Orange County

500th Restaurant: Boston Chicken, the rapidly-growing restaurant franchise that jumped into the Southern California fast food market in July, will open its 500th franchise store in the nation in Brea today. The restaurant, which specializes in roasted chicken similar to fare offered by the likes of El Pollo Loco and Kentucky Fried Chicken, will be a franchise location operated by Boston Pacific, a subsidiary of CKE Restaurants, the Anaheim-based parent company of the Carl’s Jr. chain, which has had its own competitive troubles in the Southland market. Boston Pacific has franchise rights to develop about 300 new Boston Chicken restaurants in Southern California during the next five years.