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floor of a seven-story building down the street from McDonald’s Corporation in Oak Brook. Taking a tour through the 23,500 square-foot headquarters, it is hard to fathom that the same business launched in a 72 square-foot trailer five decades earlier. The floor is rife with photographs of various Portillo’s restaurants throughout Chicagoland—as well as a blown up photo of the original Dog House—, displaying the owner’s pride in the roots of the business he has fortified. The office contains a training center, where classes for managers and employees are conducted. Dick Portillo’s personal office evinces his love of military history. His shelves are lined with combat weapons used through the ages, as well as pictures from a recent trip to the South Pacific—a major battleground for U.S. and Japanese forces during World War II. Perhaps what stands out most about the office is the series of framed photos taken each year since the early 1990s, recognizing longtime Portillo’s employees. After attaining career milestones, all employees—from a restaurant cashier to the chief financial officer—are honored with an awards dinner, and receive the opportunity to gather around Portillo for
a large group photo. “What impresses me about the company is the longevity of the employees, and how many people have worked for Mr. Portillo for decades,” Portillo’s Executive
Dick Portillo (right) stands beside a fellow Marine. Portillo joined the Marine Corps after graduating from Argo Community High School in 1957.
Assistant Patty Sullivan said. “The turnover rate is so low. In the office, there are people that have been working for Mr. Portillo for 45 years or 40 years. “He’s very serious about honoring his employees; it means a lot to him to remain loyal.”
“Mr. Portillo takes good care of people who have been with [the company] for a long time,” said Eric Peterson, Vice President of the Portillo Restaurant Group, who started out as an assistant manager at the Naperville location in 1988. Some of those photographed have been with the company for upwards of three and even four decades. Glenda Knippen started out as a cashier at the second hot dog stand in Villa Park in 1967, and now serves as Benefits Manager for Portillo’s at the corporate office in Oak Brook. Knippen expressed deep gratitude to Portillo for all he has done for her as an employee over the past 46 years. “We all truly think of this company as a family—we call it our ‘Portillo family,’” she said. “It’s been a wonderful experience, and I love the company and love Mr. Portillo.”
Executive Supervision
Even after ascending to tremendous heights, Sullivan said Portillo is frequently out of the office, spending much of his time at his restaurants. “He’s in the office occasionally, but he spends most of his time out in the field, at his restaurants,” she said. “He’ll observe
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