Strategic Kiosk Rollout, in Partnership with
Bite, Will Facilitate Faster Ordering, Shorter Lines, and Visual Menu Exploration to
Enhance Guest,Team Member Experience
CHICAGO, Aug. 6, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- Portillo's Inc. (NASDAQ: PTLO), the fast-casual
restaurant concept known for its menu of Chicago-style favorites,
today announced that it is piloting kiosks in select restaurants.
This strategic test represents a step forward in Portillo's ongoing
commitment to embracing technology that will enhance the guest and
Team Member experience, while optimizing operational efficiency.
The company has installed its first state-of-the-art, 24-inch Bite
kiosks at two Chicagoland restaurants, offering Portillo's guests
an additional layer of convenience and choice, and freeing up Team
Members to support other areas of the restaurant and focus on
exceptional guest service.
Guests at Portillo's restaurants in Downers Grove, IL (1500 Butterfield Rd) and
Chicago's River North neighborhood (100 W Ontario St) will
have the first opportunity to trial the kiosks, which were
custom-designed in partnership with Portillo's technology team and
Bite. As part of the pilot program, Portillo's plans to install
additional kiosks at its restaurants in California later this month. Pilot locations
will serve as testing environments, providing valuable insights to
guide potential future kiosk implementations.
"We've studied best practices across the restaurant industry to
identify a next-generation ordering system as a thoughtful addition
for both our guests and our Team Members," said Keith Correia, Chief Information Officer of
Portillo's. "By offering an alternative ordering experience, we're
giving guests another way to get their Portillo's however they
prefer, while creating flexibility for our teams to focus on what
they do best – making delicious food and providing fun, welcoming
service. It's about carefully integrating technology to enhance the
classic Portillo's experience that has delighted fans for over six
decades."
Crucially, this technological addition is designed to
complement, not disrupt the Portillo's dine-in experience. The
kiosks work alongside existing ordering channels, providing guests
with more ways to order. This approach enables Portillo's to
strategically redistribute Team Members to other high-value areas
of guest service, fostering new opportunities for meaningful guest
interactions and Team Member development.
Moreover, these kiosks allow Portillo's to thoughtfully showcase
both core menu items and new innovations. Large 24-inch video
screens not only facilitate an easy ordering process, but also
offer a visual journey through Portillo's full menu to encourage
guests to discover new items, potentially leading to increased
check sizes and higher guest satisfaction.
Portillo's partnership with Bite, a leading restaurant kiosk
provider, underscores the company's commitment to quality. The
kiosks will be evaluated based on specific success metrics,
including line reduction, order accuracy, check size, guest
satisfaction, and importantly, Team Member satisfaction. This pilot
program reflects Portillo's dedication to mindful tech integration
that genuinely benefits the overall Portillo's experience for Team
Members and guests.
About Portillo's
Portillo's (NASDAQ: PTLO) is a fast-casual restaurant concept
known for its menu of Chicago-style favorites. Founded in 1963 by
Dick Portillo, the company has grown
to include more than 80 restaurants across 10 states. Portillo's is
best known for its Chicago-style hot dogs, Italian beef sandwiches,
char-grilled burgers, fresh salads, and famous chocolate cake. The
company went public in 2021 and continues to grow its nationwide
footprint while maintaining its commitment to quality ingredients
and exceptional customer service. Portillo's ships food to all 50
states via Portillos.com and operates Portillo's Home Kitchen, the
company's fast-growing catering business. For more information,
visit www.portillos.com.
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SOURCE Portillo's Hot Dogs, Inc.