This was my first time trying El Pollo Loco! People always talked about how good it is, so I finally decided to give it a try. Unfortunately, the first Uber Eats driver never delivered my order and apparently took the food instead. When I called the restaurant, the employees explained that they had already handed the order to the driver. Uber then contacted the store, and they kindly remade my meal and had it delivered. The employee I spoke with on the phone was incredibly kind, patient, and understanding throughout the whole situation. Huge shoutout to her for providing such excellent customer service! As for the food, I really enjoyed it! Everything arrived hot, fresh, and tasted wholesome. I tried the strawberry and mango lime juices--they were good, although not very sweet or flavorful. I'm guessing that's because they're made with less sugar. They also included a complimentary flan to make up for all the confusion, which was a very thoughtful gesture. Thank you! read more

I come here every so often for a quick and affordable bite to eat. The first time I went I got a bowl which I did not enjoy. The bowl was so bland and needed seasoning. Even the salsas did not help with the blandness. Now I usually get the 2 piece chicken meals. The bone in chicken has way more seasoning than the chicken they chop up & put into the bowls! Way more tasty. I've tried a few sides and the main sides I get is corn with flour tortillas. Now for the sides I don't like. The mac & cheese is terrible - tastes just like the type you would find in the Safeway or grocery store deli except with way more fake cheese. The mashed potatoes are meh - reminds me of kfc but worse. The rice is instant rice so there's that. I hope they change their rice to actual Mexican style rice one day. The churros are good! The service is friendly when there are actual adults there (weekdays during traditional work hours). On the weekends you'll likely be served by friendly Gen Z'ers (or younger) who are friendly to you but are goofing off and cursing with other fellow Gen Z'ers in between serving customers. Sigh. read more

This is nostalgic for anyone growing up in the Southern California area. Citrus lime marinated chicken grilled on an open flame. The only location open in the Seattle area and this place gets extremely busy with limited parking. Very clean restaurant because it is brand new, but no self-service salsa bar like the other locations in SoCal. Also, be aware that the mobile app does not allow you to order on the weekends currently because they are so busy. It's a bit misleading because the mobile app seems to indicate they are closed on the weekend, but in fact they're just not accepting mobile orders. read more

El Pollo Loco - 12 piece chicken family meal and a chicken bowl - Chicken Shop Near Me - Kent, Washington

I stopped by EPL for lunch on a weekday. Found a decent parking spot, which was a surprise. This wasn't the case a couple of months back with their grand opening. Had a BOGO offer on their app for National Burrito day. Ordered a couple of their chicken burritos. You can use the kiosk or the counter. The two burritos with optional salsa cups (ask for it) came out quick. Loved how well the burritos were intact through the chow down process. Moist from the inside. The rice and the beans were not that great but the chicken was seasoned well. Overall, it tasted fine but did not exceed my expectations. Definitely needed that salsa but the cups were too small. Essentially it failed my "beat Chipotle" taste test. Figures as the make to order experience is superior and they don't have options as such. In general, the restaurant was fairly clean. There was a steady flow of patrons, which is good for business. One standout was their stellar customer service which is the only reason I am going again to try their other highly rated menu items (not named burrito)! read more

El Pollo Loco - Chipotle guacamole chicken burrito - Chicken Shop Near Me - Kent, Washington

When I tell you I was waiting for this place to open, I mean I was patiently waiting. I did not go when they first opened. I had to wait because there was no way I was going to wait for "fast food". Living in Las Vegas years ago, EPL was a staple for us and I often thought about their chicken and that creamy cilantro dressing. My first visit was not bad. I visited on a Saturday around 11am and the drive thru line was backed up all the way to the street but I was able to pull in the small parking lot and park. Upon walking in, it wasn't overly crowded. There are two self ordering kiosks to order but if you're ordering a family meal they have signs to order at cashier. I went with a mixed family meal with white and dark meat. My sides were mashed and potatoes, broccoli and salad. The sides were pretty good. Honestly, they may have my favorite mashed potatoes for fast food. The salad was very fresh and the steamed broccoli standard. Our chicken was a little dry and left us wanting more but with the help of the creamy cilantro dressing that I ordered plenty of on the side, we were able to eat it and make it a great meal. I recently went back and ordered a two piece combo with breast and wing. The breast was definitely dry on the outside and edges but it was notably moist in the middle compared to my previous visit. Service is good and fast. For fast food chicken, it's a solid option. I'll for sure be back. The restaurant has ample seating for inside dining and lots of windows to keep it bright and clean. read more

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There always seems to be a worker with an attitude! The food is sub-par - nothing like I remember in Arizona. I don't know why restaurants think they can unload their crap through the drive-thru, but I will ALWAYS get my money back. read more

I had the opportunity to come here on a weekday and the drive thru line was busy as expected. We were lucky to find a parking spot and decided to walk in. The wait time didn't make a difference whether we ordered in or at the drive thru. what we ordered... - crunchy queso bowl - I would order this again! It has beans, rice, guacamole, queso, chicken, pico de Gallo. the chicken was moist with good flavor. - 2 pce chicken leg & thigh - The chicken had good flavor, perfectly grilled, and came with rice, mashed potatoes w/ gravy and 2 tortillas. While the food was good, it didn't live up to the hype that surrounds this place. I would only return after the hype dies down and the lines are shorter. read more

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I know this is one of our first El Pollo Loco locations in Washington so I was really excited to try them out as it is close to my job and my mom has nothing but good things to say to this place. She is also excited as she was telling me she used to go there often when she lived at California. My boyfriend and I decided to get it a try after my shift as we were pretty hungry. They have a super affordable meal deal on the app and their combos are also affordable. We ordered on a kiosk but you could order through a cashier if you wanted. I went with their bowl combo while my boyfriend got their tacos combo as well as an order of their chicken tortilla soup and a free chicken avocado taco. I tried to order on their app but not sure if there was just an error but they were also extremely busy from when we arrived and it did take some time to receive our food. Despite how busy the employees were, they never forgot to be courteous and kept a positive attitude. Also, on the app, they don't have horchata but next to the fountain drinks, there is a horchata dispenser. The horchata is very refreshing and the perfect amount of sweetness for me. When we did receive our food, it smelled amazing. My avocado chicken taco was on the colder side but not sure if that is how it is supposed to come out like that or hotter. It was still good though! The soup was comforting and absolutely my favorite and the craziest thing is I don't care for Applebee's chicken tortilla soup this was way better in terms of flavor, presentation and quality. My boyfriend really loved his tacos and I loved my bowl, I could barely eat half of it because it was stuffed! We did ask for all three salsas but when we asked for more, they gave us the same one so not sure if they ran out or just so busy that they just gave us whatever. There are plenty of tables to sit on your own or with others, we noticed there were a lot of families gathered and enjoying the family meal. It is also sweet that they offer paper plates for that meal too. Overall, it was a great first impression and we will definitely be ordering from here again! read more

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Bought 3 bowls the other day. Pretty stingy with the chicken and almost tasteless. Hopefully this location will improve over time. read more

I used to go to El Pollo Loco when I lived in California so I was excited to try here. The hype has definitely died down and we didn't have to wait to order or get our food. The bone-in chicken was saltier than I remembered but still pretty good. The double chicken tostada was also pretty good although the avocado was not the freshest. I think they should make their sauces available as self serve because you sound so annoying asking for a bunch of sauces even though the food really needs it. I tried the Mac n cheese for the first time and it was pretty good for a fast food option. Place was clean and service was good. read more

I was so excited to try this new location. I moved from So Cal to WA 17 years ago, and I have missed El Pollo Loco! It's not exactly the same as I remember it, but it was pretty darn good. I'm a vegan, and I ordered the chicken avocado tacos with no chicken, no cheese, and no creamy cilantro dressing, and I added pinto beans. Unfortunately, they put cheese and dressing on my tacos, so I spent a lot of time trying to scrape everything out. I also ordered a BRC burrito without the C. Really, I came here for the avocado salsa, which was always my absolute favorite thing at El Pollo Loco, and THAT did not disappoint! My husband, who is not vegan, came here for the first time ever, and he loved it. He for the 2-piece meal with a leg, thigh, mac and cheese, and coleslaw. He also got a classic chicken burrito without beans. He really enjoyed the flavor of everything, and he's pretty hard to please when it comes to fast food (he's not a fan, in general). The staff were really friendly and helpful. Obviously, I'm not happy that they made my tacos wrong, but the front of the house did a great job with helping me order (being unfamiliar with the menu). The restaurant was really clean, and it had clearly died down crowd-wise since it opened. We tried to go within a week or so of its opening, and we couldn't get in; the line was backed up into the lane on the street turning into the parking lot. We'll definitely come back next time we're in the area. read more

The service pretty is standard fast food service with self ordering kiosks or you can order with the staff. It just opened a few weeks ago so the drive through is crazy. Once in the lot you can find parking & order quickly at the counter inside but seating is limited. The food was pretty good & fresh & I will be back to try additional things on the menu. read more

El Pollo Loco - 3 piece chicken with mashed potatoes & street corn - Chicken Shop Near Me - Kent, Washington

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Tried again a week later. Rating went down from three to two. Only because this time I waited an hour for this small meal. Decided to try again...This time I got the meal I wanted instead of tacos and burritos. It took over an hour, got home and they forgot to add salsa Fresca to my bag. How can you eat the crazy chicken without salsa Fresca!! Good thing I ordered guacamole. So far the chicken is not burnt. Too dry but not burnt. They really need to iron out the kinks still. Cars still long out on the street causing traffic. When chick fil an opened a few years ago by our house, they knew what they were doing. Sure lines were long but it did not take two hours to get our meal. They even had PD taking care of traffic. Also the meal isn't as good as when I was a teenager. As far as cleanliness, the gal cleaning tried her best to wipe the tables as fast as she could. Only one gal. She wiped the table, but just pushed the mess in the floor. The floors need to be cleaned up too! As I mentioned earlier about chick fil a when they opened. There was a little old lady wiping down the tables with wipes, and another crew member sweeping the floors. EPL...you need to up your game in cleanliness. Will I be back...not sure! I'll be in SoCal next week I can just get a meal there. read more

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I had never visited an El Pollo Loco prior to them coming to WA state. I asked my friend from California if it was worth trying and they said it was. It's like a mashup between Taco Time, KFC, and Chipotle. Been here twice already. Once before noon and the other in the evening. It really does operate like night and day. At night the dining area was loud. The line to order was long. Turn around time to receive food was obviously long too. Tables were sticky and dirty because of prior sloppy eaters and lack of staff cleaning up after them. The drive thru line backed up onto SR 516. During the day, parking was abundant. No drive-thru line backup. The employees were nice and seemed more relaxed. We ordered in-person and we actually got our order in faster than the people learning the menu on the kiosks. It never hurts to ask if in-person ordering is available especially if there is a kiosk backup. You can actually hear the music playing overhead. The tables were clean. The food was hot, presented well, and tasted good. I rarely review chains but because it's new to WA state I thought it was worth trying. It was a good decision. read more

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Jan 12, 2026 out to check out this new location. I was so excited to hear that we now have our own El Pollo Loco. This was my favorite spot whenever I'm in California. We ordered the chicken tostada, that was delicious and we ordered the 3 piece chicken dinner. Well, the chicken, did not taste the same as how it was in California. A little bit dried, tasted very bland. Everything else was ok. I loved the free chicken soup that got served while we wait. I don't mind ordering a whole bowl of that soup next time, it was really good, flavorful and delicious. The atmosphere was kind of chaotic, people shouting, people waiting for thier orders for a long time. There's a lot of waiting inside and out. Not enough parking space. Hopefully they'll improve on my next visit but not any time soon. In a few months. read more

El Pollo Loco - Soup is the bomb, so yummy - Chicken Shop Near Me - Kent, Washington

2 weeks in since grand opening and still missing the mark here. Chicken has been overly dry 2/3 times and the wait times continue to be unacceptable. They also have menu pricing inconsistencies (have a $5.99 combo but the cashiers say it's incorrect and actually comes out to over $9 with the drink). Also, the app is very bad. If u open up an offer, make sure u use it right away since u won't be able to access it at all afterward even if it was never used. The electronic screen ordering is actually nice but they should really have 3 at a minimum Also they need a better system for calling out ready orders. It's non stop yelling out the order numbers in Spanish and English inside an already loud restaurant. Just have screen up with the pickup numbers there. read more

El Pollo Loco - Chicken Shop Near Me - Kent, Washington

So glad to have a El Pollo Loco in Washington. The place was busy but still very quick and accurate. The chicken was hot and very tasty and the rice and beans delicious! read more

Not sure what's with all the entitlement of these bad reviews! I grew up on this chicken in California, and it was just as I expected- delicious! Obviously any grand opening is going to have kinks to work out- yes there's going to be long wait times, yes, they might run out of some meals. I understand with around any grand opening there's all this hype, so expectations must be high for some, but if you had this chicken before the flavor is consistent, and the sides are delicious! Yesterday we went through the drive-through and ordered two combo meals to go, with mashed potatoes, rice, and beans.. I wish I would've got the soup! We were in and out within 10 minutes or less. It's still fairly new and we went later in the evening, so things could probably be different during a busy lunch hour. I would definitely drive back to Kent to try it again! Honestly, I'm just happy that there's a healthier version of fast food other than Jack-in-the-Box, McDonald's, Taco Bell... etc. Wish this would come to Seattle- it would be a hit!!! We finished our meals too quickly. I did not get a chance to take pictures Also friendly reminder that at a time like this- let's be a little bit more patient and grateful that people are leaving their houses to make it into work potentially encountering the unknowns plastered all over our news! Thank you El Pollo Loco !! read more

The food was very good. The chicken was cooked to perfection. The sides were tasty. The dining area was clean and well maintained. The service was a little slow but it is a new location and everyone is still learning. They are very busy but worth the wait. Bring your patience and you will be rewarded with a good meal at a fair price. Viva El Pollo Loco! read more

When they opened the Kent location I was excited as when I lived in L.A. that was my go to on a frequent basis. I waited to go until the crowds died down at least a month. I stopped by about a about 2 months ago on my way home from work to finally get to try there chicken and they told me they were out of chicken at 3:00 in the afternoon! since then I stopped by on Friday and purchased an 8 piece chicken only, paid $22.00 and to my disappointment, the pieces were small, overcooked, dry and under seasoned. I'm disappointed and won't being going back. read more

Food is good. I do miss this flavor of chicken. Service needs to improve. It was chaos and then even more chaos. Literally, chickens with cut heads. People had to wait 1-2 hours for the chicken to cook! Ambiance, well if you want CHAOS, you've come to the right place! If you can wait then wait at least 3 more months! Hopefully it will calm down?! Or better yet come here when they open at 10AM everyday. Maybe you'll get your meal in 30-40 min or less! Better than that 1-2 hour mark! read more

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This location certainly lives up to expectations of the other locations located in California. Personally my experience as great. I was fortunate to find a parking spot and the place wasn't too crowded, the food came fast and tasted great. I understand that many people will have different experiences in parking availability and waiting times. But I don't think that's the restaurant's fault. read more

A decade ago, I ate at a Hollywood location and it wasn't good. There was in issue in the men's room and the entire restaurant was covered in dirty water. I am going to assume that is because people had dirty shoes and the water just got cloudy, but it was a mess. I don't recall what I had, but I do recall not being impressed, but again, with the amount of dirty water flowing, it was hard to be comfortable. You were literally standing in a puddle to place your order. And I recall my feet and pant bottoms being very wet. Now, to address the experience at this grand opening, it's clear they have some kinks to work out. I'm always amazed at confusion at fast food restaurants. It's fast food, if everyone has a job and they do that job, it should be fast and efficient. A woman was announcing that any kind of family or chicken meal had a 3 hour wait, yes, 3 hours. There was also a disclaimer. Despite having a posted 10pm close, they close the lobby at 9 and if you come back after 9, they would not serve your order. You had to remain inside. I decided to keep it simple, 2 tacos. They advised a 30-minute wait and it took 40 minutes to get 2 tacos. There was conservatively 16 people behind the counter, but only 5 were working. Employees stood looking at a screen with orders, but did nothing. Some were in clusters, talking. This was poor training and management. They also don't take your order, they had 2 kiosks, which was at least 2 short of what was required. One woman just starred at the screen for about 2 minutes before someone in line, said, "Order or step aside". She stepped aside, complained to an employee about being rushed and left. Lady, after standing in line for 10 minutes, if you don't know what you want, let someone go ahead of you. I think her dilemma was the fact that she wanted a chicken dinner, but didn't want to wait 3 hours, but it is what it is. After 40 minutes, I approached the counter and they made my tacos on the spot. However, they made the wrong tacos. When I made them aware, they fixed it, but thankfully I had selected dine in had I left, I wouldn't have got what I ordered and since they closed at 8:30 instead of the posted 10pm, I would have been out of luck if I had to drive back across cities to get here. I was excited to try the Tortilla Soup, but it had corn in it. Why ruin a good soup with corn. You should have corn separate as a topper, so people can elect to omit it. Ironically, when I saw an employee changing the trash, the bag was full of corn, so clearly, I'm not alone in my distain for it. I found the grilled chicken. Bland and a bit dry, but the shredded chicken was delicious. The portions of chips in the combo was a joke. It was maybe 10 chips. They were also out of salsa, so I couldn't even enjoy the chips the way I intended. Hopefully this owner and management team are committed to providing better food and service over time, but right now there is room to improve, so I can only give them 2 stars and that is truly generous based on the underwhelming experience. read more

Over hyped and overpriced. The chicken is DRY! The beans need a lot of seasoning- they are so bland. Mac and Cheese was the only tasty option for the family meal. We ordered a 16 piece family meal and couldn't believe how small the chicken pieces were. Save yourself some $$ and go to KFC instead. They serve the same powdered mashed potatoes but better beans and gravy. Plus you'll get double the chicken. read more

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We are from So California have lived up here since 2003 every time we go back to Ca we go to El Pollo Loco. The location is good and the restrooms are clean. The managers Maria and Faith were very nice. The food was good lots of parking and clean inside. Wait time is fast we will most definitely be back when in the area the McDonald's is across the street . read more

I've been eating at El Pollo Loco on trips to California for over 30 years. Stopped in the new location. That opened in Kent. I ordered the 3 piece Thigh and leg combo with rice and coleslaw. Food was excellent and tasted great. Restaurant was very busy and the he employees did a great job. read more

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The best fresh food and the staff is awesome Big win for Kent area Brings good California food to the pac nw. read more

I'm from Los Angeles. El Pollo Loco is a staple. It has finally arrived to Washington in Kent. They are getting better. The first two days of opening, ran out of chicken. read more

i long for el pollo loco to open in WA!!! we cam extra early so we beat the rush! everyone was quick however, the lady giving our order did NOT listen and charged us for large drinks. other than that, the place is clean and perfect! food is absolutely fresh!! read more

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Had not had El Pollo Loco since living in Southern California and was excited to see if it was as good as I remembered. Chicken was delicious as was the rice, don't know when macaroni and mashed potatoes came into the picture and was still good - but where did the beans go? The only negative thing I have to say is good lord, figure out the drive through situation! I drove past 3 times, then when I drove into the driveway which was opened I was chastised by the young man who was overseeing the whole ordeal. There was no clear entry and the exit also functions as the entrance. Talk about a clustereff. But we will come back, if for nothing else the nostalgia of El Pollo Loco. read more

It's funny how hyped this place was when it first opened, now their chicken is tasting strange and has a strange consistency when I chewed it. Not only that, when me and my mother went to go here a couple times there was this guy who was clearly no older than 20 working there, I assume he went to the highschool next door based off his appearance. Super sarcastic towards my mom and passive aggressive. People who work here in general always have some sort of attitude every time. This place isn't worth the hype that it gets. read more

Food was good but service was so so. My take out order was done wrong twice. I would have been ok with it because the restaurant quickly corrected the problem quickly but I had to drive back to the restaurant to get the missing half of our order. Also, I was glad I checked the replacement before I left the restaurant because it was also wrong. read more

This location is a disaster. I've made two attempts to buy food. The first time I came to this location, I waited in the drive through line for more than an hour from (7-8:15 pm) and just as I was coming up to order (one car from the intercom) starting with the car in front of me the line was informed via that the store was out of chicken and only burritos, bowls, salads, etc. This was two hours before close and not only very annoying and disappointing, but unacceptable for a place that literally specializes in chicken. I made another attempt today. The line stretched 1-2 cars onto road and there was an employee outside this time. He said chicken was not available via drive through (only burritos, salads, etc) and that if we wanted chicken we would have to order inside. He also said there would be a 2.5+ hour wait! Needless to say, I did not wait. Again very disappointing that they are so disorganized. Be forewarned. read more

OMG!!! I am from CA and was so excited when they open up a place near me. I ordered the 12 piece family meal. I feel cheated. Breast piece was cut in 1/2 and consider 2 pieces in my 12 pieces family meal. Thighs were the same with cutting in half and counted as 2 pieces. Absolutely appalling!! I will not go back. read more

El Pollo Loco - Look at the size of the chicken compared to a normal soup spoon. - Chicken Shop Near Me - Kent, Washington

I am originally from California.Service was good. However, some of the chicken in the family meal was a little over cooked. I loved the mac-n-cheese. read more

I saw videos of El Pollo Loco opening their first store in Washington (A California based restaurant). Since it was new there was a long line for El Pollo Loco, their Mexican food is high quality, flavorful, and cheap. Staff helped me order along the way. And the store has many tables. If you're nearby I would recommend for you to try El Pollo Loco. read more

Sign says coming soon with no date. Parking lot full, but no indication it's friends and family. Why isn't everyone a friend? Then to turn away customers is bad business already and not even day 1. The El Pollo Loco website listed the location as open, making it worse. Lost today order and all future orders. ​ On top of this, the road is not a drive thru lane. Reposting because Yelp doesn't bother to check with reviewer before deleting reviews. read more

I was extremely disappointed with this experience, and I came on here to tell you all about it, kind of a "buyer beware" warning. We got there at about 6:25pm. It was extremely difficult to find parking, as cars were lined up around the block. The line starts from the KeyBank, so we just decided to go into the public parking by the Starbucks. When we came in, it was extremely busy, about 50-75 people in the store, with no seating available, and if there was one available, the seat would automatically be taken. Then, we decided to order the 16pc Family Meal for about $56 (w/tax). It was a usual and fair price for 16 pieces of chicken, so I'll give them that. The wait times are what really got me. I overheard some people saying that they have been waiting since 5:00pm (it was almost 7!), and that they already have been waiting for 3+ hours. Before we came, we already heard employees shouting out if consumers don't pick up orders, they will deliver it to someone else. But the reading system is TERRIBLE! First off, there's no speaker/mic, so people in the back can't hear with all the chatter, there is no pager so people would not know if their food came, and the employee reading always gets drowned out from the excessive amount of chatter inside the building. After all that, the employee came back to shout out that the chicken would be another 3 HOUR LONG wait! After that major announcement, I decided to just cancel my order. A lot of people also canceled their orders also, completely fed up with the 3 hour wait time. Now, I'm planning a trip to California so I can taste the official El Pollo Loco, the one I always knew and loved for so long. Overall, 2/5. I would come back here again, but when it is less busier, and make sure to plan ahead so you don't get stuck. (pasted from google review, sorry) read more

It's not terrible. It's not great. It's overhyped and the wait time isn't worth it. The chicken is salty. The mac and cheese tastes just like KFC. The corn isn't anything special, they added peppers and spices to it, but that's it. The restaurant is small, so plan on taking it to go. Honestly, I think it's overrated because it's new and it's the only one in Kent. The employees that ring you up have zero customer service skills, or they just hate being there. If you are still interested in trying them out, I recommend parking in the Starbucks parking lot and walking next door to Pollo Loco. The drive thru is never ending, it takes up a whole street lane. read more

Horrible, went two times and both times my order was wrong. Finally got it right , the chicken had lots of gristle in my salad, portions are small, rice was dry, beans had no flavor.prices are high for what you get.especially those small tacos. Disappointing won't go back. I would rather go to Taco Time read more