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The Independent

partner publisher · 2.6M followers
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Popular Chicago chain known for its hot dogs set to close locations

The Chicago-based fast-casual chain, known for its hot dogs and Italian beef sandwiches, has 109 locations nationwide Getty/iStock To be frank, fans of a popular Chicago -style hot dog chain may not relish this news. Portillo’s plans to close a “mid-to-high single-digit number” of underperforming restaurants outside the Chicago area, mostly by the end of the year, CEO Brett Patterson announced Thursday. The Chicago-based fast-casual chain, known for its hot dogs and Italian beef sandwiches, has 109 locations nationwide. It said it looked at each restaurant’s sales, operating costs and expected future performance before deciding which ones to close. The company has not yet announced the affected locations. “This will improve portfolio quality, strengthen returns on invested capital and reflect our commitment to disciplined growth,” Patterson said. The move comes as Portillo’s looks to get back on track after struggling to find the same success in markets outside Chicago. The move comes as Portillo’s looks to get back on track after struggling to find the same success in markets outside Chicago (Getty/iStock) Portillo’s plans to put more focus on its existing restaurants and take a more careful approach to opening new locations, particularly in unfamiliar markets. Patterson said the chain

Chicago, IL · 3d

everafterinthewoods.com

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This Old-School Illinois Butcher Shop Still Cuts From Hanging Cattle And Makes Over 80 Sausages

A carved wooden pig head hands out your number at the door. That’s how your visit starts at one of the most beloved butcher counters in Illinois. The kitchen behind the counter turns out more than 80 kinds of sausages and brats. A smokehouse adds more than 10 kinds of homemade bacon to the lineup.

Chicago, IL · 3d
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NBC Chicago

publisher · 127.4K followers

Portillo's to close up to 9 ‘underperforming restaurants,' company announces

Iconic Chicago hot dog and Italian beef chain Portillo's will close a "select group of underperforming locations," the company announced during a third-quarter earnings call Thursday. The update came as the company said its results were "ahead" of expectations. “Our strategy is centered on running great restaurants, leveraging integrated marketing...

Chicago, IL · 1d
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familydestinationsguide.com

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This Illinois Seafood Restaurant Is Known Far And Wide For Its Incredibly Fresh Fried Fish

Some restaurants earn their reputation quietly, one perfectly fried piece of fish at a time, and The Fish Keg in Chicago has been doing exactly that for longer than most food trends have existed. If you haven’t heard of The Fish Keg yet, that’s about to change. The...

Chicago, IL · 3d
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everafterinthewoods.com

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This Family-Run Illinois Italian Market Still Bakes Its Bread Fresh And Piles Subs High For Under $10

A 9-inch Italian beef from this deli can show up looking more like a 12-inch one. That’s the kind of generous surprise that gets an old-school Illinois sandwich counter talked about across the city. The beef comes from a family recipe, and it can arrive fully dipped and dripping....

Chicago, IL · 4d

unearththevoyage.com

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This Tiny Illinois Bakery Serves Flaky Danish Pastries So Authentic You’ll Swear You’re In Copenhagen

Some of the best bites in Illinois hide in places you would drive right past without a second look. I walked into a small, quiet bakery expecting a quick donut and walked out with a box of buttery Danish treats and a new weekend habit. The kind of flaky layers...

Burr Ridge, IL · 1d

everafterinthewoods.com

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This Illinois Farmers Market Moves Indoors For Winter, So Your Sunday Produce Run Never Stops

Snow on the boulevard doesn’t cancel this Sunday market. When winter hits, the whole thing simply heads indoors and keeps going. I love that idea. Your weekly bread, eggs, and cheese haul doesn’t have to pause just because Illinois decided to freeze solid for a few months. In...

Chicago, IL · 4d

everafterinthewoods.com

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This Old-Fashioned Illinois Candy Shop Still Makes Its Own Fudge And Caramel Apples In A Nostalgic Little Shop

Caramel apples come with a choice of fruit at one little Illinois candy counter: tart Granny Smith or sweet Honeycrisp. That decision alone could stall a family for ten minutes. Then you spot the bear claws, the cheese popcorn, and the chocolate-dipped apricots. The fudge is made in house, the...

Riverside, IL · 6d

hoodline.com

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Elgin Backs $2M Deal to Turn 1942 Woolworth Building Into Rooftop Dining Hub

The old Woolworth building at 31 S. Grove Ave. in downtown Elgin has sat as city office space and storage for decades, generating no property or sales tax revenue. That could soon change after the Elgin City Council gave preliminary approval this week to a redevelopment plan that would turn the two-story building into a destination featuring a fine-dining restaurant, a neighborhood market, and a sports bar with a rooftop patio.

Elgin, IL · 3d

gotodestinations.com

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Why Locals ADORE This Hot Dog Drive-In That’s Older Than McDonald’s in Chicago, Illinois

Open Sun–Thu, 11 AM–1 AM; Fri–Sat, 11 AM–2 AM. In May 1948, two newlyweds opened a summer hot dog drive-in in Chicago to help pay for college. 🌭. At Superdawg Drive-In, Chicago diners still pull into a carport, order through a speaker box and wait for a carhop’s tray on the car window.

Chicago, IL · 8h

Yahoo!

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2 IL pizzerias serve some of the best pies in US, report finds. Where to go

Two Illinois pizzerias earned spots on The Infatuation's recent analysis of the best pizza places in America. Both are in Chicago and serve distinctly different styles. FULL STORY: These 2 Illinois pizza shops serve some of the best pies in America, report says Here are key takeaways:. The Sept. 22...

Chicago, IL · 4d

everafterinthewoods.com

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Swedish Pancakes With Lingonberries Still Anchor Breakfast At This Andersonville Diner In Chicago, Illinois

A Viking breakfast in Illinois comes with falukorv sausage, eggs, potatoes, and thin Swedish pancakes topped with lingonberries. That combination alone made me sit up straight. The room matches the plate. Swedish folk art fills the walls, and whimsical tablecloths cover small tables in a cozy blue and yellow space.

Chicago, IL · 4d

NBC Chicago

publisher · 127.4K followers

These twelve Chicago restaurants made OpenTable's 2026 list of top 100 in the US

Twelve Chicago restaurants made a new list of the top 100 spots to dine in the country. The list, created by restaurant reservation platform OpenTable, was "generated from over 11 million reviews from verified OpenTable diners and dining metrics," its introduction states. Only restaurants in "good standing" with OpenTable and...

Chicago, IL · 3d

thebloomingtonstar.com

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6 Chicago beef stands where the Italian beef comes dipped, juicy and topped with giardiniera

Chicago, Illinois – There is a particular way to eat an Italian beef sandwich in Chicago. You lean forward, keep a few napkins close, and accept that the bread may have absorbed enough rich meat juice to make your usual sandwich technique completely useless. The beef is thin, the...

Chicago, IL · 6d

CBS Chicago

partner publisher · 230.8K followers

NW Side café vandalized with racial slurs month after opening

Mi Gente Café on Harlem and Farragut opened its doors to the public a month ago.

Chicago, IL · 1d

fastfoodclub.com

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Since 1938, Russell’s Barbecue In Elmwood Park Has Served Beef Sandwiches From The Same Pit

Some families pass down recipes, and some pass down a favorite booth. Just west of Chicago, there is a barbecue counter where grandparents, parents, and kids have all ordered the same beef sandwich across many decades. The place opened in 1938, long before drive-thrus and self-serve soda machines were common,...

Elmwood Park, IL · 6d

NBC Chicago

publisher · 127.4K followers

Home Run Inn unveils brand new pan pizza

Chicago’s iconic Home Run Inn pizza chain is well-known for its signature tavern-style pizza, but now they’re offering up pan pizzas in the freezers of area grocery stores. According to a press release, the pan pizza will be available at all Chicago-area Jewel stores and Tony’s Fresh Market...

Chicago, IL · 5d

takingthekids.com

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6 Illinois Pizza Joints Where Tavern-Cut Squares Have Fed Families For Over 50 Years

Tavern-style pizza has its own official holiday now. It lands every October 22, and I love that a thin, crunchy pie earned a spot on the calendar. The squares came first for a practical reason. Early tavern pizza was handed out as a free snack, cut small so folks could eat with one hand.

Chicago, IL · 3d

unearththevoyage.com

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This Family-Run, Cash-Only Illinois Bakery Still Draws Fans For Its Famous Cheese Sticks

Some of the best food in Illinois hides behind plain storefronts you could drive past a hundred times. I almost did, until the smell of warm bread and the line at the door made me pull over. Inside, there were trays of pastries, towering cakes, and a buttery, cheesy treat...

Chicago, IL · 4d