How To Access Portillo's Secret Menu

Among all the regional fast food chains in the U.S., Portillo's is one of the more prominent ones. For the unfamiliar, Portillo's has more than 90 locations in 10 states — most of which are in the chain's home state of Illinois. Portillo's is famous for its hot dogs, beef sandwiches, and other fare like burgers, chicken sandwiches, ribs, and even pasta.

Like many other fast food restaurants these days, Portillo's also has a little bit of a secret menu in addition to those standard options. These additional options — so "secret" the chain announced it on its website — include two tasty choices: a triple cheeseburger and chili cheese fries. Accessing this secret menu is quite simple. All you need to do is become a member of Portillo's Perks rewards program (sign up at Portillo's website) if you aren't already. Then, it's just a matter of finding the hidden menu section on one of the order kiosks at a Portillo's location near you.

It's not a huge secret menu, but it sounds pretty delicious. The triple cheeseburger is made of three ⅓-pound char-broiled patties with cheese, mayo, lettuce, tomato, sliced red onion, pickles, and ketchup on a toasted bun. The chili cheese fries feature Portillo's crinkle-cut fries, covered with melted cheddar cheese sauce and chili with beans. If you need some incentive to join Portillo's Perks, those menu items might do the trick. 

In addition to accessing Portillo's secret menu, you can actually get a lot of other rewards through the Portillo's Perks program. For starters, your first order of $5 or more will come with a free large order of fries. You'll get free slices of dessert three times per year, as well as a free cake on your birthday.

Scan your Portillo's Perks app at the restaurant or drive-thru to also earn rewards over time and collect unique badges that Portillo's offers. Finally, being a Perks member will get you access to menu updates, event announcements, and exclusive offers. Not a bad deal at all, considering the Portillo's Perks program is free.

If Portillo's doesn't operate a location near you, the good news is that the chain is slowly expanding to other states. Outside of Illinois, Portillo's also has its most locations in Indiana, Arizona, Texas, and Florida. The chain also recently announced the opening of its first location in Georgia in 2025. Now, if you're fortunate enough to live near a Portillo's, go try one of those tasty Chicago-style hot dogs or hamburgers and take advantage of that secret menu.