The Magic of Chili's
What's so special about a dying restaurant chain? Several things, apparently.
About a week ago, Ryan and I were watching our nightly dose of YouTube videos when we came across one that particularly piqued our interest. It was about the rise, fall, and second rise of Chili’s, the classic American casual dining chain.
It turns out Chili’s has gotten more and more popular in recent months. This is surprising, considering that the restaurant was in its financial heyday all the way back in 2007. Since then, sales tanked and then grew stagnant. Covid only made things worse since the whole point of going to Chili’s is actually going to Chili’s; it’s not really a takeout place.
But the reason why this chain is seeing a modern comeback makes a lot of sense. Fast food has gotten so damn expensive that a lot of folks are just opting for full-service dining instead. After all, why would you pay up to $18 for a Big Mac Meal at the drive thru when you can get a Triple Dipper combo plate at Chili’s for $17 and probably take home leftovers?
Anyway, Ryan and I had to investigate. Was Chili’s any good? Was it really the bargain people claimed it to be? We also texted our friend Catherine to see if she’d join us in our exploration:
On Saturday night, we met up at the restaurant to partake in some investigative journalism (and crispy chicken fingers). The first thing we noticed was that there was a line out the door. Ugh. We got inside and had to reserve a table (are you kidding me?) and wait in the lobby for 25 minutes.
The wait itself didn’t really bother me, but I was frankly a little shocked that people were actually queueing up for a table. Maybe everyone else was onto something. Maybe we were the ones who weren’t clued to the magic of Chili’s.
Anyway, when we finally got into the restaurant and they gave us a booth on the left side of the busy dining room. We didn’t have to wait long for our server to appear. Right away, they asked if we wanted chips and salsa for the table. We barely gave it a thought before saying “yes,” and later found out they were not complimentary (boo).
I guess Chili’s thing is that the chips and salsa are bottomless, so we did get a refill that Catherine ended up taking home. Still, we would’ve appreciated some price transparency!!
So, onto the actual dinner. Honestly, anytime I go to a new restaurant I get completely overwhelmed by the menu. There’s a lot on the Chili’s menu, even though I think they actually downsized it recently. It’s pretty regular bar food and American-style dishes: mozzarella sticks, chicken fingers, steak and potatoes — that kind of thing.
I really wanted mashed potatoes that night. Thankfully, Chili’s has regular mashed potatoes and loaded mashed potatoes, which can be ordered as part of a meal or a side. Ryan and I both ended up getting identical Triple Dipper combos with mini sliders, “Southwestern” egg rolls, and honey BBQ chicken strips. Catherine got plain chicken strips (called “Chicken Crispers”), with mac ‘n cheese and fries.
And of course, I ordered a side of loaded mashed potatoes.
It was a lot of food. Honestly, Ryan and I probably would split one of the Triple Dippers in the future, since we only finished about half our plates each.
The sauce on the chicken strips slapped, and I loved the egg rolls dipped in whatever the heck the green-ish sauce was. And I’m not usually a big slider person, but the ones at Chili’s were well-balanced and juicy. Finally, the mashed potatoes were decent, but a little dry. They did satisfy my craving though.
Catherine later told me that the Chicken Crispers were pretty good, too. “I'd give it a 7, with the sauce options, 7.5,” she said in a text. “And normally I'm not a big tender person.”
The fries were reportedly “great!” and so was the mac ‘n cheese. “Just wish there was more,” Catherine said of the mac.
When it came time to pay, we split our checks, with Catherine offering to pay for the chips. Ryan and I paid $46 total for our meals, which included a 20% tip. I’d say that’s a pretty reasonable price for dinner for two people. It wasn’t an incredible bargain, but we generally try to keep our meals to at or under $25 a person — something that’s not usually too hard where we live in the Midwest.
Plus, we had hella leftovers. We both had a full (and extremely filling) dinner the next day. I’ll admit I didn’t feel too great after eating Chili’s two days in a row, but my tummy is a sensitive little wimp so I was kind of expecting it. I think it’s worth the gastrointestinal stress though — and I’ve felt worse eating at other places.
Here’s the other thing I liked about Chili’s: being in the restaurant was a surprisingly pleasant experience. It was a little loud at times, but cozy. I liked the casual vibe and the brightly lit dining room, and the waiter gave us a nice, long time to eat and talk before coming around with the takeout boxes.
Honestly, I can see why there was a line out the door when we got there. Chili’s seems like the perfect meet-up spot for friends and family. It’s a chill environment and the food is pretty good. Consider me a Chili’s convert!
P.S. Here’s the video Ryan and I watched about the Chili’s comeback. I’d recommend it!
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Love a good nighttime YouTubeing.
I didn't know Chili's was so popular! The Applebee's down the street from us went out of business awhile ago, and turned into a Chinese seafood buffet and is now an Asian buffet... maybe it'll transform into a Chili's next.
Do you think that Chili’s has better service than Applebees and that makes part of the difference in their market share? Not sure if they pay their staff differently either.