Portillo's

Leadership

Former Darden CEO Gene Lee joins Portillo's board

The appointment was supported by activist investor Engaged Capital LLC, which has been seeking board changes at fast-casual Portillo's for months. Lee brings deep industry experience.

Marketing

From Portillo’s to indies, restaurant chains serve up divine marketing to cash in on Chicago-born pope

Marketing Bites: With the memes flowing like holy water, restaurants specializing in Italian Beef, pizza and more craft some real-time marketing miracles.

Engaged Capital had nominated Charlie Morrison to Portillo's board, but Morrison took a gig as CEO of Jersey Mike's. Now the fast-casual Portillo's plans to work with the investor to find an alternative.

Five locations in the Chicago area will offer the limited-time pilot, starting April 15. Company officials say the test is a response to longtime demand.

The Chicago-based fast casual will start testing a morning menu at select restaurants on April 15.

The activist investor hopes to put two ex-Salad and Go executives on the Chicago-based fast-casual chain's board: former CEO Charlie Morrison and former CMO Nicole Portwood.

Late to the game but offering something different, the fast-casual chain expects to launch its Perks program in March.

Tech Check: More restaurants are bypassing loyalty apps and going straight for what really matters: the data. Will customers care?

The move was brought about by activist investor Engaged Capital, which last year promised to take steps to "unlock the intrinsic value" of Portillo's business.

Traffic at the fast-casual chain fell 3.5% in the most recent quarter, but management is banking on a sales rebound from kiosks and unit growth.

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