# Pollo Tropical vs AlaMesa

The clearest difference is review sentiment: AlaMesa at 95% against Pollo Tropical's 20%. AlaMesa also leads on ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). Pollo Tropical's advantage is ratings volume (43K vs 70) and rating (4.8 vs 4.5). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Pollo Tropical holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pollo Tropical has 43K ratings behind it against 70, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 20% of Pollo Tropical's written reviews are positive against 95% of AlaMesa's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Pollo Tropical ships an update every 6 weeks, AlaMesa every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and June 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pollo Tropical | AlaMesa |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (43K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pollo-tropical/id825100357/reviews)** | [4.5 (70 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alamesa/id1090045374/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **43K** | 70 |
| Positive reviews | 19.8% of reviews | **95.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 142 MB | 79 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **8.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Fiesta Restaurant Group, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/541245284) | [ISLA Management LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1090045373) |

## What reviewers say

### Pollo Tropical

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pollo-tropical/id825100357)

Easily order your favorite Caribbean-inspired dishes for pickup or delivery. Join the loyalty program to earn points, receive exclusive offers, and get rewarded with free food. Discover new menu items and save your go-to orders for quick reordering.

**Highlights:** Browse menu, Place pickup orders, Place delivery orders, Join loyalty program, Save favorite orders, Find nearby locations

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🍔 Delicious food
- 👍 Friendly staff
- 🚀 Easy mobile ordering

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Incomplete or incorrect orders
- 🕰️ Long wait times
- 🤖 Unresponsive customer service
- 📍 Inconsistent store operations
- 🤔 Confusing app features

**Reported bugs**

- App login and account issues
- Unreliable order processing
- Inconsistent app behavior across devices

**Requested features**

- Ability to edit orders
- Better order tracking and status updates
- Improved rewards program integration
- More customization options


### AlaMesa

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alamesa/id1090045374)

Discover over 700 restaurants and bars in Cuba with this award-winning app. Find places to eat and drink like home, with detailed information, menus, photos, and offline maps.

**Highlights:** Search restaurants, cafes, bars by location, cuisine, name, price, View menus, photos, contact info, and site characteristics, Save favorite dining spots, Offline maps and GPS navigation, Information in English and Spanish

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pollo Tropical free?

Pollo Tropical is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is AlaMesa free?

AlaMesa is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Pollo Tropical or AlaMesa?

Pollo Tropical is rated higher. Pollo Tropical averages 4.8 out of 5 from 43K ratings, while AlaMesa averages 4.5 from 70 ratings.

### Do Pollo Tropical or AlaMesa have ads?

Pollo Tropical shows ads; AlaMesa does not.

### Which is updated more often, Pollo Tropical or AlaMesa?

Pollo Tropical ships an update every 6 weeks, and AlaMesa every 2 months. Most recently, Pollo Tropical was updated on September 28, 2026 and AlaMesa on June 11, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*