One of the world’s most popular fictional fast food brands is set to make a real-life debut in Austin. Photo by Trey Perry / Flickr. Graphic courtesy of AMC.
According to permits filed with the city last week, a private party is seeking permission to open a temporary Los Pollos Hermanos fried chicken restaurant, as made famous by AMC television dramas Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, in a parking lot in downtown Austin near 122 West 5th Street.
A view of the parking lot to host the temporary restaurant. Photo courtesy of Google Maps.
Unless some anonymous local entrepreneur is trying to get sued into oblivion by one of the most popular television shows of all time, the project is almost certainly a promotion for the 2017 South by Southwest Conference. Better Call Saul star Bob Odenkirk is scheduled as a featured speaker at the event — and if you’re a fan of the show, you’re aware that promos from its third season include an appearance by the famous chicken joint/drug front, last seen throughout Breaking Bad’s run.
Fans have clamored for a real-life version of the restaurant for years, and although we’ve heard rumors before, this is the first time we’re aware that the wildly popular fictional brand might make the jump to reality — at least for the length of the festival, that is. The permit filed with the city describes a temporary 1,400 square-foot space with an A-2 occupancy classification — indicating a restaurant — that also includes a stage space for more than 500 people.
At last year’s SXSW fest, the same parking lot hosted a 100-foot Ferris wheel as part of an interactive exhibition promoting the USA television series Mr. Robot. It may not be as star-studded as the Violet Crown Shopping Center, but as far as parking lots go, this one’s doing pretty well for itself.
We’ve reached out to AMC and the project’s listed contractors for further information — we’ll update if we find out more.
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