The Last Word: CNN on Why Chili’s Has Become So Hot, It’s ‘On Fire’

Chili’s is America’s hottest restaurant.

.…headline from a CNN report on Dallas-based Chili’s restaurants posting a 31% sales jump last quarter.

Dallas-based Brinker International saw its stock (NYSE: EAT) jump 16% last Wednesday. One big reason: Its Chili’s Grill & Bar casual dining chain posted a Q4 sales jump of 31% for restaurants open at least a year. That marked the brand’s third straight quarter of double-digit sales growth—with a 20% boost in foot traffic, not higher prices, contributing to the Q4 leap.

According to CNN, one analyst on last week’s earnings call described Chili’s restaurant sales turnaround as “the best one of all time” in the industry. A second analyst predicted Brinker President and CEO Kevin Brochman was “going to write a great book on this some day.”

At a time when national restaurant brands like TGI Friday’s have struggled with declining sales to the point of bankruptcy, Chili’s recent success stands out even more. 

CNN attributes Chili’s turnaround to “upgraded French fry and chicken tender recipes, fast food-like deals, and viral TikTok videos of customers pulling apart its gooey mozzarella sticks.” A leading TikTok star: Chili’s under-$20 “Triple Dipper Platter.”

Read more about Chili’s success in the CNN story.

 

For more of who said what about all things North Texas, check out Every Last Word.


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