Just three months after opening, Gallo’s Pollo & Grill celebrated its entrance into the Apopka community on Thursday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and community event. 

Approximately 30 guests and Gallo’s team members attended the 4:30 p.m. ribbon cutting at the restaurant’s new location at 1960 East Semoran Blvd. Afterward, owner Tony Orcinolo welcomed the guests inside the restaurant for a free dinner. 

Dinner guests included Mayor Bryan Nelson and Commissioner/Vice Mayor Diane Velazquez, who enjoyed a spread of fried plantains, lomo saltado (beef stir fry), garlic potatoes and more. 

“It’s a lot of Peruvian dishes, but it’s a mix of all Latin America,” Orcinolo said. 

Orcinolo’s goal is to provide fresh Latin American food at the cost and speed of a fast food restaurant.  

“We give people an option to go to a fast food restaurant with a drive-thru—instead of hitting like a McDonald’s or something—where you can get real food cooked to order,” Orcinolo said. “We’re cooking with real gas, real fire, real flavor.” 

Helping Orcinolo run the restaurant are his two young adult sons, Joey Orcinolo and Anthony Orcinolo. They are also the reason Tony Orcinolo hopes Gallo’s will grow. 

“Another reason we’re up here opening is to teach them, and hopefully, one day, this will be for them,” Tony Orcinolo said. 

As Tony works alongside his sons, he also strives to extend a service-oriented family atmosphere across the restaurant. 

“I don’t remember the last time I was at McDonald’s and somebody comes to the table to ask me how my meal is,” he said. “We do it—with the same price points.”