Hey there! If you’re a breakfast lover and a Chicagoan, I’ve got some delicious news for you. The Chicago fixture Portillo’s is expanding more breakfast locations — and unveiling a tasty new option. Let me break it down.
What’s going on?
Portillo’s began a breakfast test last April in five restaurants in Chicago. They are now expanding this test to five more restaurants. That is 10 restaurants where you can have breakfast from Portillo’s today. Very neat, actually.
What’s on the breakfast menu
Aside from doubling the test, Portillo’s added a new breakfast sandwich to the menu. It’s named the Maple Sausage & Egg Croissant.
Here’s what’s inside:
- Fluffy scrambled eggs
- Breakfast sausage
- Sweet maple syrup-topped croissant
This tasty sandwich can be purchased alone for $5.29. Or, if you’d like it as a complete breakfast, you can order a combo for $7.99. The combo contains:
- A small coffee
- Hashbrown bites
Sounding like the perfect breakfast to start off your day!
Why is portillo’s testing breakfast?
The company CEO, Michael Osanloo, explained that they decided to test breakfast because Chicago customers were requesting it. Portillo’s normally sells a well-liked pepper and egg sandwich during Lent season, and customers have been requesting that as a breakfast.
Also, Osanloo indicated that their restaurants go quiet for a couple of hours in the morning. Therefore, breakfast would be an excellent suggestion to fill the idle hours and draw more consumers.
How is the test going so far?
The breakfast test started under the radar—no massive ad campaign yet. Portillo’s did not want to get ahead of themselves and vowed to first make sure everything runs smoothly in the background. They focused on:
- Making sure the food will taste good
- Maintaining the kitchen in order
- Not screwing up service or prep for lunch
Up to this point, they’ve received mostly positive reviews from customers. Sure, there’s a bit of room for improvement there, but that’s why they’re still piloting it.
When and where can you get breakfast?
Breakfast is available every day from 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the testing sites. You can eat in, utilize the drive-thru, or have it taken out — whatever works best for you.
Right now, this is only being tested at 10 Portillo’s locations in the Chicago area. If the test goes well, they could expand breakfast to even more locations throughout the city.
Portillo’s is looking to keep going with this breakfast test deep into the summer. Then, they’ll think about making breakfast a year-round presence at additional locations. If they do, you can count on more promotions and more ways to have breakfast from your favorite Chicago chain.
So, what should you do?
If you’re a breakfast lover and find yourself living in or near the Chicago metropolitan area, keep an eye out for Portillo’s breakfast. Try the Maple Sausage & Egg Croissant and see if it works for you. And if you’re lucky enough to be close to one of the test locations, why not drop on by for breakfast one morning?
Bon appétit, morning meal – Portillo’s might very well become your new favorite breakfast spot!
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