It's a place where your stomach leads the way...

"Hi, thanks for choosing Portillo's. How can I help you?"

Place your order... watch it get made and then...

"Number 23, Come see me"

Everyone has a favorite at Portillo's...

"The Italian beef, you can't go wrong with it."

Mishawaka Mayor Dave Wood likes his Italian beef with a chocolate cake shake.

"There's no turning back," he added.

The Illinois-based chain dates back to the '60s, when founder Dick Portillo opened the first hotdog stand in Villa Park. The year 1983 brought the first drive-thru to Downers Grove, Illinois... and now Mishawaka gets its own.

"This is not just your ordinary restaurant. This will bring people to our region practically more than any other restaurant around. And for that, we couldn't be more excited," Wood said.

"It's just such a fit for us," said Portillo's CEO Keith Kinsey.

"I love restaurants because of what it does for people to grow. There is no other dynamic, as far as I'm concerned that lets a person go... from a prep person to a person that's running a company," he added.

More than 170 people now have jobs at this location. Nearly 60 percent are full-time.

"We employ anywhere from 30 to 45 on a single shift, so there's a lot of moving parts," Erik East, General Manager of Portillo's Mishawaka, said.

And in true Portillo's fashion, each space is unique to its location.

Once inside -- you'll find some local signage, Notre Dame memorabilia, and an original 1932 Studebaker.