Portillo’s is unlike any other restaurant. Our teams work in a fast-paced environment to deliver our purpose of creating lifelong memories through unrivaled food and experiences. How do we achieve this? By hiring and training the very best – a mission our Founder and Military Veteran Dick Portillo ingrained in our culture from the start.
Military Veterans bring unique skills and experiences to Portillo’s. Leadership, adaptability, and teamwork are just a few of the competencies found in our military veterans that make them invaluable to our Family. So how exactly does one’s military experience shine through at Portillo’s?
During her time in the Marine Corps, Crew Chief Brooke Anderson learned the ability to perform well under pressure. “I learned to make rational decisions in times of chaos while constantly maintaining a high level of attention to detail. The fast-paced environment when we are rocking* can create unpredicted challenges, but the skills I adopted through my experience with the Marine Corps helps reduce the impact of these challenges.”
Learning & Development VP John Isbell credits the work ethic learned in the Air Force for what keeps him pushing the boundaries at Portillo’s. “The discipline and work ethic I forged while training in the military are the exact same traits that have served me well here at Portillo’s. I owe who I am today to my time in the Air Force.” And we owe our great training programs to John and team!
Rusty Abramson, Restaurant Manager in St. Petersburg, Florida, considers communication his best learned asset from his time in the Navy. “The skill that helped me the most going from the military to Portillo's was learning how to give clear, direct instruction, and then following up on that instruction. An 18-year-old recruit and an 18-year-old Portillo’s team member are always going to need clear guidance and expectations!”
We are delighted to celebrate our Veterans during the month of November by presenting these family members with a Portillo’s Veteran pin. If you see one of our team members proudly displaying this pin on their uniform, know we are proud they have served our country, and thankful they have chosen Portillo’s as their civilian career path.
Interested in learning more about working at Portillo's? Visit us here.
Hear from Portillo's Veterans:
*Rocking – a term we use to define the indescribable energy in a busy restaurant.