Reilly Connect Produces Documentary to Help Chicagoans Celebrate Portillo’s 50th Anniversary

Reilly Connect had the honor of producing a documentary for iconic eatery, Portillo’s, to celebrate their 50th year in business. Entitled, “Portillos: 50 Years in the Making,” the 22-minute film tells the inspirational American Dream story of Chicago native, Dick Portillo, the founder and sole owner of the Portillo’s Restaurant Group.  A true “rags to riches” documentary, Reilly Connect showcased key chapters in Portillo’s immense success through stories told by Dick Portillo and his wife Sharon, Portillo’s employees, and Portillo’s cult-like customers.  The journey begins in Portillo’s first location, known as the “Dog House”, which Dick bought with a $1,100 investment that he and his wife were saving to buy their first home. Today, Portillo’s Restaurant Group includes five restaurant concepts with 50 locations and employs 4,000 people.  The documentary aired on December 6, 2013 on NBC Chicago. Reilly Connect extended the opportunity for viewership to customers and fans outside the NBC audience through YouTube and social media.

“We were so honored to put Reilly Connect’s creative team to the challenge of producing a documentary that showcases Dick Portillo’s legacy in a way that he deserved,” said Susan Reilly, president, Reilly Connect, who served as the documentary’s Executive Producer.  “Let’s just say we were not short of amazing stories from Dick, his family, friends, employees and Portillo’s faithful customers about their amazing journey over the last 50 years. This documentary demonstrates the breadth of our video capabilities and our skill at storytelling.  We had a great story to tell and Reilly Connect Video Production team demonstrated their talent by doing the Portillo’s story justice in a short format.”