Matthew Barth's first shift as a Delivery Driver would prove to be the perfect litmus test of if working at Portillo's would be a good fit—he started in December of 2020, not only contending with the chaos of an unpredictable pandemic and the chilliness of wintertime in Niles, IL, but the rush of the busiest time for holiday catering at Portillo's.
"Honestly, I think it was good for me to start off my career at Portillo's during busy season," Portillo's Manager Matthew Barth said. "It gave me perspective on not only the status of the business, which was clearly still booming during a pandemic, but on how the whole operation runs—Portillo's is a well-oiled machine."
Barth applied to Portillo's as a Delivery Driver* after the factory he was managing announced a move to Fort Wayne, IN. (* The delivery driver position at Portillo's was recently transitioned over to the Catering Team—for more information on how to apply, click here!)
"My friend TJ was already working for Portillo's as a delivery driver," Barth said. "And I knew I already liked working with him, so I took his word for it and applied for the job. And I'm glad I did, the people I work with are cool, the money is good and I grew up with Portillo's."
After about 8 months, Barth's General Manager noticed his self-starting attitude and encouraged him to join the Crew Chief in Training program. The program allowed Barth to develop his skills as a leader and dive deeper into the weeds of the business—leading him to his most recent promotion as the manager of Portillo's in Niles, IL.
"The learning and development classes were so inspirational to me," Barth said. "It showed me that Portillo's is exceptionally good because they really aren't just interested in hiring bodies to fill the line in the kitchen or man the drive-thru window. They're interested in people who will live our values and they do a great job of hiring great people and turning them into great team members."
When asked what's next for him in his career, Barth says he wants to continue to grow his career at Portillo's.
"Portillo's is on a fast-track for exponential growth, and I want to be a part of that," Barth said. "We make great food, we hire great people, and I want to be part of the reason why Portillo's thrives."
