Portillo’s opens on a fast track in Joliet

Portillo’s opened its first modern to-go only restaurant on Tuesday in Joliet, a landmark moment that Mike Portillo said was in some ways a throwback to earlier days in the development of the company.

Portillo, son of founder Dick Portillo and vice president of restaurant support for the company, drove a 1970 Chevy Chevelle through one of three drive-thru lanes to mark the opening of the Portillo’s Pick Up at 1444 N. Larkin Ave.

The year of the Chevelle symbolized the Joliet restaurant’s place as number 70 in the Portillo’s chain. The vintage model fit the race theme of the restaurant, which is designed to move food quickly to customers.

It’s a new concept, but Mike Portillo said he was reminded of his dad’s decision to put the first drive-thru at a new Portillo’s being built in Downers Grove in 1983. The building was in mid-construction when Dick Portillo noticed how busy his future customers appeared to be as they moved to and from their cars in the shopping center around the restaurant.

“He said, ‘We need to make this restaurant convenient for the customers,” Mike said, recounting a conversation between his father and the architect, who reminded him the building was already two-thirds completed. “My dad said, ‘I know. That’s why we need to get this drive-thru in now.”

So, it was done.

The Downers Grove restaurant became the busiest in the chain. These days, the Shorewood restaurant on Route 59 is the highest volume restaurant, Portillo said.

Portillo’s became an innovator in drive-thru service, adding second drive-thru lanes and putting employees outside to process customer orders as quickly as possible, Portillo said.

The Portillo’s Pick Up in Joliet adds another innovation – a third lane for pre-order pickup designed to give customers their food as they arrive if they order ahead.

Customers on Tuesday included Frank Ramsey of Romeoville, who won a gift card giving him weekly free meals for a year.

“Absolutely, as long as I remember,” Ramsey said when asked if was a regular Portillo’s customer.

He grew with the Downers Grove restaurant, having formerly lived in Westmont, Ramsey said.

Portillo’s invited customers to drive vintage cars into the drive-thru on the first day, and the very first customers did.

Ed and Debbie Glavan of Joliet were in a light-blue, 1975 Oldmobile Cutlass Supreme right behind Portillo’s Chevelle as business began to roll at the restaurant.

Debbie said she liked the idea of the restaurant being devoted to carry-out orders.

“With all the COVID-19, it’s better not to go inside, I think,” she said.

Portillo’s, which started in 1963 as “The Dog House” in a trailer in Villa Park, now is in nine states, including Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, California, Florida and Arizona.