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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 · 1d

everafterinthewoods.com

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This Illinois Buffet Serves Crab Legs, Crawfish, And Sushi All You Can Eat

Crab legs, crawfish, and sushi share the same buffet lines at one suburban spot. Add a made-to-order hibachi grill, and the plate math gets complicated fast. This Illinois buffet keeps things refreshingly simple. Lunch costs less than dinner, a drink comes included, and you can build your own stir-fry while a cook fires it up in front of you.

Downers Grove, IL · 3d
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everafterinthewoods.com

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This Illinois Donut Shop Still Fries Its Huge Apple Fritters Fresh In The Window, Just Like Always

An apple fritter roughly the size of your face comes out of a fryer in a shop window, and the man flipping it opened the place in 1972. He was 85 in 2024. He still works six days a week. The fritters get stuffed with apple chunks and cinnamon. Then...

Chicago, IL · 6d
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NBC Chicago

publisher · 127.3K followers

One of Chicago's most beloved spots for burgers, hot dogs opens in southwest suburb

One of Chicago's most beloved spots to snag a burger or hot dog opened a new location in a southwest suburb this week. Redhot Ranch opened at 60 Ogden Ave. in Downers Grove on Tuesday, bringing a new late-night food option to the area. Open daily from 10:30 a.m. until...

Chicago, IL · 3d
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takingthekids.com

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Massive Apple Fritters Share The Counter With Real Strawberry Donuts At This Illinois Shop

A donut big enough to stand in for a wedding cake is a real thing in Illinois. At least one couple served giant ones at their reception instead of a tiered cake, and that tells you plenty about the size here. The shop behind them fries up apple fritters with...

Chicago, IL · 8d

everafterinthewoods.com

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This Family-Run Illinois Seafood Counter Has Guarded Its Secret Red Batter Since 1951

A secret red batter coats the fried scallops at one Illinois seafood counter, and the family still won’t share the recipe. That alone made me curious. The same family has run this place since 1951. Their roots in the fish business go back even further, to Great Lakes commercial fishing in the 1930s.

Des Plaines, IL · 6d

allamericanatlas.com

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5 Best Restaurants in Schaumburg, Illinois You Need to Try Before Everyone Else Finds Them

Schaumburg, Illinois — a place where the prairie wind still whispers through the maples, where glass towers rise beside old farmhouses, and where every block hums with the stories of families who’ve called this place home for generations and newcomers drawn by the promise of something better. Here, the laughter of children echoes from sprawling parks, the scent of barbecue and biryani drifts through neighborhoods, and the city’s heart beats in the rhythm of festivals, shopping sprees, and the quiet pride of those who built something from nothing.

Schaumburg, IL · 4d

takemetotn.com

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This Unassuming Illinois Pizzeria Serves Sausage Pizza So Good It Should Almost Be Illegal

Anthony Bourdain called one pan pizza the only deep dish he ever loved. That pie still comes out of a small, homey pizzeria on a quiet suburban street in Illinois. The crust edge gets so dark and caramelized that it looks almost burnt. It isn’t. That crunchy, cheesy rim is the whole point, and the sausage on top is a house blend.

Illinois · 5d

unearththevoyage.com

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Three Generations Have Lined Up For The Same Grilled-Onion Polish At This Tiny Illinois Street-Corner Stand

Some of the best meals in Illinois come from places you would drive right past without a second look. A plain little counter, a short menu, and a line of hungry people can turn out to be a memory you carry for decades. I went looking for a quick lunch...

Chicago, IL · 8d

unearththevoyage.com

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This Low-Key Illinois Supper Club Still Grills Steaks The Old-Fashioned Way For Loyal Regulars

Some of the best meals in Illinois happen in rooms that look like they have not changed in decades, and that is exactly the point. You walk in expecting a simple steak dinner and walk out talking about the piano, the white jackets, and a slice of cake the size of a hatbox.

Chicago, IL · 6d

takingthekids.com

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We Ranked The Best Italian Beef In Illinois And These 7 Spots Made The Cut

A sandwich stand on a busy Chicago street became the filming spot for a hit TV show, and its business reportedly more than doubled. That is the kind of pull an Italian beef sandwich has in Illinois. The idea goes back about a century. Thin-sliced roast beef gets soaked in...

Illinois · 2d

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...

Chicago, IL · 3d

familydestinationsguide.com

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This Massive Wisconsin Flea Market Is So Enormous You’ll Need An Entire Day To Explore

There are places in Wisconsin that make you feel like you’ve discovered a secret, and the Wilmot Flea Market in Wilmot is absolutely one of them, except the secret is out and apparently everyone already knows. The parking lot is your first clue that something serious is happening here.

Kenosha County, WI · 2d

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 · 2d

familydestinationsguide.com

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Satisfy Your Inner Chocoholic At These 7 Legendary Chocolate Shops Hiding Throughout Illinois

Craving chocolate shops in Illinois that will satisfy your inner chocoholic and leave you grinning ear to ear?. These 7 legendary chocolate shops are hiding throughout Illinois with incredible handcrafted treats and unforgettable flavors!. 1. Graham’s Fine Chocolates & Ice Cream (Geneva) Geneva has a lot going for it...

Illinois · 5d

islands.com

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16 Best Iconic Roadside Restaurants Along Route 66 That Are Worth A Stop

Burgers, breakfast, and fried goodies often spring to mind when we think of iconic, retro American restaurants. Diners, barbecue joints, drive-ins, ice cream parlors, they're all here on U.S. Route 66, America's most iconic highway for a roadtrip. Known fondly as "The Mother Road," which celebrates its centennial in 2026, the highway currently stretches 2,238 miles between Chicago and Santa Monica, although many realignments throughout the 20th century accommodated new interstates and other changes, shortening the route from its original 2,448 miles. Today, some stretches double as interstate highways, while older parts of Historic Route 66 continue to pass through small towns. Along the way, eateries continue to cater to hungry tourists and truckers.

Chicago, IL · 7d

familydestinationsguide.com

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The Nostalgic Retro Diner In Illinois That Serves Up Community And Comfort Food Together

There are places you visit, and then there are places that visit you back, settling into your memory like a favorite song you didn’t know you’d missed. Daddio’s Diner in Batavia, Illinois is exactly that kind of place, a retro comfort food haven that wraps you in warmth the second you walk through the door.

Batavia, IL · 6d

unearththevoyage.com

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Since 1958, This Family-Run Illinois Italian Market Has Pulled Fresh Bread From The Oven Every Three Hours

I walked in for one loaf of bread and walked out with two heavy bags and a warm paper sack I could not stop sniffing. From the parking lot, it looks like any busy grocery store in Illinois. Inside, it feels like a small Italian town packed under one roof,...

Elmwood Park, IL · 7d

Cultivated Comfort

partner publisher · 79.3K followers

Diner Calls The James In Downtown Geneva Illinois The Coziest Restaurant Around With Themed Dining Rooms Like A Historic Home And A Huge Outdoor Patio With A Bar

Some restaurants feed you. Others make you feel like you have stepped into somebody’s well loved...

Geneva, IL · 9d

familydestinationsguide.com

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This Classic Illinois Diner Serves Up Breakfast So Good It Deserves Its Own Fan Club

There’s a diner in River Grove, Illinois, where the window literally tells you the rules before you even walk in, and honestly, that’s the most refreshing thing you’ll see all week. Blondie’s Diner isn’t playing games, and it isn’t pretending to be something it’s not....

River Grove, IL · 6d