It’s almost been a year since Tucsonans first caught wind of a Portillo’s coming to the city. After months of bulldozing down the former Claim Jumper Steakhouse and building a brand-new building from the ground up, the Illinois-based fast-food giant is finally ready to treat your taste buds.
On Tuesday, February 21, Portillo’s is hosting its official grand opening at 3761 E. Broadway Blvd., which can be found at the El Con Center alongside In-N-Out Burger and Chick-fil-A. Additionally, they’re currently hosting a few invite-only soft openings from now until Tuesday, February 21.
The 7,800-square-foot restaurant is massive in size compared to your typical fast-food joint and is equipped with a double drive-thru lane.
The first Arizona location opened up in Scottsdale back in 2012 and has since expanded to three others in the Phoenix area. The menu includes beef and sausage sandwiches, burgers, Chicago-style hot dogs, milkshakes, crinkle fries, and even salads.
Portillo’s started in 1963 when Dick Portillo invested $1,100 into a small trailer to open his first hot dog stand in Villa Park, IL, which he called “The Dog House.” As of today, the company has more than 70 locations spread out across nine states.
The new restaurant will be open 10:30 a.m. – 10:30 p.m. on Sunday – Thursday and 10:30 a.m. – 11 p.m. on Friday – Saturday.
Portillo’s is located at 3761 E. Broadway Blvd. For more information, visit portillos.com.
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Article written by:
Matt Sterner
More about MattAt a very young age, Matt Sterner was gifted with the artistic ability to masterfully roll a burrito to the highest of standards, but the wrapped medley of delicious innards wasn’t his first love. Matt’s first true love was a combination of reading, writing, and creating. He grew up reading comics, the ingredients list of his shampoo and conditioner bottles, choose-your-own-adventure books, and the Scrabble dictionary — something he found useful when challenging his grandmother to a game.
He attended college at New Mexico State University and graduated with a degree in Digital Filmmaking. One of his favorite classes was screenwriting because he became responsible for the story’s birth before it came to life on-screen. After school, Matt took on numerous positions at a local television station in Tucson. From dealing out stories about heartbreak to producing “fluffier” content for a lifestyle broadcast, he learned what it takes to adapt to the many emotions the world of media can stir. Since 2017, Matt has dabbled in the culinary world of Tucson as well as San Diego, California from time to time.
If you’re in the mood for strange stories, head over to his pride and joy, wonkytimes.com. And in case you’re curious — yes, after all of this time, he still manages to roll a killer burrito.
