After more than six decades of sticking to lunch and dinner classics, Portillo’s is finally setting its sights on the breakfast crowd. Starting Tuesday, the Chicago-based chain will roll out a brand-new morning menu at five pilot locations across the Chicagoland area.
This marks the first time in Portillo’s 62-year history that it’s offering breakfast, and they’re not holding back. The lineup features signature egg sandwiches, local partnerships, and even a morning twist on their famous chocolate cake.
Here’s what’s on the table.
The breakfast sandwiches lean into Portillo’s comfort-food roots. There’s a Polish Sausage, Egg & Cheese stuffed with scrambled eggs, American cheese, and the chain’s signature Giardiniera sauce, all tucked into French bread. A Pepper, Egg & Cheese version skips the sausage but keeps the sweet peppers and heat. For those craving something classic, there’s also a Bacon, Egg & Cheese croissant.
And that’s not all. Portillo’s is teaming up with two local Chicago favorites to make the menu even sweeter. Stan’s Donuts has crafted a Chocolate Cake Donut dipped in chocolate glaze and finished with Portillo’s signature cake frosting. On the beverage side, Metropolis Coffee is providing both hot and iced options, including a Chocolate Cake Iced Coffee inspired by the dessert that put Portillo’s on the map.
Customers can also order Loaded Scrambles with eggs, hash browns, and bacon topped with cheese sauce, plus Hash Brown Bites and fruit cups. Notably, even the Italian Beef sandwich—the brand’s best-seller—will now be available for early risers.
Breakfast will run daily from 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the following locations: Chicago (Taylor St.), Elmhurst, Tinley Park, Shorewood, and Niles. Meal deals, including a sandwich, small coffee, and Hash Brown Bites, will be priced at $7.99.
Garrett Kern, Portillo’s vice president of strategy and culinary, said the move comes after years of customer requests. “Chicago has been asking for Portillo’s breakfast for years, and we’re thrilled to deliver our unique take on morning classics,” he said in a statement.
But the breakfast push isn’t happening “just because”. Portillo’s has been under pressure from activist investor Engaged Capital, which earlier this year nominated new board members and called for the brand to modernize operations and boost returns. While Portillo’s reported modest Q4 same-store sales growth of 0.4%, its 2024 comps were down 0.6% as traffic slipped.
Across the industry, breakfast is making a comeback after the pandemic disrupted morning routines. According to Circana research, 39% of guests now eat breakfast before 8 a.m., up five points since 2020. Other brands like Dutch Bros are also eyeing breakfast as a way to drive new sales.
For Portillo’s, breakfast could be a new way to leverage its Chicago legacy and bring in a fresh wave of customers. Whether it’s through a hearty egg sandwich or a chocolate cake coffee, the chain is betting that the morning breakfast menu will become a key part of its future.