Dive Brief:
- Portillo’s rolled out extended hours Monday as part of its strategy to offer more convenience and flexibility to guests, the company said in an email to Restaurant Dive.
- All 86 of its restaurants now open at 10 a.m. local time and 15 restaurants across the states of Illinois, Indiana, California, Arizona and Texas will have hours extending into late night.
- Portillo’s is in the midst of implementing a four-pillar strategy that includes focusing on operational improvements, amplifying the brand, building restaurants with high average unit volumes and improving the employee experience.
Dive Insight:
Portillo’s didn’t need to adjust operations to accommodate the shift in operating hours. The chain has different shifts throughout the day providing flexibility to its staff, which the company said it will continue.
“Our General Managers work to ensure our restaurants are fully staffed at all hours — and that Team Members’ preferences are taken into consideration when scheduling,” the company said.
Some staff may prefer to start early while others may want an evening shift to better accommodate their lifestyles, according to the company. The chain also offers a time off program to provide additional flexibility, the company said.
With the company adding late-night hours, it said safety remains a top priority regardless of time of day. Last year, the chain eliminated the use of employees carrying cash outside at the drive-thru, to improve the safety of its team members.
“We do see the demand earlier in the day, so we’re happy to be able to offer that option to our guests,” the company said. “The new extended hours has been a smooth transition for our Team, thanks to our strong operational foundation.”
Extending hours could help improve same-store sales, which were down 1.2% during Q1 2024. The company is also working to improve drive-thru speed, which is slower than 2019 levels.
Several other chains, including Jack in the Box, McDonald’s Burger King and Taco Bell have seen upticks in demand for the late-night daypart, offering another opportunity for sales growth.
