Although restaurant chains are struggling, Chili's is moving up on the growth curve. How did the restaurant turn things around?
While Chili's improved its food and simplified things in the kitchen to speed up service, it took a novel approach to the inflation crippling so many restaurants. The Wall Street Journal reported:
When social-media feeds lit up with complaints about how pricey fast-food meals had become (“By the time you buy a meal for yourself and someone else, you’ve spent well over $20,” one woman said in a TikTok last year.), Kevin Hochman saw an opportunity in the outrage. The chief executive of the company that owns casual-dining chain Chili’s decided it was time to touch a third rail of restaurant marketing: He compared Chili’s to McDonalds, a surprising tactic since casual-dining chains in the past didn’t consider themselves rivals to fast food. Chili’s diners, the company pitches, get similar burgers to a Big Mac but served at a table with unlimited chips and soda for the same price as a combo meal. And if they are in the mood, a margarita for $6 too. “Twice the beef of a Big Mac,” one Chili’s ad promised last spring, playing up Chili’s own burger deal starting at $10.99—not far off the average price of a large Big Mac meal at McDonald’s. Another touted the chain’s new Big Smasher’s superiority to “just some other burger at a drive-through.”
Nothing like some good ole-fashioned Yankee ingenuity.
10 comments:
I haven’t been to Chili’s in a while but I remember about 10 years ago they had all-day 2 for 1 drinks and plenty of fried delights just perfect for getting drunk.
They must be doing something right . My high school daughter and her friends love Chili’s!
Live in Brandon, but the wife and I visit Chili's whenever er are in Madison. Chips/salsa, burger, fries and drink for $10.99 is a great deal
Food is delicious and service is always great.
A decent meal at a decent price
When my wife and I were both sick and not feeling up to cooking, we placed a simple Carry Out order for a couple of hamburgers and fries from Madison Chili’s. Despite being the simplest of orders Chili’s managed to screw it up completely. Burgers were all wrong and fries were reheated sogs. Absolutely terrible. Will never give Chili’s our money again.
The menu looks like half the food is fried. Even the air must be fried, so I get heartburn even considering this place. I hoped they would offer roasted, stuffed poblanos, since they're named Chilis.
Everyone should at every age, but as we get older we have been eating healthier. The baked chicken (rotisserie style) is very good at Golden Chick!
oh man JJ has really just become coffee conversation with boomers. KF rarely approves anything but the most bland and asinine boomer takes on any subject. I wonder what his business plan is for when all the boomers are dead?
I remember, 25 years ago, when a large group of us would head to Chili's when we got off work. We'd run up some significant tabs. Why? The chips and dip were free. Genius marketing.
@ 3:47 - Pay attention. All the boomers will never be dead. When our generation dies off, you and your lettuce-headed goober-boomers will be standing in the wings. Go ahead and practice up now...Say it..."Get the hell off my lawn!"
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