
Photo: J. Michael Jones/iStock
.…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.
Don’t miss what’s next. Subscribe to Dallas Innovates.
Track Dallas-Fort Worth’s business and innovation landscape with our curated news in your inbox Tuesday-Thursday.
R E A D N E X T
-
Brinker said that Jeremy Linker's promotion is a reflection of his strong financial and operational contributions to the company's progress. He'll be focused on the company's restaurant brands Chili's Grill & Bar and Maggiano's Little Italy
-
Frank Liberio most recently served as EVP and global chief information officer for Restaurant Brands International.
-
Founded in 2023, Frisco-based Startup Runway is an accelerator with a mission of promoting the growth of India-based companies and other international businesses it represents. Now ensconced at Richardson's IQ HQ, it aims to help the city boost its designation as the "International Business Capital of North Texas."
-
Dallas-based Chili's says its Triple Dipper—a plate loaded with cheese pulls, burger bites, and sauced Chicken Crispers—went viral on TikTok this year, snagging "over 200 million views." Now the company's following that up with an eye-opening (uh, make that closing) marketing stunt.
-
Brinker International Inc., a Dallas-based restaurant company, has announced changes to its executive leadership team. The updates include the retirement of Joe Taylor as EVP and chief financial officer, the appointment of Mika Ware as SVP and chief financial officer, effective June 27, and the appointment of Chris Caldwell as SVP and chief information officer. CFO transition According to Brinker, Taylor has informed the company that he intends to retire at the end of the company's fiscal year in June after nearly 25 years at the company. He will continue to serve the company in a senior advisory role through…