Portillo’s “Beef Bus” in Allen to operate until August 12

Allen - Portillo's, the renowned Chicago-styled Italian beef and hot dog restaurant, has made an impressive entrance into North Texas with a well-received debut in The Colony earlier this year. The restaurant now offers a sneak-peek experience to Allen residents, Dallas Metro News reported.

In a move to further expand its presence in the North Texas area, the restaurant is now running new venture, known as the "Beef Bus." This approach was launched in Allen on Tuesday, July 25, and will be stationed at The Hampton Inn located at 830 West Stacy Road through August 12. The "Beef Bus" is not simply a promotional tool but a unique way to provide a glimpse of what Portillo's will offer in its upcoming location.

Portillo's is set to open a new eatery south of the Allen outlet mall later this year, with the "Beef Bus" serving as a spotlight for this exciting expansion. It will follow a consistent schedule, catering to food enthusiasts from Tuesdays to Saturdays, between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.

On the menu, customers can anticipate a delightful assortment of Portillo's classics, including miniature versions of their Italian beef sandwich, Chicago-style hot dogs, Italian and Maxwell Street Polish sausages, and a side of their signature crinkle-cut fries.

In addition to offering tasty previews, the bus will also conduct job interviews for those eager to join the Portillo's team at the new Allen site, sweetening the deal with a voucher for a free meal.

Since Portillo's inaugural opening in The Colony on January 18, North Texans have shown a fervent appetite for the offerings, driving an impressive average daily revenue of $48,000, as disclosed in the company's first-quarter earnings call.

Portillo's, a publicly-traded company ($PTLO) on the NASDAQ, rapidly gained prominence in North Texas with its first location in The Colony. Its grand opening in January saw the establishment clinching the title of the top location nationwide, a testament to the enthusiastic reception from local patrons.

"This means it's been matching the volumes of restaurants in Chicago that have been open for decades," Portillo's CEO Michael Osanloo said on the March 2 earnings call, as reported by WFAA.

"Specifically, The Colony has averaged $48,000 in sales per day since the grand opening. Now, that annualizes to $17 million per year; and that's a crazy number, so please don't model that. It's definitely coming down. But we feel really good that this restaurant will significantly exceed our underwriting expectations and sets us up for further success in Texas as we continued to expand."

Credit: WFAA, Portillo's, Dallas Metro News