Orlando gets a taste of Portillo’s ahead of June 15 opening
Customers have started to get a taste of Portillo’s hot dogs and Italian beef sandwiches, even though the restaurant’s announced opening date is June 15.
A YouTube video posted Saturday by Theme Park Mikey, who shares videos of Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort, showed people inside the restaurant. He ordered an Italian beef sandwich and cheese fries in the video.
Others have posted on Facebook and Twitter about visiting the restaurant, the first for the chain in the Orlando area.
Ana Espinoza, a spokeswoman for Portillo’s, said the restaurant hosts a series of pre-opening events, including some that are exclusive to its “Birthday Club” members.
“Right now, anyone can come to Portillo’s during this soft open training period that’s designed to get us ready for the official Grand Opening on June 15,” Espinoza said.
It’s not clear what the hours are during the soft opening.
The company’s website lists its hours as “opening soon” and a message reached when calling its phone number also says it will be opening soon.
Located at 7715 Palm Parkway in the Village at O-Town West development near Walt Disney World, the 7,800-square-foot restaurant has two covered patios along with double drive-through lanes.
Its publicized grand opening is set for 10:30 a.m. June 15. It follows earlier delays, with opening dates of March 2 and then March 23 pushed back.
The Illinois-founded Portillo’s already has Florida restaurants in Tampa and Brandon.
It is near the first White Castle in Florida since the 1960s, which has drawn huge lines. Its opening day in May set a single-day sales record for the chain.
Also nearby, construction is expected to begin on a Wawa next year.
