Chili's

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Nutrition Info

https://brinker-chilis.cdn.prismic.io/brinker-chilis/baa47b3c-701a-4074-a2f4-79040de8682d_chilis-nutrition-menu-generic.pdf

Chili's Grill & Bar

Chili'sOur Cultural Beliefs
We're in the business of making everyone feel special. In everything we do, we have to ask ourselves if we're putting the Guest first and making sure they'll come back for more. Our Cultural Beliefs bring that passion to life and shape who we are as a company and as the people who live and breathe inside of it. We're more than mere transactions – we're people connecting with people! If our beliefs are strong, our actions will match. And that's how we create memorable experiences and real results.

Who Says History is Boring? Ours isn't!

• 1975 Great Burgers in an awesome unpretentious space
  "Let's Play Restaurant" become our service mantra. Guests lined up around the block
• 1983 An Offer We Coudn't Refuse Norman Brinker purchases Chili's
• 1984 Added Fajitas to Our Menu taught America how to pronounce it
• 1986 Introduced Our Legendary Ribs and the jingle to end all jingles
• 1994 We're #1 in margarita sales in the U.S.
• 1997 Brinker Family Fund Founded to support fellow Team Members during difficult times
• 1999 Mike Myers Sang Our Jingle in an Austin Powers movie
• 2002 Chili's Raises $14,000 for St.Jude in its first year with the Create-A-Pepper campaign
• 2005 Fans of NBC's The Office learned what it means to “feel God in this Chili's”
• 2013 Raising the Roof in Fundraising Create-A-Pepper Campaign raises $50,000 for St. Jude
• 2015 Hi, Welcome to Chili's went viral on Vine and YouTube
• 2018 Brinker begins the Women Taking the Lead initiative inviting men and women to have an ongoing dialogue on the Impact of Female Leadership within the company

https://chilis.com/

Chili's Grill & Bar

Chili's Grill & Bar first opened its doors on the corner of Greenville Avenue and Meadow Road in Dallas back in 1975. It was a one-of-a-kind place that pioneered our unique and fun restaurant experience. Guests were sold on the bold flavors, quality ingredients and Texas-sized portions. But, what really stuck out most was the "come as you are" atmosphere and energetic Team Members, making Guests feel right at home. You'll still find that relaxed and welcoming spirit in our restaurants today.

https://www.brinker.com/

Chili's

WIKIPEDIAChili's Grill & Bar
American casual dining restaurant chain. The company was founded by Larry Lavine in Texas in 1975 and is currently owned and operated by Brinker International.

Chili's first location, a converted postal station on Greenville Avenue in the Vickery Meadows area of Dallas, Texas, opened in 1975. The original Chili's on Greenville Avenue moved to a new building on the same site in 1981; it relocated again in 2007.

Lavine's concept was to create an informal, full-service dining restaurant with a menu featuring different types of hamburgers offered at an affordable price. The brand grew larger, and by the early 1980s, there were 28 Chili's locations in the region, all featuring similar Southwest decor.

In 1983, Lavine sold the company to restaurant executive Norman E. Brinker, formerly of the Pillsbury restaurant group that owned Bennigan's.

• As of 2015, they have 1,580 locations worldwide, including 839 that are company-owned and 741 that are franchised.

CHILI'SChili's serves American food, Tex-Mex cuisine and dishes influenced by Mexican cuisine, such as shrimp tacos, quesadillas, and fajitas.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chili%27s

Popular Chili's Menu Items, Ranked

MashedYou may be asking yourself what makes the most sense to order?
There are so many choices, after all, and you want to pick what's going to taste the best. Because here's the truth: While Chili's has some amazing menu items to choose from, a lot of them aren't nearly as good. In fact, we'd venture to say that some of them are downright bad. Clearly, you'll want to avoid those orders if you can. So, before the next time you head to Chili's, take a look at our ranking of some of the most popular items on the menu. This ranking doesn't include everything you'll find at Chili's, but it covers a lot of what you might consider ordering. That way, you can order the best meal possible. Let's take a look.

1. Mango-Chile Chicken
   While the mango-chile chicken may be slightly heavier than the Caribbean salad with seared shrimp, it's still one of the lighter options on the menu, and that's just how we like it. This chicken is seasoned with a blend of chile and mango glaze. It has a salty-sweet-spicy thing going on that we can't get enough of. We also love how fresh it is. On top of the chicken, you'll find avocado, mango, pico de gallo, and cilantro. It gives the chicken a lovely summery taste to it.

   This dish also comes with a side of broccoli and rice to round out your meal. At just 510 calories, it's one of the most reasonable items on the menu, but it's still surprisingly filling. It's a nice change of pace from the other dishes that Chili's offers, so it's worth giving it a try at least once. And when you choose this entree, you'll have even more room to try out those appetizers and desserts - and that's half the fun anyway!

2. Caribbean Salad with Seared Shrimp
3. Fried Pickles
4. Honey Chipotle Ribs
5. Quesadilla Explosion Salad
6. Molten Chocolate Cake
7. Big Mouth Bites
8. Loaded Boneless Wings
9. Bacon Avocado Grilled Chicken Sandwich
10. Chicken Fajitas
11. The Boss Burger
12. Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie
13. Mushroom Swiss burger
14. Carnitas fajitas
15. Texas Dry Rub Ribs
16. Original Chicken Crispers
17. California Rurkey Club
18. Cajun Shrimp Pasta
19. Ancho salmon
20. Classic Ribeye
21. Southwest Egg Rolls

https://www.mashed.com/428726/popular-chilis-menu-items-ranked-worst-to-best/

The best things to eat at Chili's

RankerAugust 2024
If you're a fan of Tex-Mex and American comfort food, then you know Chili's delivers on flavor and variety. The best Chili's menu items offer a delicious mix of flavors that keep people coming back for more, whether you're dining in or grabbing takeout. From cheesy appetizers to hearty mains, there's something on the Chili's menu to satisfy every craving.

Some standout dishes include the Bacon Ranch Chicken Quesadillas, Big Mouth Bites, and Chicken Fajitas. The Bacon Ranch Chicken Quesadillas come loaded with juicy chicken, crispy bacon, and melty cheese, all tied together with ranch dressing, making them a fan-favorite starter or meal. Big Mouth Bites, on the other hand, are perfect if you're in the mood for sliders, featuring small but flavor-packed burgers that are perfect for sharing. And let's not forget the classic Chicken Fajitas, sizzling hot and customizable with a variety of toppings, these are a must-try for any Chili's visit.

1. Bacon Ranch Chicken Quesadillas
2. Crispy Honey-Chipotle Chicken Crispers
3. Chips & Salsa
4. Big Mouth Bites
5. Southwestern Eggrolls
6. Chicken Fajitas
7. Skillet Queso
8. Crispy Chicken Crispers
9. Buffalo Chicken Ranch Sandwich
10. Boneless Wings (Buffalo, Honey Chipotle, House BBQ)
11. Cajun Chicken Pasta
12. Original Ribs
13. Fresh Guacamole
14. Oldtimer W/Cheese Burger
15. Texas Cheese Fries
16. Steak Fajitas
17. Classic Nachos (Chicken)
18. Original Chicken Crispers
19. Southern Smokehouse Burger
20. Classic Sirloin

https://www.ranker.com/list/best-chilis-menu-dishes/ranker-food

We Went to Chili's and Drank Every Margarita on the Menu

Vine PairApril 2017
Margaritas are the ever-present companion of the cocktail world. They're on the menu of every chain restaurant, every dive bar, and every off-color, Mexican-themed restaurant. There's no guarantee the Margarita at these joints will be good, but it'll be there. Enter Chili's Grill and Bar, where saying the chain has a Marg on the menu is like saying New York City has a couple of tall buildings. "No one knows Margaritas like we do," the chain self-professes at the beginning of every menu.

It was a claim big enough to catch VinePair's attention, so I put it to the test. I traveled from Manhattan to New Jersey (there are surprisingly zero Chili's in New York City) to drink every Margarita on the Chili's menu.

1. Spicy Sauza Jalapeno Margarita
   This is the best Chili's Margarita. When I took my first sip, I struggled with whether to put this one above the Fresca. James and Mike wouldn't touch it. Kari said people generally stay away from it. But I was sure of my choice putting it at the top of this list by my second sip. It's balanced between sweet, salty, spicy, and boozy. I took a bite of one of the four jalapeno slices (seeds and all), and it is indeed fresh jalapeno. Every time the spice takes your taste buds out of orbit, the sweetness draws them back in. It's not overwhelming, but it's there. It's definitely there.

   This drink made the initial 35-minute journey from Manhattan to New Jersey worth the trip. It was good enough to make me forget the calorie content listed next to each drink. It was good enough to keep me content on the ride back to Manhattan after spending the entirety of my Tuesday night at a New Jersey Chili's. This is the best Margarita at Chili's, the chain restaurant that defines itself by its Margaritas. It's more than that. It's a solid Marg in general.

2. Jimador Fresca Margarita
3. El Nino Margarita
4. Patron Margarita
5. Blueberry & Pineapple Margarita
6. Coronita Margarita
7. Platinum Presidente Margarita
8. Presidente Margarita
9. Tropical Sunrise Margarita
10. Triple Berry Margarita
11. Sauza Watermelon Margarita
12. Tito's Vodkarita

https://vinepair.com/articles/chilis-margarita-ranking/

Made in Texas:
How Chili's Grill & Bar, known for one of the catchiest jingles in history, was developed right here in Texas

Click2houstonThe founder of Chili's Grill & Bar was a man named Larry Lavine.
In 1967, Lavine attended the inaugural Terlingua Chili Cook-off, hosted by the famous race car driver, automotive designer and his father-in-law Carrol Shelby, according to the restaurant's website. Lavine fell in love with the event and wanted to create a place you'd want to go and hang out with good friends over a burger and a beer, according to the restaurant's website.

• In 1975, Lavine opened the first Chili's restaurant in Dallas. Its food menu only offered a few items including homemade chili, burgers, fries, tacos and margaritas.
• A year later, he opened up the second Chili's location in Houston.
• In 1984, the company hit the TV airwaves to introduce its newest menu item, fajitas. Salads, chicken sandwiches and buffalo wings were also added to the menu.
• Two years later, the popular baby back ribs were introduced along with the catchy jingle.
• In 1991, the restaurant opened its first international location in Canada.
• Today, the restaurant can be found in 32 different countries across the world.

https://www.click2houston.com/features/2020/04/20/made-in-texas-how-chilis-grill-bar

I Tried Every Burger at Chili's & There Was One Clear Winner
The popular chain offers nine different burger varieties. Many come loaded with toppings-but one tops them all!

Eat This, Not That!August 2023
Chili's is perhaps most famous for its baby-back ribs, thanks to the restaurant chain's infectious jingle. But, it's really just a burger joint at heart. Scan the menu and you will see-there are a lot of them!

Of all the burgers I tried from popular dine-in restaurants recently, the classic original burger at Chili's was my absolute favorite. But that single cheese-smothered patty alone barely scratches the greasy surface of all the many burger varieties available right now from the Dallas-based casual restaurant chain. Many of these come fully loaded with toppings-you don't call them "Big Mouth Burgers" for nothing! Oh, and so many calories, too. (Frankly, just seeing the numbers made me wary of ordering any of them!)

So, I enlisted my son and his friend to help me try every burger on the menu. You read that right: this writer and two hungry 11-year-old boys ordered all nine burgers at Chili's-shocking the waitstaff and stretching our stomachs to their limits. Our goal was to see which burger came out on top and which ones you should skip next time you visit the restaurant.

1. Oldtimer with Cheese
   Topped with cheddar, pickles, lettuce, tomato, red onion, and mustard, the Oldtimer is Chili's most classic burger offering, and we all thought it was a solid burger. The burgers in general here have a grilled or charred taste, and my son's friend thought this burger tasted a bit too "burnt." Still, you just can't go wrong with a classic burger like this-one without too many over-the-top fixings on it. Rating: 10/10
2. Big Mouth Bites
   Four mini burgers topped with bacon, American cheese, sauteed onions.
3. Double Oldtimer with Cheese
   Stacked with two patties, cheddar, pickles, lettuce, tomato, red onion, and mustard.
4. Bacon Rancher
   Packed with two juicy beef patties, six slices of crispy bacon, house-made ranch, American cheese, sauteed onions, pickles. This is the best burger ever, it tastes so good, my son said.
5. Secret Sauce Burger
   Shredded lettuce, American cheese and sauteed onions, this was my son's friend's top pick of all the burgers.
6. BBQ Brisket Burger
   Brisket-topped burger, also pickles, coleslaw, cheddar, and the house barbecue sauce.
7. Just Bacon Burger
   Dressed with crispy bacon, cheddar, pickles, lettuce, red onion, tomato, and mayo.
8. Alex's Santa Fe
   Piled with avocado slices, pepper jack, red onion, jalapenos, tomato, pickles, cilantro, and drizzled with spicy Santa Fe sauce.
9. Mushroom Swiss Burger
   Topped with sauteed onions, mushrooms, Swiss, lettuce, tomato, and mayo.

https://www.eatthis.com/chilis-burgers-taste-test/

15 Things You Didn't Know About Chili's Slideshow

The Daily MealJuly 2017
You might not realize it, but when Chili's first opened for business, it was considered revolutionary. Today it's one of America's most popular casual dining chains, but we bet there's a lot you didn't realize about the restaurant that gave us one of the catchiest jingles in history.

1. The First Location Is Now a 7-Eleven
2. The Original Menu Was Tiny
   The first menu, which was offered between 1975 and 1978, only offered a couple types of chili, six burger varieties, fries, chili tacos, and three drinks.
3. Early Employees Were Dubbed "Hamburger Hippies"
4. Norman Brinker Turned It Into the Restaurant it Is Today
   23 locations in six states had opened by 1983, when an executive at the Pillsbury Corporation who'd previously been tasked with turning around Burger King decided to strike out on his own and purchased the Chili's chain from founder Larry Lavine. He added new menu items, updated and streamlined the design, and took the company into the '80s. Today he's hailed as the "Father of Casual Dining."
5. The Introduction of Fajitas Caused Kitchen Workers a Lot of Grief
   Prior to the introduction of fajitas in 1984, all menu items (except for the chili) were served in baskets. Specialized equipment (like skillets and tortilla warmers) were introduced to the kitchen to prepare fajitas, which "caused an uproar," according to the company.
6. The Original “Baby Back Ribs” Jingle Was Introduced in 1986
   Quite possibly the most legendary casual dining chain jingle of all time, "Chili's (Welcome to Chili's!)" (yes, that's the actual name of the song) was written by Guy Bommarito for an Austin ad agency called GSD&M. Producer Tom Faulkner sang the melodic theme ("I want my baby back, baby back..."), a New York singer named Willie McCoy was brought in to hit the low note ("Barbecue sauce"), and they were backed up by an a cappella doo-wop quartet. A new version debuted in 1996 on the teen-friendly WB (now the CW Network), introducing it to a new audience. Ironically, Bommarito has never eaten Chili's ribs.
7. The Jingle Singer's Funeral Was Barbecue-Themed
   When McCoy passed away in 2013, his legacy preceded him. His pallbearers were dressed as chefs and sang the jingle as they carried the casket, the casket itself was designed to look like a smoker, fake baby back ribs were carried in by dancers, a barbecue sauce fountain was installed, and live pigs were even present. The funeral was televised on a short-lived TLC reality show called Best Funeral Ever.
8. It Got a Major Boost From Austin Powers
9. 'N Sync Appeared in a 2002 Commercial
10. It Was the First Sit-Down Chain to Open on an Air Force Base
11. Its First European Location Was in Germany's Ramstein Air Force Base
12. It Donated $58 Million to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital
    In 2006, Chili's made a 10-year, $50 million commitment to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. It wrapped up last year with more than $58 million raised, the largest corporate donation to the hospital in history. Soon after, Chili's launched its next fundraising initiative, a six-year, $30 million commitment to enhance the work of the St. Jude School Program for patients.
13. The Brand's First Female President Was Brought on Board Last Year
    Kelli Valade has been the president of Chili's for the past year; she's been with the company for 29 years and was most recently the company's executive vice president and chief operating officer.
14. They Provide $1 Million Every Year to Support Employees Dealing With Tragedy
    The Brinker Family Fund was created to help employees dealing with serious illness, death, and natural disasters. It's primarily funded by other employees taking voluntary paycheck deductions, and about $1 million is distributed annually to employees who need it most.
15. The Original Chili Recipe Hasn't Changed
    If you order a bowl or cup of Terlingua Chili, made with beef, poblanos, jalapenos, and onions, you'll receive the original-recipe chili created by Larry Lavine back in the early 1970s; the recipe has only received minor tweaks since then.

https://www.thedailymeal.com/eat/15-things-you-didn-t-know-about-chili-s-slideshow/

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15 Best Foods to Order off Chili's Menu

Far & WideJune 2024
Food chains often get a bad rap, but, sometimes, we just can't resist going after the tried and true, especially somewhere like Chili's, where the food is actually really delicious. The Tex-Mex chain never falters in its sizzling fajitas, finger-licking buffalo ribs and mouth-watering desserts. Plus, its two-for-one beer, wine and margaritas simply can't be beat. Take it from a former waitress and a current loyal customer, these are the best menu items to get at Chili's.

1. Molten Chocolate Cake
   Sorry, real food items. You simply can't compete with the addictive sugar rush of Chili's best menu item: the one and only molten chocolate cake.

   The cake is hollow in the center to allow for a hot chocolate sauce. Then, it's topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream with a hard chocolate shell. A drizzle of caramel sauce completes the overindulgent desert.

   Over the years, Chili's has offered different versions of the cake, but the chocolate one has prevailed. This is, without a doubt, the restaurant's signature item. And it's so good that we would go to Chili's even if it were the only thing on the menu.

2. Fajitas Trio
3. Just Bacon Burger
4. Bone-In Wings
5. Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie
6. Honey-Chipotle Crispers & Waffles
7. Texas Cheese Fries
8. Spicy Shrimp Tacos
9. Sirloin with Grilled Avocado
10. House BBQ Ribs
11. Big Mouth Bites
12. Presidente Margarita
13. Santa Fe Spicy Grilled Chicken Salad
14. Ancho Salmon
15. Southwestern Eggrolls

https://www.farandwide.com/s/best-menu-items-chilis-restaurant-a937827373ad421b

10 Things You Might Not Know About Chili's Grill & Bar

Mental FlossSeptember 2016
After starting with one location in Dallas in 1975, Chili's Grill & Bar has grown to 1629 restaurants across 49 states and 32 countries, and they still serve up some of the same Tex-Mex favorites that were featured at the first location. Learn more about the casual dining favorite-and celebrate September 3rd's National Baby Back Ribs Day-with the following facts.

1. Founder Larry Lavine was inspired by a Texas chili cook-off.
2. The first Chili's was a converted postal station in Dallas.
   The menu included burgers, tacos, fries and, of course, chili. Proving it had a penchant for renovation, Chili's opened its second location in a remodeled flower shop in Houston in 1976.
3. The first Chili's locations only had one type of beer: Schlitz.
   he first Chili's locations also served margaritas and sangria, but Schlitz was the only brewery that would supply Chili's on credit while the restaurant was still growing.
4. Chili's sells 60.4 million pounds of fajita meat a year.
5. They believe strongly in the "Fajita effect."
   Cooks call it the "fajita effect": as the first order of fajitas of the night is paraded through the dining room, the combination of seeing the food, smelling the peppers, meat, and onions, and hearing the sizzle will inevitably lead to a surge in fajitas orders. The company believed so much in the fajita effect, they featured the dish (and the sizzle) in its first TV commercial.
6. Chili's sells 13 swimming pools-worth of its margaritas each year.
7. There is one photo hung upside-down in the dining room of most chili's locations.
   The tradition appears to have started with the very first Chili's, when one of the numerous photos of chili cook-offs was hung the wrong way on purpose.
8. Dessert orders spiked when chili's installed tableside tablets.
   Dehumanizing the restaurant business ended up being good business. In addition to quicker service and higher tips, Chili's saw a 20 percent spike in dessert sales when it installed 45,000 tablets across 823 locations in 2014. So, go ahead and order that Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie; the tablet isn't judging you.
9. The Baby Back Ribs jingle was 2004's number one song most likely to get stuck in your head.
10. The man who wrote the jingle has never eaten Chili's Back Back Ribs.

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/70791/10-things-you-might-not-know-about-chilis-grill-bar

Things Only Regulars Know About Chili's

MashedOctober 2022
Chili's Grill & Bar holds a special place in the hearts of many, whether for the food, drinks, or pop culture references that have spun from it. What a lot of people may not be aware of, however, is that the southwestern-style restaurant was something of a unicorn when it first opened in 1975 - there weren't a lot of casual dining restaurants on the scene at the time, and because of that, Chili's quickly grew in popularity, with the second location opening up within the year, and the growth only escalating after that.

Nation's Restaurant News reports that Chili's was within the top 20 chain restaurants in the United States in 2022, which is no surprise given the love and loyalty that the franchise inspires in the hearts of many. The restaurant has come a long way since its inception and now boasts a varied menu that offers tacos, burgers, fajitas, and those oh-so refreshing margaritas. As of 2022, there are nearly 1,600 Chili's locations worldwide that can be found in more than two dozen countries (via Brinker International). In other words, Chili's has a lot of devoted fans who just can't get enough baby back baby back baby back ribs, Tex-Mex treats, and more. Here's the inside story on the phenomenally popular chain restaurant.

Why is it called Chili's?
Chili is still on the menu at Chili's more than four decades after its founding and massive expansion from a single location in Texas, where chili is a culinary and cultural institution (via Texas Monthly). The restaurant chain was named after the treasured Texan meaty stew, albeit indirectly and with some innate marketing savvy. Co-founder Larry Lavine had worked as a band booker and ran a steakhouse with another restauranter, Malloy Buckner, and when opening a new joint in 1975, he thought about the first Terlingua Chili Cook-off, which he'd attended in 1967, according to the Lake Highlands Advocate. He liked the idea of a casual, social restaurant with an easygoing vibe and southwestern food (like chili!). And Lavine decided to name the restaurant after one of those foods, which they put right at the top on the menu. "It was something people would talk about," Levine told WFAA Dallas. "People don't talk about spaghetti and meatballs."

The first Chili's opened in Dallas, Texas
These days, there are plenty of restaurants like Chili's across the American culinary landscape categorized as casual dining establishments, where come-as-you-are customers are seated as in a formal restaurant but served large portions of informal, populist fare relatively quickly and at prices more in line with fast food and fast casual chains. However, this was a groundbreaking concept that Chili's helped pioneer when the first location opened in Dallas, Texas, in the 1970s. "We were one of the first early casual dining restaurants," Chili's co-founder Larry Lavine told WFAA Dallas.

The timing was fortuitous, because in 1971, the state of Texas had just legalized the sale of alcoholic beverages in restaurants. Chili's, pairing burgers, chili, and Tex-Mex food with beer and margaritas, benefited from that shift when it opened for business in 1975 with a single outpost on Greenville Avenue in Dallas. The building that housed the eatery was a former post office. The second Chili's, up and running in Houston in 1976, was also a conversion - that building used to hold a flower shop.

The original menu was a lot smaller
Today, the Chili's menu is as big as some of the heaping burgers and expansive platters it serves up, offering customers page after page of sandwiches, Tex-Mex favorites, ribs, fish, chicken, pizza, as well as appetizers, cocktails, desserts, salads, party-size troughs, and more. But in the beginning, the offerings at Chili's were much more humble and straightforward.

According to an original menu from the first ever Chili's, which opened in Dallas back in 1975, the choices were as casual as the vibes (via the Lake Highlands Advocate). The menu consisted of a single page, enough to list three chili options, six burgers, soft tacos, chips and salsa, and three alcoholic beverages. Chili's Own Texas Red Chili, with or without beans, and with or without corn chips, cheese, and onions, cost $1.50. The Oldtimer burger (with mustard, lettuce, tomato, onions, and pickles) also ran $1.50, with cheese or chili costing an additional 15 cents. A side of fries or an order of chips and hot sauce set customers back 50 cents, a plate of tacos stuffed with chili and cheese rang up at $1.50, and a frozen margarita went for $1.50, twice the price of a sangria or cold beer.

The original menu didn't have ribs

Chili's only served one beer for a while
As a major restaurant chain in the 2020s, Chili's serves up a wide array of alcoholic beverages across its hundreds of locations, including margaritas, mixed drinks, and a number of beers, both bottled and on draft, which varies from outlet to outlet. That's a long and fruitful evolution from when the company started out with one restaurant in 1975. According to the Lake Highlands Advocate, the first Chili's menu offered only three boozy drinks: a frozen margarita, house-made sangria, and a "Frosted Mug of Beer."

The one-page bill of fare didn't require any more space to list those beer options because Chili's served exactly one kind of beer at the beginning, according to the Dallas Morning News. That beer was Schlitz, the classic American-style light lager brewed in the U.S. since 1849. According to WorthPoint, this was because of a financially agreeable situation between the young and barely going restaurant chain and the beer-maker. Schlitz was the only beer company that would supply the bar and grill while also offering a credit line, taking a chance on a non-established and growing restaurant company.

Chili's serves up a lot of margaritas
Chili's is officially known as Chili's Bar and Grill, meaning it serves a menu of alcoholic drinks and cocktails almost as extensive as its food menu. In keeping with the Southwest-inspired theme, Chili's offers many margarita-esque frozen drinks in multiple flavors, including a rotating "Margarita of the Month." But there's no drink more signature to Chili's than its signature drink, the Presidente Margarita, a beverage the company considers so vital to its success that it trademarked the name. It's made with Luanzul tequila, Citronge orange liqueur, and E&J brandy that is hand-shaken exactly 25 times. Besides the classic lime flavor, it's also available with mango or strawberry.

The drink is also crucial to Chili's revenues because the company's thousands of outlets sell a great deal of Presidente Margaritas. Introduced in 1994, Chili's celebrated the 21st birthday of the drink customers have to be 21 to purchase by marking down the cost to just $5 and revealing in a press release that the company serves 135,000 gallons worth of the drink at its restaurants each year. That works out to about four million individual shakers full of Presidente Margaritas.

You may succumb to the fajita effect
That catchy TV commercial jingle about baby back ribs notwithstanding, Chili's signature menu item is probably its fajitas. As is the case at thousands of Tex-Mex and Mexican-inspired restaurants around North America, a Chili's server emerges from the kitchen bearing a plate of fajitas - marinated, grilled meat and spicy vegetables - that loudly and pleasantly sizzle as they find their way to the person who ordered them.

That heralding of the arrival of fajitas is a micro-marketing tactic, and one that works very well. Chili's has always delivered fajitas to diners in such a way. According to Joel Beckerman and Tyler Gray's sound-science book "The Sonic Boom," this became the instigating factor in a process known internally as "the fajita effect" (via Medium). As a server moved through the restaurant with the appetizingly sizzling fajitas, the kitchen would be instantly inundated with more fajita orders from admiring diners. According to Redditors with firsthand knowledge of Chili's operations, setting the fajita effect into motion hinges on a particular process. When the fajitas are ready to be served, they're squirted with an oil-based concoction that makes the dish boil, steam, and sizzle to appear as fresh and hot as possible.

Those tablets on Chili's tables helped grow the business
According to The Atlantic, Chili's had placed upwards of 45,000 touchscreen tablets (in cooperation with restaurant tech company Ziosk) in more than 800 locations by 2014. In addition to playing games and quickly settling up checks, the tablets also allow customers to order food at their convenience. The results of this roll out were very pleasing to Chili's brass. According to the company, dessert and appetizer sales both increased 20 percent in stores with tablets installed. Ziosk research indicated that not having to wait for an in-person server led to more impulse buys of those extra courses.

What Chili's menu item is the healthiest?
Seemingly aware and acknowledging of the many high-calorie and fat-laden items that categorize its menu, Chili's introduced a new menu section in 1993 called the Guiltless Grill (via Chief Marketer). It features a handful of healthier entrees with far less calories, fat, and saturated fat than Chili's more famous plates of burgers, ribs, and fried chicken dishes. Leaner beef cuts and naturally leaner proteins like chicken and fish define the Guiltless Grill, which also employ the use of spices and vegetables to add flavor that would ordinarily come from cheeses, oils, and thick sauces. The healthiest overall meal platter on the Chili's menu is also the healthiest option amongst the Guiltless Grill selections.

That would be the Classic Sirloin with Grilled Avocado, in the smaller, 6-ounce steak choice. The low-fat beef cut comes topped with a spicy citrus sauce, cilantro, and sliced avocado, along with a side of roasted asparagus spears. The whole thing comes in at 340 calories, 17 grams of fat, and 13 grams of carbohydrates.

And which one is the least healthy?
The Chili's menu is loaded with salty, fatty, cheese-laden comfort food, and the chain makes no promises about the healthiness of its offerings. Its products are belly-filling, celebratory, all-American pub food classics, and are probably no nutritionist's idea of wholesome or nutritionally legitimate. One of the most unhealthy individually portioned entrees in the entire Chili's lineup of huge sandwiches and platters is the Crispy Honey-Chipotle Chicken Crispers meal. A large serving size of the meal - consisting of 12 boneless chicken strips that are breaded, fried, and swimming in a sugary and spicy honey-chipotle glaze, along with a heaping helping of French fries, some buttered corn on the cob, and a side of ranch dressing for dipping - packs a massive 3,190 calories and 153 grams of fat, of which 26 grams is of the artery-clogging saturated fat variety.

That one meal well exceeds the USDA's calorie intake recommendations for an entire day for people of any age, while it's more than double the total saturated fat limit, according to the American Heart Association. Furthermore, the FDA suggests Americans limit their daily intake of sodium to 2,300 milligrams. The Crispy Honey-Chipotle Chicken Crispers meal will get a person there and then some - it contains 10,990 milligrams worth of salt.

Some Chili's locations serve breakfast

Who owns Chili's today?
In 1983, Levine sold the whole Chili's operation to Norman E. Brinker, a veteran of the food service industry...

Chili's has donated a lot of money to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital

Chili's has a very musical history

Chili's has ties to Austin Powers and The Office

They have a broken relationship with Steve Carell

The Chili's logo has changed over the years

https://www.mashed.com/263352/the-untold-truth-of-chilis/

10 Weird Facts About Chili's

redbookMarch 2023
Chili's is home of sizzling fajitas and refreshing margaritas, and you won't believe these surprising facts about this beloved restaurant.

1. It all started with a chili cook-off
   In 1967, Larry Lavine attended a chili cook-off in Terlingua, Texas, which inspired him to create his own secret recipe. In 1975, Lavine brought his recipe to the people with the original Chili's location.
2. Hamburgers were a menu mainstay from day one.
   The original Chili's menu was simple, and featured chili, six hamburger options, tacos, and only three drinks. The menu began to expand after 1978
3. Chili's grew rapidly during its first eight years.
   By 1983, there were 18 Chili's restaurants, marking wildly impressive growth in a very short amount of time.
4. Chili's was the first sit-down franchise to open on an active Air Force base.
   Kadena Air Base, located in Okinawa, Japan, is home to the first Chili's to open on an active Air Force base. The restaurant opened in 2003.
5. Chili's has donated millions to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital.
   Their $60 million donation marks the largest donation by a corporation in the hospital's history.
6. The original Chili's location is now a 7-Eleven.
   The first Chili's was first a post office before it was a restaurant. Today, the same building is now a 7-Eleven convenience store.
7. In 2004, Chili's went international.
   The first European location opened on Germany's Ramstein Air Force Base.
8. Chili's original chili recipe still exists today.
   Guests who order a bowl of chili will enjoy the same taste as those who ordered the menu staple in the 1970s, barring a few minor adjustments over the years.
9. NSYNC appeared in a Chili's commercial.
10. Austin Powers gave Chili's a shoutout.

https://www.redbookmag.com/food-recipes/entertaining/g43428215/11-weird-facts-about-chilis/

17 Secrets From Chili's Employees

So Yummy!August 2019
No matter how much you love or hate a restaurant, it's always interesting to know what's going on behind the scenes. Is food really being dropped on the floor and then served to customers anyway? Are chefs really as nasty and rude as they are often portrayed? Is the food actually fresh, like it's being advertised, or is it frozen and microwaved before it hits your plate? Are there bugs? And is the dynamic between the employees really like the movie Waiting?

Speaking of Waiting, many say the movie was loosely based on things that went on at Chili's (and Bennigans). And if you've seen that movie, you probably can't help but feel curious about whether or not Chili's is really like that. Fortunately, plenty of employees have taken to the internet to explain the secrets of what really goes on in Chili's that the customers don't get to see.

Here are a few secrets from Chili's employees you should know before you make your next reservation:

1. A lot of their food is frozen
   The chain restaurant (like most chains) uses a decent amount of frozen food that is microwaves or heated up before being served to you. Reddit user and bartender/server at Chili's, accidentchildren, said
   accidentchildrenThere isn't a lot of stuff not frozen. Our veggies stay fresh and some of the meat isn't frozen, but the obvious stuff like fries, chicken wings, and stuff are all frozen.

   Reddit user and former Chili's employee MeredithGreyMD also said

   MeredithGreyMDThe tortillas for the fajitas are all microwaved about 20 seconds to warm before serving. The molten lava cake and cookie skillet are also warmed in the microwave.
2. But some of the options are actually fresh and homemade
   Chili's actually does have some condiments that are made from scratch in the kitchen. Reddit user accidentchildren said,
   accidentchildrenWe make our salsa from scratch, ranch dressing from scratch, pico, guacamole, etc. It's pretty delicious.
   And everyone knows that fresh guacamole is the best guacamole, so that's definitely a plus.
3. They don't water down drinks
   
4. You might want to order a margarita
   Consider a margarita. One former waitress at Chili's told Cosmopolitan that these are probably the most popular drinks there, explaining,
   CosmopolitanThe Chili's I work at has a 2-for-1 deal, so you can choose from draft beer, house wine, margaritas, so I would say the 2-for-1 margaritas are high up there, especially when people come in with their friends and they can order two for the price of one between them.
5. Most of the stores are generally pretty clean
   Most of the Chili's employees online said that their stores were pretty clean, which is definitely a relief to hear. Reddit user accidentchildren said
   accidentchildrenMy store is probably the cleanest in the area, but while working in almost all six stores in this area, I've noticed none are really that bad. Do not let the movie Waiting scare you.
   Noted!
6. You probably want to stay away from the seafood
   Chili's has a pretty extensive menu, so you have to think that there's probably something that you should generally avoid. Reddit user and former Chili's cook I_Want_My_Babyback said
   I_Want_My_BabybackI do NOT recommend the seafood. You're at a chain restaurant, and one that sells themselves as a Tex-Mex grill. Are you really expecting decent seafood in this situation?! This applies to ANY restaurant... understand that every establishment has an identity... things they will focus on, and things that are there because they have to be. It's not that it's bad... it's just that it's not going to wow anyone.
7. Some of the menu items are definitely better than others
   So, what should you make it a point to order whenever you're at a Chili's? User I_Want_My_Babyback said
   I_Want_My_BabybackI always recommend to people to order something you cannot make easily at home, or get somewhere else. You can get a better burger at Five Guys IMO, don't go to Chili's for a burger. The quesadillas are great, but you can make those at home very easily. Get things like the ribs and the awesome blossom, those are very difficult to do well at home – and most restaurants do not offer these items.
8. You should also always order dessert
   Don't just go to Chili's for dinner or lunch food – treat yourself and order dessert while you're there! A former Chili's waitress told Cosmopolitan that everyone should get dessert at Chili's, saying
   CosmopolitanA lot of people don't want to order dessert after their meal, but they have really good Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookies and warm Molten Chocolate Cake. I like to tell diners that they can get dessert to go, because when they make to-go desserts, the cooks separate everything so it's super-easy to put it in the microwave and still have that warm cookie effect with ice cream on top.
9. The most popular item is a little surprising
   What do you think is the most popular menu item at Chili's? According to a former waitress, it's one of their pairings. She told Cosmopolitan
   CosmopolitanWhen I first started working there, I thought it would be the burgers, but it's actually the Southwest Pairings. A lot of people really want to try the enchiladas, tacos, and quesadillas. Quesadillas are a big thing.
   Consider ordering these next time you're there!
10. Inexpensive menu items are also a great choice
    
11. A lot of people aren't into one menu item in particular
    A former waitress told Cosmopolitan
    CosmopolitanOne of the things that very rarely gets ordered are the Chicken Crispers. There are three kinds. We have the Original Chicken Crispers, which kind of confuses people because it's in more like a sauce batter rather than a crunchy chicken tender that you'd expect. Then there's the Crispy Chicken Crisper and the Honey Chipotle Chicken Crisper. So I find that not a lot of people order the Original, especially after you explain it to them. People normally stick with the Crispy or the Honey Chipotle.
12. There's a secret to their fresh ranch...
    If you've ever had the ranch at Chili's, you've probably noticed that it tastes much better than ranch from a salad dressing bottle. That's because the ranch is house made right there in the restaurant, so it's fresh. Reddit user I_Want_My_Babyback, a former Chili's cook, said
    I_Want_My_BabybackI barely remember the recipe because salad station prep was the rookie training station. That was a long time ago. Basically we mixed up a giant bucket with mayo, powdered buttermilk, and a seasoning pack from the corporate kitchen. The trick is buttermilk – just not too much.
13. There's also a secret to their ribs
    Babyback ribs are obviously a popular menu item at Chili's, and if you've ever wondered the secret for how they taste so well, we now know it. Reddit user and former Chili's chef I_Want_My_Babyback said
    I_Want_My_BabybackGenerally speaking, I've found that with ANY meat... you need to find a cooking method that doesn't dry out the meat, but can give it a 'grill finish.' Add a good sauce / dry-rub and you're set. That is pretty universal. Chili's uses a pressure cooker to pre-cook the ribs, which helps maintain juiciness, then finished on the grill to give them that crunch on the outside. Sauce is pre-made from the distributor, it's not my favorite, but its good.
14. Yes, gross things have happened in the kitchen
    
    I_Want_My_BabybackMost repulsive thing I've seen overall though... friers needed to be drained... and they forgot to hookup the hose at the exit end into the truck that drains them. Friers drained into the gated loading / trash area. Didn't look too bad really... until the next afternoon. You have no idea what used fry oil can smell like until it hits 100 degree July mid-day pavement.
15. You don't need to know a lot to become a cook there
    
16. Menu changes happen pretty often
    
17. Those computer systems at the tables? The servers love them
    

https://soyummy.com/fast-food/secrets-chilis-employees/

20 Things You Didn't Know About Chilis

Money IncJanuary 2020
Chili's is an American fast food chain that has become one of the largest competitors in the casual dining chain niche. They're best known for their Southwestern fare and reasonable prices. Whether you're a frequent diner or you haven't yet tried their mouth watering menu items, here are 20 things that you probably didn't know about Chili's.

1. The restaurant was started over a chili cook-off
   A chili cook-off was held in 1967 in Terlingua, Texas. There was a young entrepreneur who attended the event. His name was Larry Lavine. He was so impressed with all of the unique and interesting types of chili that it gave him an idea. He gained the inspiration from the cook-off to create his own chili recipe. It took him a few years, but by 1975, he had perfected his recipe and he opened his very first Chili's restaurant in Dallas, Texas.
2. The new Chile's focused on two menu items
   he very first Chili's restaurant kept their menu very simple. They maintained their focus upon just two menu items. These were chili and burgers. The restaurant was set up in a Southwestern decor that matched the type of food that was offered and it was a big hit. There was no other restaurant in the area that was quite like Chili's and customers flocked to order their awesome burgers and delicious chili. It achieved success quickly.
3. The second Chili's opened a year later
   It is very rare for a new restaurant to become so popular that they have the resources to open a second location within a single year. This was the case for Chili's. Their second location was opened in 1976 in Houston, Texas. This turned out to be a brilliant move because the second restaurant became just as popular with the Houston crowd and the original eatery in Dallas.
4. Growth was exponential n the first 8 years
5. Chili's was bought by Norman Brinker
   Norman Brinker is a legend in the fast food chain industry. He couldn't help but notice that Chili's was an up and coming chain with some tremendous potential to hit the big time. He contacted Lavine and made arrangements to purchase the chain. This is the first time that Chili's traded hands. The sale was made in 1983.
6. Brinker changed the menu
   There were a lot of changes made to Chili's after Brinker took over its ownership. One of the first things that he did was to extend the menu. He added Buffalo wings, chicken sandwiches, salads, fajitas and other items. This was a good move on his part because the business experienced another surge of growth. Brinker had named his company Brinker International and to this day they are the owners of the Chili's restaurant chain.
7. The very first Chili's is a 7-Eleven
   We'd like to be able to report that the first Chili's ever built was still a monument to the company, but that isn't the case. The first Chili's began in a building that had been converted from a post office. The original Chili's was moved to a new location and in its place there now sits a 7-Eleven convenience store. It's okay though because Chili's was able to move to a different area where they get plenty of steady business, so no harm was done.
8. The first menu would surprise you
   Here is a fun and little known fact about the first menu that Chili's put into operation. It was so tiny that it barely gave customers any choices. The first Chili's customers didn't seem to be put off by the fact that they could only order a few kinds of chili, six choices of burgers, tacos, fries and a choice of three different drinks. The original menu was kept like this from 1975 through 1978, but it has grown a lot since that time in its history.
9. Chili's celebrated the life of its jingle singer uniquely
   When Mr. McCoy, the singer of the famous Chili's jungle passed away, he had established a legacy. The 2013 funeral was like none other witnessed. It was actually barbecue themed. The pallbearers were all sporting chef's attire and as they carried Mr. McCoy's casket, they sang the famous jingle that he was so well-known for. The casket was crafted to resemble a smoker and a group of dancers carried in fake baby back ribs. There were live pigs at the funeral and there was even a fountain that delivered barbecue sauce. It was featured on the TLC channel's “Best Funeral Ever”reality television show.
10. The first Chili's workers had a unique nickname
    Here is an interesting fact that dates back to the mid 1970s when Chili's was first established as a restaurant. Considering the fact that the hair and clothing styles were a lot different back then, the first employees generally had longer hair, beards and dressed like Hippies. This is how the first Chili's employees came to be called “Hamburger Hippies.” It was a funny name that stuck until the styles changed in the 1980s. The practice stopped when they cut their hair and trimmed their beards.
11. Chili’s went international
12. Chili’s cares about their employees and they show it
13. The recipe for their Chili has never changed
14. Brinker was a Pillsbury Exec
15. Brinker International support’s St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital
16. The workers had problems with the introduction of fajitas
17. Chili’s was the first sit down restaurant on an Air Force Base
18. The famous jingle wasn’t introduced until 1986
19. Austin Powers gave Chili’s an extra boost
20. N’ Sync endorsed Chili’s

https://moneyinc.com/chilis/

Chili's Logo

1000logosApril 2024
The American restaurant chain Chili's has modified its logotype not less than three times since 1975 when the original design was introduced. With almost every new version, the chili pepper was growing more visible.

Today Chili's has 1500 restaurants in 30 countries, where up to 1 million people come every day. All of them are attracted by the cozy atmosphere, entertainment, and Texas-Mexican cuisine. At Chili's they cook only with natural products, the main method is grilling. Naturally, chili peppers are an essential ingredient in the dishes served, but that's not to say they are all spicy. Chili's signature drink is a margarita cocktail in various variations.

A typical Chili's Grill & Bar restaurant these days is about 560 square meters, seats up to 200 diners, and is staffed by 120 people who go by the nickname "ChiliHeads". Every guest is greeted by the waiters with a "signature" greeting – "Welcome to Chili's!".

1975
The first location started working in a converted postal station on Greenville Avenue in Dallas, Texas. The original Chili's logo featured the name of the brand in rather plump and playful lowercase letters. You could feel the casualness of handwriting in it. The apostrophe was replaced by a tiny chili pepper.

1975 – 1983
The redesign of the brand's visual identity brought the logo most recognized today. The font has been changed but had a lot in common with the previous version. The letter “h” was joined with the "l" by extending the leg of the "h". The pepper also got its a red and green color palette.

1983 – 2002
The letters lost some of their casual style, although they still looked pretty friendly. The "H" and "L" were connected with each other. The distance between the letters (especially the second "I" and the "S") grew smaller, while the writing "Grill & Bar" appeared inside an ellipsoid below. The writing was red.

2002 – 2011
The writing "Grill & Bar" was gone. The space between the letters grew somewhat larger. The pepper was redrawn, due to which it got a more playful and appetizing look. In addition to the primary wordmark described above, the company also introduced an alternative emblem where the word "Chili" was replaced with a drawing. Apart from the flat version, a 3D one was also used.

2011 – Today
The company began rolling out an updated version of its chili pepper logo in the fall of 2011. The pepper was redrawn. Now, the stalk formed the apostrophe, due to which the design grew cleaner. The green top of the pepper disappeared, which also worked for the same purpose. The 2011 Chili's logo was developed by Tesser Inc, a firm that was also behind the Del Taco rebrand.

Font and Color
The minimalistic yet bright logo of the Chili's Grill & Bar restaurant chain has the red chili pepper as its main accent, however, the bold and smooth lowercase "S", written in an elegant sans-serif, adds coziness and warmth to the emblem's design. Its rounded contours make the logo look very friendly and welcoming.

As for the color palette of Chili's visual identity, it is based on the combination of red and green, with white most often used for a background. Red is not only the color, associated with chili peppers but also a symbol of passion and love, which the chain aims to give to their customers. As for the green shade, it points to the natural ingredients concept and makes up a great addition to the pepper emblem.

https://1000logos.net/chilis-logo/

10 things you didn't know about Chili's

ThrillistNov 2014
Chili's holds a special place in all of our stomachs or, if you read the words "baby back ribs" even relatively recently, your ear canal. And to prove that Chili's is more than just a Tex-Mex restaurant endorsed by Justin Timberlake, we gathered up a few key stories about the chain for your review. We even got to the bottom of that sexy chef debacle.

1. It was inspired by two Texas burger joints
   Founder Larry Lavine originally just wanted to open a restaurant where you could grab "a great burger and a margarita" -- and those burgers owe a lot to two specific places. As a kid, Lavine scootered over to Burger House and Goff's Hamburgers in Dallas constantly, and has even credited them with sparking the Chili's concept. We assume both owners got bottomless baby back ribs for life.
2. The first menu had chili, burgers, and tacos
3. They sponsored NSYNC's final tour
   We probably don't need to remind you about NSYNC's cover of the baby back ribs jingle, and if we do, you should feel bad about yourself. But this partnership didn't end with Lance Bass singing wistfully on a beach. Chili's also sponsored their Celebrity tour, which ended up being their last one ever as a group. The association is still too much for Chris Kirkpatrick, who cries every time he eats Chili's queso.
4. There's a "St. ChiliHead Day" party every year
   No, you didn't fall asleep in CCD class: there is no canonized saint with a Crock-Pot of chili for a head. Rather, it's Chili's strange name for their launch anniversary, so called because it falls near St. Patrick's Day. To mark another year in business, Chili's throws an annual outdoor party at the Dallas HQ, complete with cakes shaped like chilis and burgers. And a ribs trough, we assume.
5. They attract a lot of kleptos
   A redditor shared his collection of pilfered potholders last year, promising to repent and return his stolen goods. (Eventually.) But for every reformed Chili's thief, there's another high school kid just waiting to stock up on skillet accessories.
6. They have a real love-hate relationship with Steve Carell
   On the one hand, he was the centerpiece of their mid-aughts product placement blitz, and even allegedly plugged the chain during his 40-Year-Old Virgin press tour. But on the other, he dealt them a devastating blow in an ESPYs parody video in 2010. Chili's did not take the slight well.
7. They're adding robot waiters everywhere
   Tablets are becoming all the rage in the restaurant game, and no one's more welcoming to our android overlords than Chili's.
8. The shirtless cook also raps
   A young man who goes by Justin Speekz lit up the Internet last month when he posted a "Sexy Cooks Of Chili's" Facebook photo album. It featured Speekz posing shirtless (with an apron) all over Chili's kitchen equipment, and while we think it was way hotter than the similarly shirtless Helen Mirren in the Golden Globe-nominated Calendar Girls, the Chili's execs had to fire the dude for breaking every health code imaginable.
9. The founder's now doing BBQ
   It's called Ten 50 BBQ and it's now open in Richardson, TX.
10. You can make their fancy margarita at home
    Craving a Platinum Presidente, but can't get to a Chili's? You can easily replicate the drink at home using this guide -- just make sure you have nice tequila, Cointreau, and El Presidente brandy. Plus their frozen fajita bowl, for extra authenticity.

https://www.thrillist.com/eat/nation/trivia-about-chili-s-tex-mex-chain

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