1851

Selecting the right site location, marketing to your targeted demographic, ensuring all necessary licenses and certifications are established &#8211; the list of tasks you should complete before opening up a new business is anything but short. However, at the top of the list, you might want to save a space for, &#8220;Making sure the F-word isn&#8217;t in the business&#8217; name.&#8221; And then, after that, perhaps in parentheses, you could write, &#8220;Regardless of the language, but especially if it&#8217;s in a language that just so happens to be the mother tongue of the primary audience we&#8217;re trying to appeal to.&#8221; Just a thought. Various news outlets have picked up on the unfortunate story of El Pollo Chingon, a new chicken restaurant set to open in Arlington, Va. For 1851 readers who are a little rusty on their Spanish slang, chignon is often translated as the F-word in English. &#8220;When you hear chingon, it's when people are talking about something awesome, something nice, something cool," Ernesto Aviles, a Spanish teacher at LADO International Institute, <a href="http://www.wjla.com/articles/2015/03/owners-change-fowl-language-at-arlington-chicken-restaurant-112432.html?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=important-franchise-lesson-dont-put-the-f-word-in-the-name-of-your-business-1358" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">told NewsChannel 8</a> in Arlington. However, it&#8217;s also used in the same way as America&#8217;s most famous curse word.&nbsp; "It has a negative connotation that is most related to sex and you use it like a verb," he continued, describing the F-word in perhaps the most roundabout yet polite way imaginable. Local news source ARL now <a href="http://www.arlnow.com/2015/03/17/restaurant-with-questionable-spanish-name-opening-on-glebe-road/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=important-franchise-lesson-dont-put-the-f-word-in-the-name-of-your-business-1358" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">asked a Spanish speaker</a> how she would interpret the name of the restaurant. 1851 has censored the following quote with &#8220;bleeps,&#8221; mostly because it looks funnier than the actual cuss word. &#8220;Chingar is to bleep and -on means real big &#8216;ol, so literally &#8216;real big ol bleeper&#8217; but figuratively like &#8216;big bleeping&#8217; something,&#8221; the woman said. She went on to tell ARL now the name could also be translated to mean &#8220;like a bleep-load of chicken, or possibly really hardcore badass chicken, but more literally a bleep-load.&#8221;<div>Then again, some Spanish speakers said the level of vulgarity depends entirely on where a person is from. Basically, depending on the region, chingon may mean something good, not crass.</div> Luckily, the owners of the restaurant, who are originally from Pakistan and were totally unaware of how the name might be interpreted, will be able to change the name of their chicken enterprise before it opens. &#8220;Charcoal Chicken&#8221; might not have the same je ne sais quoi as El Pollo Chingon, but it&#8217;s sure to stir up less controversy. Let this be a lesson to all entrepreneurs with thoughts of franchising dancing through their heads: A business by any other name does not always smell just as sweet, and it&#8217;s important to stay on top of even the tiniest details when launching a new endeavor. It really makes you wonder what <a href="http://www.elpolloloco.com/our-food/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=important-franchise-lesson-dont-put-the-f-word-in-the-name-of-your-business-1358" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">El Pollo Loco</a>&#8217;s original name was, huh?

1851 Franchise

Virginia-based chicken restaurant learns what’s in a name the hard way.

This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

Important Franchise Lesson: Don’t Put the F-Word in the Name of Your Business     

important-franchise-lesson-dont-put-the-f-word-in-the-name-of-your-business

Busy Bee Jumpers

Busy Bee Jumpers Buzzes into Franchising: Three New Franchisees Signed in First 30 Days

busy-bee-jumpers-buzzes-into-franchising-three-new-franchisees-signed-in-first-30-days

Fitness Premier

Fitness Premier 24/7 Clubs Reports Strong Midyear Momentum 

Fitness Premier 24/7 Clubs Reports Strong Midyear Momentum with Revenue Gains, Record Membership, and Strategic Expansion

fitness-premier-mid-year-growth-2025

Woodhouse Spas

image of a woodhouse spa franchise buildings exterior 

Woodhouse Spas Continues Strong Momentum With Double-Digit Growth in Q2

woodhouse-spas-q2-2025-growth-expansion

Layne's Chicken Fingers

Layne's Chicken Fingers-Mountain-State-Devo-June-2025

Layne’s Chicken Fingers Eyes Expansion in Mountain States

laynes-chicken-fingers-franchise-mountain-states-expansion

ServiceMaster Restore

ServiceMaster Restore Powers Into the Second Half of 2025 With Growth and Purpose-Driven Impact

ServiceMaster Restore Powers Into the Second Half of 2025 With Strong Growth and Purpose-Driven Impact

servicemaster-restore-powers-into-the-second-half-of-2025-with-strong-growth-and-purpose-driven-impact

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

Wendy's CEO Kirk Tanner Steps Down - Breaking News - 1851 Franchise

Wendy’s CEO Kirk Tanner Steps Down Amid Challenges, Leaving Franchisees Facing Uncertainty

wendys-ceo-transition-kirk-tanner-franchisee-uncertainty

"Come in, We're OPEN" sign against abstract background

Small Business Optimism Dips, Raising Concerns for Franchise Owners

small-business-optimism-dips-raising-concerns-for-franchise-owners

Photo of Roof Scientist truck and trailer

Roof Scientist Expands Into Northern Indianapolis as Entrepreneur Dale Speckman Launches New Business in Fishers

roof-scientist-expands-into-northern-indianapolis

Image of Donald Trump pointing with red stripes in the background

August 1 Tariff Deadline Is Said to Have ‘No Extensions’: What This Could Mean for Franchises

august-1-tariff-deadline-franchise-impact

What June’s Jobs Report Means for the Franchise Industry

what-junes-jobs-report-means-for-the-franchise-industry

Hooters Leans Into Franchising With Closure of 30 Company-Owned Stores - Agg - 1851 Franchise

Hooters Leans Into Franchising With Closure of 30 Company-Owned Stores

hooters-franchise-model-company-owned-closures

Drone Delivery Takes Flight in QSR: The Future of Franchise Operations?

drone-delivery-takes-flight-in-qsr-the-future-of-franchise-operations

The Ultimate Guide to Selling Franchises: How To Create a Strong Incentive

how-to-build-strong-incentives-to-attract-prospective-franchisees

Kansas Couple Revitalizes Local Childcare With Children’s Lighthouse

From Corporate Careers to Community Roots: Kansas Couple Revitalizes Local Childcare With Children’s Lighthouse

kansas-couple-opens-childrens-lighthouse-gardner-olathe

From Prescriptions to Pastries: Kari Khandelwal Creates a Comforting Community Bakery 

Important Franchise Lesson: Don’t Put the F-Word in the Name of Your Business

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS