At about 9:30 p.m. Friday amidst a storm with lightning and strong winds, the lights flickered off at Portillo's restaurant on Dempster Street in Niles.
Diners let out an en masse "ooh", then cheered when lights came back on for a moment, then said "ooh" again when the place plunged into darkness again.
Employees kept right on going, whipping out their phones to read the order numbers, and handing pizza, salads and sandwiches to those who had ordered them.
Diners ate by the faint fluorescent glow of the emergency lights. The lights came back on about half an hour later, ending the adventure.
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