Portillo's Restaurants
Encyclopedia
Portillo's is a chain of restaurants that specialize in serving Chicago
-style food. Portillo's is located primarily throughout the Chicago metropolitan area, and also has two locations in southern California.
. Several of the later locations were built on property that was formerly the home of closed down Dog n Suds
drive-thrus. Today, each location has different themed decor that reflects Mr. Portillo's love of history and of Chicago. By design, no two Portillo's are exactly alike.
Portillo's also has implemented a unique drive-thru system, where the traditional menu-board and speaker system is replaced during peak hours with as many as five to seven employees, who take customers' orders, collect money, and run food out to the respective vehicles. This system, which operates during all but the most severe of weather conditions, is intended to speed up the drive-thru process and increase the accuracy of the orders themselves.
The Portillo Restaurant Group is the largest privately owned restaurant company in the Midwest. It owns and operates four different restaurant concepts, which include Portillo's Hot Dogs, Barnelli's, Luigi's House, a breakfast chain, Honey Jam Cafe, as well as a catering division, Portillo's Home Kitchen. The Portillo Restaurant Group is based in Oak Brook, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago. Frank Portillo, the older brother of Dick, is the president of Chicago-based Brown's Chicken.
In 2007, Debbie Sottile told NBC 5 Chicago's investigative news team that a manager at a Portillo's restaurant in Streamwood had attempted to serve her food that had been retrieved from the garbage. Sottile claimed that an employee had initially given her order to the wrong customer. Sottile then asked the employee to remake the order. The manager agreed and threw the original order in the trash. Sotille stated that she was given a new order in "less than a minute" and that the food she was given was cold. She recognized the bag that the food was served in as the one that had been thrown in the trash and confronted the manager. An argument ensued and local police were contacted. The police stated that the manager admitted to them that the bag had been retrieved from the trash can but that the food it contained was fresh. Sottile claimed that the company offered her $1,500, with the condition that she not discuss the incident with the media and that she refused the settlement. Dick Portillo stated that the incident "never happened" and that the settlement was offered by the restaurant chain's insurance company as standard procedure.
s, Italian beef
, hamburgers, sandwiches
, ribs, and salads, as well as beer and wine. They also boast dessert items such as chocolate cake and milkshakes, and a mix of the two, the famous Chocolate Cake Shake. This is basically a piece of the chocolate cake blended in with a chocolate shake. One popular item is the Beef n' Cheddar Croissant, which consists of Italian beef, shredded cheddar, and they suggest adding sweet or hot peppers on a 10" croissant. The chain has chosen not to post any nutritional content of their menu items either in-store or online.
The chain's main competition are mostly local, privately owned stores, most of which also specialize in Italian beef and Chicago-style hot dogs. The largest competitor of Portillo's in Chicagoland
is Al's Beef.
since October 11, 2005, at the Buena Park Downtown
shopping center in Buena Park
. A location also exists in Merrillville
, Indiana
, though this ostensibly is still within the firm's home market of Chicagoland.
Portillo's had licensed restaurants using its recipes and themes in Tokyo
, Japan
, in the late 1980s and early '90s. However, the Japanese restaurants did not fully follow the same tradition as the Chicago area stores, and all eventually closed.
Portillo's also delivers part of its menu to all fifty US states.
On March 12, 2008, Portillo's opened a location in the city of Moreno Valley
, California
.
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
-style food. Portillo's is located primarily throughout the Chicago metropolitan area, and also has two locations in southern California.
Restaurant facts
Owner and founder Dick Portillo opened his first restaurant from a trailer with no running water in 1963 in Villa Park, IllinoisVilla Park, Illinois
Villa Park is a suburb of Chicago in DuPage County, Illinois. The population was 22,075 at the 2000 census. A special census in 2003 set the population at 22,517...
. Several of the later locations were built on property that was formerly the home of closed down Dog n Suds
Dog n Suds
Dog n Suds is a midwestern United States chain of root beer and hot dog drive-in style eateries with the once popular and now rare form of in-car "carhop" delivery service. The chain was created in Champaign, Illinois, by school teachers James Griggs and Don Hamacher. Licensing rights are now...
drive-thrus. Today, each location has different themed decor that reflects Mr. Portillo's love of history and of Chicago. By design, no two Portillo's are exactly alike.
Portillo's also has implemented a unique drive-thru system, where the traditional menu-board and speaker system is replaced during peak hours with as many as five to seven employees, who take customers' orders, collect money, and run food out to the respective vehicles. This system, which operates during all but the most severe of weather conditions, is intended to speed up the drive-thru process and increase the accuracy of the orders themselves.
The Portillo Restaurant Group is the largest privately owned restaurant company in the Midwest. It owns and operates four different restaurant concepts, which include Portillo's Hot Dogs, Barnelli's, Luigi's House, a breakfast chain, Honey Jam Cafe, as well as a catering division, Portillo's Home Kitchen. The Portillo Restaurant Group is based in Oak Brook, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago. Frank Portillo, the older brother of Dick, is the president of Chicago-based Brown's Chicken.
In 2007, Debbie Sottile told NBC 5 Chicago's investigative news team that a manager at a Portillo's restaurant in Streamwood had attempted to serve her food that had been retrieved from the garbage. Sottile claimed that an employee had initially given her order to the wrong customer. Sottile then asked the employee to remake the order. The manager agreed and threw the original order in the trash. Sotille stated that she was given a new order in "less than a minute" and that the food she was given was cold. She recognized the bag that the food was served in as the one that had been thrown in the trash and confronted the manager. An argument ensued and local police were contacted. The police stated that the manager admitted to them that the bag had been retrieved from the trash can but that the food it contained was fresh. Sottile claimed that the company offered her $1,500, with the condition that she not discuss the incident with the media and that she refused the settlement. Dick Portillo stated that the incident "never happened" and that the settlement was offered by the restaurant chain's insurance company as standard procedure.
Menu
The Portillo's menu includes a variety of items, including Chicago-style hot dogChicago-style hot dog
A Chicago-style hot dog, or Chicago Dog, is a steamed or water-simmered all-beef frankfurter on a poppy seed bun, originating from the city of Chicago, Illinois...
s, Italian beef
Italian beef
An Italian beef is a sandwich of thin slices of seasoned roast beef, dripping with meat juices, on a dense, long Italian-style roll, believed to have originated in Chicago, where its history dates back at least to the 1930s...
, hamburgers, sandwiches
Sandwiches
"Sandwiches" is a song by American electronic band Detroit Grand Pubahs. It reached number 29 in the Hot Dance Club Songs chart.- Track listing :...
, ribs, and salads, as well as beer and wine. They also boast dessert items such as chocolate cake and milkshakes, and a mix of the two, the famous Chocolate Cake Shake. This is basically a piece of the chocolate cake blended in with a chocolate shake. One popular item is the Beef n' Cheddar Croissant, which consists of Italian beef, shredded cheddar, and they suggest adding sweet or hot peppers on a 10" croissant. The chain has chosen not to post any nutritional content of their menu items either in-store or online.
The chain's main competition are mostly local, privately owned stores, most of which also specialize in Italian beef and Chicago-style hot dogs. The largest competitor of Portillo's in Chicagoland
Chicagoland
The Chicago metropolitan area, or Chicagoland as it is commonly called within the area, is the metropolitan area associated with the city of Chicago, Illinois and its suburbs. It is the area that is closely linked to the city through social, economic, and cultural ties...
is Al's Beef.
Outside Illinois
Portillo's has been operating in Southern CaliforniaSouthern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
since October 11, 2005, at the Buena Park Downtown
Buena Park Downtown
Buena Park Downtown, formerly Buena Park Mall, is an enclosed shopping mall located on La Palma Avenue in Buena Park, California, near the Knott's Berry Farm theme park. Currently managed by Developers Diversified Realty, the mall is anchored by Bed Bath & Beyond, DSW Shoe Warehouse, Ross Dress For...
shopping center in Buena Park
Buena Park, California
Buena Park is a city in northwestern Orange County, California. As of Census 2010 the population was 80,530. The city is adjacent to the city of Anaheim and is 12 miles northwest of downtown Santa Ana. The Current OMB metropolitan designation for Buena Park and the Orange County Area is "Santa...
. A location also exists in Merrillville
Merrillville, Indiana
Merrillville is a town in Ross Township, Lake County, Indiana, United States. The population was 35,246 at the 2010 census. Merrillville is located in the east-central portion of Lake County.-Geography:Merrillville is located at ....
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, though this ostensibly is still within the firm's home market of Chicagoland.
Portillo's had licensed restaurants using its recipes and themes in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, in the late 1980s and early '90s. However, the Japanese restaurants did not fully follow the same tradition as the Chicago area stores, and all eventually closed.
Portillo's also delivers part of its menu to all fifty US states.
On March 12, 2008, Portillo's opened a location in the city of Moreno Valley
Moreno Valley, California
Moreno Valley is a city located in Riverside County, California.A relatively young city, its rapid growth in the 1980s and the first decade of the 21st century made it second-largest city in Riverside County by population, and one of the Inland Empire's population centers. As of the 2010 census,...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.