Why Americans Are Going Back to Chili's

Chili’s Grill and Bar is a casual dining chain that took America by storm in the early 2000s. From 2000-2008, its U.S. store count nearly doubled. But in the decade following the Great Recession, the nostalgic brand fell out of favor as sales grew stagnant and its store count declined. With the help of recent CEO, Kevin Hochman, parent company, Brinker International, has generated a record high $4.4 billion in revenue in fiscal year 2024. Watch the video to find out how the company has staged a comeback.

Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
1:23 Chapter 1. Losing its way
3:45 Chapter 2. Making a comeback
7:05 Chapter 3. Focusing on value

Produced, Edited and Shot by: Ryan Baker
Additional Camera by: Mickey Todiwala, Natalie Rice, Eric Clark
Animation by: Jason Reginato
Senior Managing Producer: Tala Hadavi
Editorial Support: Amelia Lucas, Jeniece Pettitt
Additional Footage: Brinker International, Getty Images

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Why Americans Are Going Back to Chili's

[D.U.O]

It's because you can eat a meal and tip and still be cheaper than fast food

[WT]

Fast food lost it's mind when they started thinking that it being fast was some premium feature they could upcharge for. The idea that any meal at McDonalds or Burger King is as expensive as any meal at Chilli's just shows how insane it got.

[c.russell]

Easy answer. Fast food prices are starting to reach dine-in prices. Personally speaking, I might as well get some good food if I’m paying that much.

[Omrokone]

Haven’t been to chilis in 5yrs, I went there this past week and was completely blown away at the quality of food I was served. Definitely looking forward to going back

[Jen-joqu]

Happy to hear Chili's narrowed down the menu. That way the cooking staff can be less stressed and can focus on quality.

[shampwho]

I have legitimately never spent more than 40 bucks at Chili's. Every time I go there my service is amazing. The food is always incredible. They absolutely deserve the success right now.

[forgettablelisa]

The fact they were watching and listening to customer feedback and actually responded sensibly to it is why people are going back. Instead of trying to reinvent something they just listened and realized low prices for reasonable food was a wide open market today

[nan]

ive worked at chilis as a server for 2 yrs, bartender for 1. the change in business over this past year has been insane - we’ve always been a busy restaurant for our area but now we’ll have lines/waits every day of the week. when i first started bar i could take my bar top and a 6 table section easy because restaurant drinks were so slow, now every night of the weeks feels like a friday night in terms of business and how busy i am at the drink well. my store saw an insane boom in business end of may/early june and its just been growing ever since, to the point that we’re about to add another manager and are working on adding more staff just to keep things going well. i feel really lucky that i got in to working at chilis when i did, its been really awesome to watch the numbers grow throughout the two years and im excited for the future!

[jackzoom]

Brands when they find out making food affordable and good to eat will bring success to your business 😱😱😱😱

[reldrago]

Going to Chilis with 5 siblings/cousins and just chilling for the afternoon without spending over 100 while getting really good food/service is why. They absolutely deserve the success, heck, I think it's time to go back this weekend

[themrqwertymarkOriginal]

The 3 for me for $10.99 truly is one of the best deals in the restaurant industry at the moment, and it makes sense that this is carrying their profitability right now. My wife and I went from never eating chilis to going 2-3 times a month because when we want a good quality hamburger meal for value, fast food just can't compete.

[DLXRY]

Chilis has always been hated on for no reason. Their food is really underrated, especially that finale lava cake.

[gunnarschaadt]

Focused on making the food and dining experience better, and people are eating there more. Finally, a CEO that’s sane

[cogspace]

I had no idea Chili’s was having this big upswing, but it completely makes sense. My wife and I have been going there way more than we used to lately. The value is kind of unbeatable.

[nicolechandler]

I love the $10.99 special. Once my mom told me, I drastically stopped visiting fast food. Going to Chili's was a common thing for my family in the 90s. The food is consistently good and staff is nice.

[seanpalmer]

Chili's has never lost my business. Ever since I had those honey chipotle crispers in middle school its been part of my rotation.

[benj]

Chili's - $10.99 for an Appetizer, Entree, and Beverage.
McDonald - $18 for a Big Mac Meal.
🤔

[UnlimitedEmeralds]

It’s cheaper for me to walk into any taqueria and order an entire meal than it is to order a single burrito at Chipotle. These mega corporations have lost their damn minds. Kudos to Chiles for doing the right thing!

[aineshbalaga]

I saved them, the credit goes to me. No questions asked. I’ve been frequenting their establishment for years now, especially right after the pandemic. I may have gained some weight, but I’ve done my duty as an American citizen, it was already hard enough losing sweet tomatoes.

[clintonrayshawn]

I worked for Toni Brinker for years. She was the wife of the late Norman Brinker. She passed away last year, but she was one of the most humble, generous people I have ever met. At the end of every job, she would give all the guys white chilis gift cards as a tip. In 2018 She invited our entire company to a five course meal at Maggiano’s in Dallas as a thank you for all the work we had done for her. It is very comforting to hear that the brand she and her husband built is making a comeback!🙏🏾