I’ve always been a big fan of the hot dogs at Portillo’s, the Chicago-based restaurant known for its wieners and Italian beef. For many years, the chain had only a handful of local locations. Consequently, there was always a line, maybe a wait for tables, and it was always a beehive of activity. Attendants would call out order numbers with little sayings: “One zero three, come see me,” or “Three ninety-two, I’ve got food for you.” The whole vibe just created energy.
And then Portillo’s expanded—fast and furious, far out of Chicagoland —with seemingly as many franchisees as they could sign. I was in one of those out-of-state locations at the peak of the lunch hour, high noon. There were barely any other people there. No little ditties to call out my order. No lines, and I had a whole section to myself. It just wasn’t the same. The food was still good, but the experience wasn’t.
It was a reminder that the culture is as important as the product, and you need to pay attention to both. Expanding beyond a culture you can replicate does more harm to your brand than good.
