Portillo's Donation Request: Fundraiser Nights vs. Gift Card Donations (2026 Guide)

Portillo's supports nonprofits in two ways: a fundraiser night at your local restaurant, where your organization receives 20% of the proceeds, and donations of gift cards and food for raffles, silent auctions and events, requested through the Portillo's for Good donation form. Since late 2025, Portillo's has been answering many gift card requests by offering a fundraiser night instead. About 55% of Portillo's donation requests tracked on TheShareWay have succeeded, but only about 23% in the last 12 months, and no approvals have been logged yet for requests sent since August 2026. If your event can work around a restaurant night, that is now the more reliable ask. Either way, you can track your request on Portillo's TheShareWay page.

What are your odds?

Figures as of October 2026, from applications tracked on TheShareWay.

Portillo's used to approve most gift card requests. That changed around the end of 2025. Most nonprofits that recorded a reason for a Portillo's decline since November 2025 say Portillo's offered a fundraiser night instead, and the decline emails they pasted into TheShareWay say Portillo's is "focusing on our fundraiser nights at our restaurant currently." The good news is that the answer comes fast: across 909 donation requests tracked on TheShareWay, Portillo's responds in a median of 6 days.

Route 1: Host a Portillo's fundraiser night

This is the route Portillo's is actively promoting.

• What you get: 20% of the proceeds from your fundraiser's sales at the restaurant.
• When: Portillo's lets you pick a date Monday through Thursday at your local restaurant.
• What you do: Promote it. Portillo's provides flyers, and you share them with your supporters and online. In its own words, "all you would have to do is promote it!"
• How to book: Go to Portillo's community page, check available dates at your nearest restaurant and complete the fundraiser night request form. Find your restaurant on the Portillo's locations page.

Before you print anything, read the Fundraiser FAQ Portillo's sends. It sets the details that vary, such as any minimum in sales and which orders count toward your 20%.

A fundraiser night works best when you can fill the restaurant: school families, a sports team, a congregation, a club. If your supporters are spread out or your event is a one-night gala, a night at Portillo's may raise less than the effort it takes.

Route 2: Request a gift card or food donation

Portillo's still describes event donations, such as food and gift cards for silent auctions, raffles and fundraisers, on its community page, and requests go through the Portillo's for Good form.

What nonprofits receive. Portillo's donations tracked on TheShareWay are typically worth $25–$50, with a median of $30, and most often arrive as a gift card in a Portillo's gift bag. A typical package is a $25 gift card with a Portillo's cup and stickers; a few nonprofits received food for their event instead.

How to apply:

1. Apply early. Approved Portillo's requests on TheShareWay were sent a median of about ten weeks before the event.
2. Write a short request. Say what your organization does, what the event is, how many people will attend and how you'll thank Portillo's. TheShareWay's donation request letter template covers the same ground.
3. Submit the form at portillos.com/good/apply.
4. Log the request on Portillo's TheShareWay page so you have the date you applied and a reminder to follow up.

Go in with a backup plan. If Portillo's declines, the email will usually offer a fundraiser night, so it helps to know in advance whether you'd take one.

Which route fits your event?

• You need a prize for a raffle, auction or basket: request a donation, apply early and line up a second restaurant donor in case the answer is a fundraiser night.
• You need cash and have a crowd: book a fundraiser night. It's the route Portillo's is saying yes to.
• You want both: you can request the donation first. Even a decline usually comes with an invitation to book a night.

After you apply

Expect an answer within about a week. If you're approved, confirm when and where to collect the donation. Once the prize is in hand, a silent auction bid sheet helps you display it, and a thank-you letter keeps the door open for next year. If you're declined, decide quickly whether to book the fundraiser night Portillo's offers, since popular dates fill up.

If Portillo's isn't an option

Portillo's doesn't run a grant program for outside nonprofits that TheShareWay tracks, so the two routes above are the whole program. If you need a guaranteed prize, these restaurant donors cover similar items or the same region, and are still approving requests:

• Lou Malnati's Pizzeria, in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Arizona, donates gift cards and gift baskets, and about 53% of requests succeed.
• Raising Cane's donates merchandise, food and gift cards in 29 states, and about 56% of requests succeed.
• Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurants donates a Lux Tasting for Four or a larger Magnum package for auctions, and about 48% of requests succeed. Our Cooper's Hawk donation request guide walks through its form.

For more local donors, browse popular in-kind donors in Chicago and Illinois, or read our guides to Chicago donation requests, 20+ restaurant donation request links and restaurants that donate gift cards for fundraisers. Building a basket? Our raffle basket ideas with 87 donation request links has more options.

How TheShareWay helps with your Portillo's request

Portillo's page on TheShareWay keeps the request link and outcome data in one place, and lets you track this ask next to every other request for your event. To fill out the rest of your prize list, browse popular in-kind donors by state or city.