Portillo’s makes major menu change customers should love | Official Website of Louis Velazquez, entrepreneur, finance guy and tech innovator

Nowadays, eating out is so expensive that many people save restaurant meals for special occasions.

Still, most Americans eat fast food at least once a week. And even though the price of a fast-food meal has risen over the past year, you can still find a decent deal.

💵💰Don’t miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet’s free daily newsletter💰💵

Chick-fil-A offers one of the best value meals with its Chicken Sandwich combo, averaging $8.29 – $9.50. Taco Bell’s Crunchwrap Supreme meal is usually between $7.50 and $9. Over at McDonald’s, a Big Mac, fries, and a medium drink are also in the $8 range.

Most fast-food restaurants are known for a handful of signature items. At McDonald’s, it’s the burgers and fries; at Taco Bell, it’s the …tacos; and at Chick-fil-A, it’s the chicken sandwiches and sauces. But every so often, a chain will experiment with new items — sometimes they’re hits and sometimes they’re misses..

Portillo’s will test breakfast items at certain locations this summer.

Image source&colon; Shutterstock

Restaurants often ask customers to help them decide on new items

There’s a place in the middle of nowhere California where all sorts of fast-food chains test new menu items.

Fast-food aficionados know that if they want to see what items popular brands are considering, they should head to Ming Avenue in Bakersfield, Calif. This is where national chains like Taco Bell, Del Taco, Carl’s Jr., Panda Express, Wingstop, and Wienerschnitzel test out new creations before making them a permanent part of the menu.

More Food News:

“The town has been a breeding ground for some of the most iconic (and sometimes infamous) fast-food iteams of years,” according to Fast World news. “From the decadent Cantina Chicken Fully Loaded Nachos at Taco Bell to the ill-fated Sea Dog at Wienerschnitzel, Bakersfielders get to try it all before the rest of the country.”

Before deciding whether or not to add a new item to the overall menu, restaurants must consider customer feedback, whether or not the item can be profitable, and whether the item(s) offer any competitive advantage, among many factors. Portillo’s is a popular midwest chain so you can’t test their new menu in California, but you can give the concept a taste at one of several Chicago locations (listed below).

Portillo’s launches new menu items

Now, the chain famous for its hot-dog roots is adding breakfast to its growing menu.

Portillo’s first location opened in Chicago in 1963 and was little more than a hot dog stand. The company is famous for Chicago-style hot dogs, Italian beef sandwiches, chopped salad, cheese fries, homemade chocolate cake, and chocolate cake shake.

The chain is now testing several breakfast items on its menu, including three breakfast sandwiches: a Polish egg and cheese, peppers egg and cheese, or bacon egg and cheese on a croissant.

Portillo’s is known for its chocolate cake shake, so it makes sense that a chocolate donut will be on offer for breakfast. In this case, Portillo’s teamed up with Stan’s Donuts to create a chocolate old-fashioned donut dipped in chocolate glaze and drizzled with chocolate cake frosting.

The Portillo’s morning menu will also offer a breakfast scramble loaded with hash browns, bacon and cheese sauce, hash browns, bacon and fresh fruit.

Since the company doesn’t specialize in coffee, they are working with a local roaster, Metropolis Coffee, to offer a selection of specialty coffee drinks.

The breakfast items are available from 6:30-10:30 AM and no other menu items will be available during these hours.

The breakfast items are available at these five Chicago locations:

Chicago, Canal and Taylor – 520 W Taylor St, Chicago, IL
Elmhurst – 155 S Route 83, Elmhurst, IL
Tinley Park – 15900 S Harlem Ave, Tinley Park, IL
Shorewood – 1155 Brook Forest Ave, Shorewood, IL
Niles – 8832 W Dempster St, Niles, IL

“We’re just testing breakfast for summer, so don’t miss your chance to come by and give it a try,” says the announcement on the company’s website.

Portillo’s now has 70 restaurants across several states including Indiana, Texas, Arizona and Georgia and has several new locations planned for 2025.