Portillo's | May 2025

Portillo’s is a small, Chicago-based restaurant chain with fewer than 100 locations, yet it generates more revenue per restaurant than Chipotle, Chick-fil-A, and even McDonald’s. How is that possible?

In this episode, I’m joined by Brett Schafer from Chit Chat Stocks to break down Portillo’s from every angle: the unit economics, growth strategy, margins, culture, and the big question, can this concept scale beyond Chicago without losing what makes it special?

We also cover key KPIs to watch in restaurant stocks, why Brett owns Portillo’s, what could go wrong, and what a best-case scenario might look like. This is an episode you won’t want to miss.

Disclaimer:
Nothing in this podcast can be considered financial advice. This is for educational purposes only. We may hold positions in the businesses discussed. Do your own research.

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