Portillo’s plans to serve breakfast for the first time in company history.
Starting Tuesday, the fast casual will introduce morning menu items at five pilot restaurants across Chicagoland. The offerings not only include signature items, but also collaborations with local Chicago favorites, Stan’s Donuts and Metropolis Coffee.
The breakfast menu will be available from 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. daily at five locations: Canal and Taylor in Chicago (520 W. Taylor St.), Elmhurst (155 S. Route 83), Tinley Park (15900 S. Harlem Ave.), Shorewood (1155 Brook Forest Ave.) and Niles (8832 W. Dempster St).
Here’s what customers may order:
Signature Breakfast Sandwiches
- Polish Sausage, Egg & Cheese featuring char-grilled Polish sausage, scrambled eggs, American cheese, and zesty Giardiniera sauce on French bread.
- Pepper, Egg & Cheese:combining scrambled eggs, sweet peppers, American cheese, and Giardiniera sauce on French bread.
- Bacon, Egg & Cheese with scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, and American cheese on a buttery croissant.
Stan’s Donuts Collaboration
- Portillo’s Chocolate Cake Donut—An exclusive chocolate old-fashioned doughnut dipped in chocolate glaze and finished with Portillo’s signature chocolate cake frosting.
Morning Sides
- Loaded Scramble featuring eggs, hash browns, and bacon topped with Portillo’s cheese sauce.
- Hash Brown Bites
- Fresh Fruit Cup
Metropolis Coffee Collaboration, Hot and Iced Selections
- Chocolate Cake Iced Coffee—Inspired by Portillo’s famous chocolate cake, made with Metropolis Skyway blend, Portillo’s chocolate cake flavor, and cream.
- Vanilla Iced Coffee—Metropolis Skyway blend, vanilla flavor, and cream.
Other Notable Offers
- Italian Beef Sandwich—Portillo’s No. 1 selling item, now available during breakfast hours.
- The chain will also offer Breakfast Meal Deals consisting of a Signature Breakfast Sandwich, small coffee, and Hash Brown Bites for $7.99.
Portillo’s move into breakfast is in response to customer demand, according to the company.
“Chicago has been asking for Portillo’s breakfast for years, and we’re thrilled to deliver our unique take on morning classics,” Garrett Kern, Portillo’s vice president of strategy and culinary, said in a statement. “From savory egg sandwiches to a special chocolate cake donut created in partnership with Stan’s Donuts, served with Metropolis coffee brewed hot or iced, we’re offering something to satisfy every morning craving—including our legendary Italian Beef for early risers.”
MORE: Why Portillo’s is Winning the Value Battle, and What it Says about Restaurants
The brand is also facing pressure from an activist investor.
In February, Engaged Capital—which holds 8.6 percent of Portillo’s stock—requested change, citing outdated operations and underwhelming returns. The hedge fund nominated two industry veterans—Charlie Morrison, former Wingstop CEO, and Nicole Portwood, former CMO at Salad and Go—for the board. While recognizing Portillo’s strong AUV, unique menu, and new market success, Engaged Capital insisted the brand needs to modernize operations, improve marketing, and rethink unit development to unlock value.
Q4 same-store sales rose 0.4 percent, though 2024 comps dipped 0.6 percent due to declining traffic.
The breakfast daypart was hurt significantly by the pandemic since more customers worked from home and lost their morning routine. But this time of day appears to be on the rise. Circana research shows 39 percent of guests eat breakfast before 8 a.m., up five points since 2020.
And Portillo’s isn’ the only brand looking to get a sales boost in the morning. Dutch Bros—which gets most of its sales later in the day—announced last year plans to test food items as attachments to help drive more breakfast visits.
