Hot Dog News

Denton is next to get its own location of Chicago hot dog chain Portillo's

Portillo's hot dogs.

Portillo's

Chicago hot dogs are coming to Denton: Portillo’s, the fast-casual restaurant concept known for Chicago street food, is opening a location at Rayzor Ranch Town Center, at the corner of I-35 and University Drive.

According to a release, the location will open "by the end of the year."

It'll be the third Portillo's in the Dallas-Fort Worth market, following locations in The Colony and Allen, which just opened in early September.

The Denton location will feature a Southwest garage themed design in a 7,700 square-foot space, with seating for more than 170 inside plus 50 more seats on a seasonal outdoor patio. The location will also feature the must-have double drive-thru lanes to accommodate the many patrons getting hot dogs to go.

These have all become standard features in every DFW location so far.

“We’ve loved the amazing reception from fans across the Dallas-Fort Worth area,” says Portillo’s CEO Michael Osanloo. “Growing the DFW market is a clear priority for Portillo’s. We’ve opened successfully in The Colony and Allen, and will be in Arlington and Fort Worth by the end of the year. We can’t wait for Denton to be our fifth in the market, so we can bring our unrivaled street food to new and longtime fans across the region.”

They're known for their Chicago-style hot dogs, Italian beef sandwiches, burgers, and Chocolate Cake.

Portillo's opened their first DFW location at the Grandscape development in The Colony in January 2023. Allen opened on September 7.

Founder Dick Portillo opened the first Portillo’s hot dog stand in Illinois in 1963. There are now more than 75 locations across 10 states.

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Fried Chicken News

Ambitious fried chicken restaurant from Denver lands in McKinney

Birdcall

Fried chicken from Birdcall.

A fast-casual chicken restaurant chain is flying into town: Birdcall, a Denver-based chain that specializes in fried chicken sandwiches and salads, will open in McKinney at 4702 W. University Dr., in a new center west of US-75.

According to a release, the restaurant will celebrate its grand opening on Monday, February 17.

Birdcall's main item is fried chicken sandwiches in nine varieties such as:

Southern with pimento cheese and southern coleslaw
Rancher with bacon onion jam, white cheddar, and Bird-B-Q Sauce
The Nashville hot deluxe with bacon, pepper-jack, tomato, lettuce, and herb mayo

They also do sliders, tenders, nuggets, and salads plus nine sides including fries, tater tots, loaded tots, and coleslaw. In addition, there's a vegan alternative using Meati, a faux chicken made from mushrooms.

Birdcall was created in 2016 by Peter Newlin and Jean-Philippe Failyau, two industry veterans who previously founded Denver-based concepts such as Park Burger and Homegrown Tap & Dough. With Birdcall, their goal was to not only offer a "better" chicken sandwich, but also improve the way fast-food restaurants operate.

There are now 12 locations in Colorado, Arizona, and Texas, with one other location in Richardson which opened in February 2024. (There were previously locations in Carrollton and Frisco, but both are now closed and no longer listed on their website.)

The McKinney restaurant will feature outdoor patio seating, a drive-thru, free arcade games, a bar, and self-serve ordering kiosks. Adding a creative and local touch to the vibrant atmosphere, the restaurant will also display murals by Dallas-based muralist Mari Pohlman.

The new location is part of the company’s goal to open 8-10 locations in the area, but leases have not been signed. All they need are leases and franchisees willing to open locations. Baby steps.

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