Hot dog chain Portillo’s cut 18% of its corporate staff as it continues a strategic reset amid lower sales across restaurants, the company announced Wednesday.
The chain known for Chicago-style hot dogs and Italian beef sandwiches has roughly 140 employees at its Oak Brook headquarters at 2001 Spring Road.
Portillo’s also cut some field management roles. But its layoffs didn’t affect restaurant workers at its 109 fast casual locations nationwide.
Portillo’s had about 7,800 workers across the U.S. as of December, according to its 2025 annual report.
“While never an easy decision, it is imperative that we examine areas of the business where we can operate more efficiently and ensure our resources and future investments are directed at the right priorities. These actions, along with other efficiencies, will support our long-term growth strategy,” CEO Brett Patterson said in a news release.
Portillo’s made the cuts July 31, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. No announcement has yet been made under the Illinois Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, but there is often a lag before layoffs appear on the state’s WARN website. Employers must report layoffs of 25 or more full-time employees, under WARN.
The job cuts will cost Portillo’s about $1.1 million in restructuring charges, according to an SEC filing.
“There were no restaurant-level team members impacted, and you can expect that Portillo’s will continue to produce the high-quality service and craveable food that our loyal fans and guests have appreciated for the past 63 years,” Portillo’s said in an emailed statement.
In April, the company raised some menu prices by 2% to cope with inflation. Portillo’s noted higher commodity prices for beef and produce in its second quarter earnings call on Wednesday.
Portillo’s announced net income fell $2.9 million to $7.2 million in the second quarter. Same-restaurant sales — sales at restaurants open for at least 24 months — decreased 1.2%, or $2.2 million, in the quarter.
On Tuesday, the company named Kevin Kalicak its chief financial officer, effective Sept. 7. He was most recently Olive Garden’s senior vice president of finance.
It’s the latest management change at Portillo’s as part of a “strategic reset” announced last fall. Patterson was named CEO in February, after Michael Osanloo resigned from the role in September.
Portillo’s, launched as a hot dog trailer in 1963, has scaled back an ambitious national expansion amid flagging sales.
In 2026, the company opened eight new locations, all in Texas. It plans to open a Downtown restaurant at 304 N. Michigan Ave. in the fourth quarter. Portillo’s also expects to open a location in Wrigleyville, at 3519 N. Clark St., in 2027.