Portillo’s is a growing brand, and it’s important to us that our Team Members grow with us. That means we arm them with the skills and knowledge to foster their growth and have practices in place to help them develop in their careers. Please take a moment to read about Bruce’s growth and what he’s learned along the way as he progressed from a General Manager to a Market Manager.
How long have you been with Portillo’s and what made you come to work for us?
I have been with Portillo’s for over six years. I was excited to join a Chicago institution that was making waves around the country with restaurants opening in new markets opening to great success. Portillo’s is “hot stuff” in Chicagoland, but in my time with the company, I have seen openings and growth in Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio and now Texas. This is on top of our restaurants in Arizona, California and Florida.
What do you love about Portillo’s?
I love the adulation and the love for the brand. When I go to a grocery store and I am wearing some Portillo’s swag, I have strangers come up to me who want to talk about the great beef sandwich they had at one of our locations. They tell me that our Chopped Salad is better than the one that they order at a fancy steakhouse. They tell me that that have been going to Portillo’s for over 50 year. They rave about our burgers, and so on and so on. How cool is that?! Not sure too many other restaurant companies receive these kinds of comments.
What was your first position here and what position did you get promoted to?
I joined the company as a General Manager and had the pleasure of working with the teams in Deerfield, Niles, Chicago (Clark & Ontario), and was then tasked with opening the Addison & Kimball restaurant in Chicago during the height of Covid. In the first week, our sales hit $267,000 with just drive-thru revenue.
I was promoted to Market Manager two years ago.
What do you love about your position?
I meet team members who have been with the company for over 30 years – I love to get perspective from them on their experiences over the years. It makes me realize how important their stories are to the history of the brand.
I get to work with great people at all levels. It excites me when a team member comes up to me and tells me that they want to enroll in our Ignite training because they see the opportunities and growth available to them. Long winded answer, but it is all about our most valuable asset – our people.
What advice would you give to someone at Portillo’s looking to move up?
Work hard, do not take shortcuts, and then work hard again. Garner information and knowledge at every opportunity. We have some tremendous people in our organization; seek them out and ask for help, guidance and advice. I promise you that no one will say no to you.
Where do see yourself growing in this company?
We will see – I am very happy in my current role, but certainly will entertain any and all opportunities as they come along!!