The United Purchasing Company (UPC) is an organization of independent, family-style restaurants that have banded together to gain the advantage of collective buying to achieve better pricing in products and services in this very competitive market. Starting with five member restaurants in 1988, the membership has grown to over 450, covering Northwest Indiana, Southeast Wisconsin, and Northern Illinois. UPC's management strongly believes in the quality of the membership rather than rapid growth, and for that reason has not continually solicited new members. Instead it has grown through referrals and requests.