Gus' death?
After Gus was killed, the DEA continued to investigate his empire. With nobody left to cover up Los Pollos Hermanos' involvement in Gus' side business, the fast-food chain presumably shut down. In Breaking Bad's fifth and final season, the company's logo could be shown being removed from Madrigal's list of fast-food subsidiaries as they seemingly cut all ties with Los Pollos Hermanos. There's no word if the company stayed afloat after the disbandment but considering Gus was the owner, it seems unlikely.
Madrigal, however, didn't completely stay out of the meth business. Lydia Rodarte-Quayle (Laura Fraser), an associate of Gus Fring and the Head of Logistics for Madrigal, aligned with Walt to continue her presence in the drug trade. With Gus no longer in the picture, there was no need to use a company to cover up the illegal activity. Lydia allowed Walt, Jesse, and Mike to use Madrigal's warehouse for some of their work.
Just because Los Pollos Hermanos disappeared from Breaking Bad didn't mean that fans couldn't enjoy the fast-food chain. A series of real-life Los Pollos Hermanos pop-up restaurants have made their way across the United States since the series ended. Back in 2018, the burrito restaurant that was transformed into the fictional fried chicken chain for the show, decided to revert back to Los Pollos Hermanos to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Breaking Bad's debut.