Overview
- Portillo’s reduced roughly 18% of its Oak Brook corporate workforce on July 31 and also eliminated some field management roles while restaurant-level employees were not affected.
- The company recorded about $1.1 million in restructuring charges for the job cuts, according to its SEC filing.
- Portillo’s reported weaker second-quarter results with net income down $2.9 million and same-restaurant sales falling 1.2%, and executives cited rising commodity costs as a driver of pressure on margins.
- Leadership changes continue as Kevin Kalicak is set to become chief financial officer on Sept. 7 while CEO Brett Patterson said the chain is reassessing a rapid roll‑out in Texas and slowing national expansion.
- Portillo’s said it will prioritize efficiency and measured growth, having opened eight Texas locations in 2026 and still planning select Chicago sites, while an Illinois WARN notice had not yet appeared at the time of reporting.