Dallas-based Chili's is attracting younger diners
Chili's is one of the hottest restaurants in America.
Why it matters: The Dallas-founded casual dining restaurant is booming at a time when many other major restaurant and fast food chains are struggling.
Chili's reported a 31% increase in sales in the last quarter of 2024, driven by a nearly 20% increase in foot traffic.
Driving the news: The restaurant partnered with Lifetime to release a 15-minute romantic film this week ahead of National Margarita Day.
The sappy Lifetime original is just the latest in the chain's social media marketing strategy.
The big picture: Chili's memes have taken over social media as the company aims marketing at younger generations. The goal is simple: become relevant again.
The restaurant airs commercials during major sporting events and uses social media to highlight its deals, like the 3 for Me entree combo and the Triple Dipper appetizer platter.
Case in point: You might still remember the baby back ribs jingle from the '90s.
What they're saying: The increasing foot traffic shows the restaurant's marketing schemes are working, Brinker International CEO Kevin Hochman told CNBC.
"We don't think this is the end; we think this is just the beginning of the Chili's turnaround," Hochman said.
What they did: In addition to reintroducing Chili's to younger generations, the chain revamped recipes, streamlined operations — like shifting to a single breading option for Chicken Crispers — trimmed menus and updated dining rooms, per CNN.
Zoom in: Chili's is definitely a Dallas restaurant. It first opened on Greenville Avenue in 1975.
Restaurateur Norman Brinker, known for Jack in the Box and Bennigan's, bought Chili's in 1983.
The next year, fajitas were added to the menu. The company claims to have taught Americans how to correctly pronounce the word. By the mid-'90s, Chili's was the No. 1 seller of margaritas.
Under Brinker International, the chain has opened more than 1,200 restaurants nationwide.
Zoom out: Other casual dining chains haven't been as successful. Dallas-based TGI Friday's filed for bankruptcy in November.
And there are no longer Red Lobster locations in North Texas after the final ones closed last year amid the chain's financial struggles.
The bottom line: As dining out becomes more expensive, Chili's increasing sales revenue shows diners are drawn to affordable food and a consistent restaurant experience.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNBC
28 minutes ago
- CNBC
Walmart is using its own fintech firm to provide credit cards after dumping Capital One
Walmart's majority-owned fintech startup OnePay said Monday it was launching a pair of new credit cards for customers of the world's biggest retailer. OnePay is partnering with Synchrony, a major behind-the-scenes player in retail cards, which will issue the cards and handle underwriting decisions starting in the fall, the companies said. OnePay, which was created by Walmart in 2021 with venture firm Ribbit Capital, will handle the customer experience for the card program through its mobile app. Walmart had leaned on Capital One as the exclusive provider of its credit cards since 2018, but sued the bank in 2023 so that it could exit the relationship years ahead of schedule. At the time, Capital One accused Walmart of seeking to end its partnership so that it could move transactions to OnePay. The Walmart card program had 10 million customers and roughly $8.5 billion in loans outstanding last year, when the partnership with Capital One ended, according to Fitch Ratings. For Walmart and its fintech firm, the arrangement shows that, in seeking to quickly scale up in financial services, OnePay is opting to partner with established players rather than going it alone. In March, OnePay announced that it was tapping Swedish fintech firm Klarna to handle buy now, pay later loans at the retailer, even after testing its own installment loan program. In its quest to become a one-stop shop for Americans underserved by traditional banks, OnePay has methodically built out its offerings, which now include debit cards, high-yield savings accounts and a digital wallet with peer-to-peer payments. OnePay is rolling out two options: a general-purpose credit card that can be used anywhere Mastercard is accepted and a store card that will only allow Walmart purchases. Customers whose credit profiles don't allow them to qualify for the general-purpose card will be offered the store card, according to a person with knowledge of the program. OnePay didn't yet disclose the rewards expected with the cards, though the general-purpose card is expected to provide a stronger value, said this person, who declined to be identified speaking ahead of the product's release. The Synchrony partnership was reported earlier by Bloomberg. "Our goal with this credit card program is to deliver an experience for consumers that's transparent, rewarding, and easy to use," OnePay CEO Omer Ismail said in the Monday release. "We're excited to be partnering with Synchrony to launch a program at Walmart that checks each of those boxes and will help serve millions of people," Ismail said.
Yahoo
31 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Opinion - Elon Musk, American patriot
Before Elon Musk aligned himself with President Trump, there were legitimate reasons to both admire and criticize him. In 1999, after the sale of Zip2 to Compaq, Musk was worth $22 million — enough to live comfortably for the rest of his life. But instead of coasting, he threw himself into such high-risk, high-reward ventures as PayPal, Tesla and SpaceX. Today, he is arguably the most successful entrepreneur of his generation. Musk has captivated millions as a rare breed of entrepreneur: equal parts visionary, gambler and engineer. He earned admiration for his boldness: when both Tesla and SpaceX teetered on the brink of collapse, he didn't retreat or diversify — he doubled down, risking nearly his entire fortune to keep them alive. Others were drawn to his sweeping ambitions: to make humanity a multiplanetary species, to accelerate the transition to sustainable energy, and to explore the frontier of human-AI integration. And many simply respected his unfiltered voice — sometimes too blunt, but refreshingly free from the scripted gloss of a corporate PR machine. Yet Musk has always been polarizing. Critics cite his combative leadership style, labor disputes, missed deadlines and frequent social media controversies. Environmentalists point to his personal carbon footprint despite his clean-energy advocacy. His record-breaking Tesla pay package fueled perceptions of greed, and his turbulent personal life has long fascinated the tabloid press. Still, Musk is immensely wealthy, widely admired and his companies are thriving. He has no compelling reason to wade into government matters — especially not under an administration that deeply divides public opinion, and especially not in a role where his message would be unpopular. And yet he did. While Musk holds no formal public office, he has taken up an unofficial but unmistakable role: becoming the loudest and most influential voice calling for a leaner, more accountable government. He has made it his mission to highlight the dangers of unchecked federal spending, bureaucratic inefficiency and fiscal denialism. He knew that aligning himself with Trump — a political lightning rod — would alienate many of his customers, investors and employees. 'Republicans buy sneakers too,' Michael Jordan once said. Musk knew Democrats buy Teslas, and in disproportionate numbers. He did it anyway. Why? Because he understands math, and sees clearly that the massive gap between what the government takes in and what it spends isn't just irresponsible — it's a ticking time bomb. Left unaddressed, this trajectory leads not only to instability but to inevitable economic harm for the 99.999 percent of Americans who aren't billionaires. Ballooning deficits are not just abstract numbers. They are a looming threat to future prosperity. Persistent overspending drives up interest rates, crowds out private investment, limits the government's crisis-response capacity, and places an unfair burden on the next generation. Yet few in Washington are willing to confront this reality. Politicians love to announce new programs and subsidies. Cutting spending? That's political suicide. Musk has dared to say what most elected officials won't. In interviews, social media posts and public appearances, he's called for reining in wasteful agencies, reforming broken systems and reducing federal bloat. His prescriptions may be controversial, but they are not unserious. He has floated the privatization of Amtrak and the USPS, pushed for deregulation in innovation-heavy sectors, and questioned the size and scope of U.S. foreign aid. These aren't fringe ideas — they're overdue conversations. Naturally, the backlash has been swift. Critics accuse him of oversimplifying complex problems or threatening essential services. Musk himself has admitted he won't have all the answers. But someone had to start the painful, necessary process of fiscal realism — and few others with his platform have dared. Elon Musk didn't need to pick this fight. He had everything to lose and little to gain. But he stepped into the fray because he saw a country drifting toward economic peril, and he believed he could help shift the trajectory. Agree or disagree with his methods, that choice reflects not vanity or ambition, but patriotism. What's even more remarkable than Musk's initial alliance with Trump is how swiftly and forcefully he has turned against him. The same man he once saw as a partner in fiscal restraint is now advancing a tax-and-spending package Musk views as reckless and dangerous. By attacking what Trump calls his 'One Big Beautiful Bill,' Musk hasn't just broken with a former ally, he's jumped into an even bigger, riskier battle. And he's doing it on principle. While conventional CEOs stay quiet to protect their brand, Musk is torching bridges because he believes the country's long-term solvency is at stake. In an era when patriotism is often mistaken for partisanship, Musk offers a rare counterexample: someone willing to challenge both political parties when they abandon fiscal responsibility. His message may be polarizing, but his motive is clear: he's putting country before comfort, math before politics, and future generations before short-term applause. That's not recklessness. That's leadership. That's Elon Musk, American patriot. Peter Ciano is chief financial officer and senior vice president of corporate development at a pharmaceutical company. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
USA Today
35 minutes ago
- USA Today
Why 'Buy Now Pay Later' could be wrecking your financial future
Buy now pay later users are increasingly paying much later. Klarna, one of many companies that allow users to purchase something now and pay in installments over time, said last month consumer credit losses in the first three months of the year rose 17% from a year ago as users struggled to make payments. That confirmed earlier surveys showing a similar uptick. A survey by LendingTree showed 41% of users paid late at least once in the past year, up from 34% a year ago. Bankrate's survey showed 18% missed a payment. With the economy slowing and big pandemic savings long gone, financial advisers are warning users, who tend to lean younger, BNPL could be wrecking their financial future. 'If using BNPL, it's likely you don't have savings to cover the costs of making purchases,' said Rick Miller of Miller Investment Management. 'Saving for retirement is likely not even a thought in your mind. You need to pay yourself first and shouldn't be spending what you can't afford.' Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. Buy now pay later expands: Costco, Affirm partner to launch buy now, pay later option for online orders Why do people use BNPL? Americans often use BNPL to purchase a good or service they can't currently afford. They make an initial payment and spread out the rest of the cost over time and pay in installments. In essence, they're taking a loan for the balance. A quarter of BNPL users say they've used the loans to buy groceries, said LendingTree's survey of 2,000 U.S. consumers ages 18 to 79 from April 2 to 3. That's up from 14% just a year ago, amid rising prices at the supermarket, it said. A third of users see BNPL as a 'bridge' to their next paycheck, LendingTree said. That's up from 30% last year and 27% the year before. Clothing, including shoes and accessories, is the item most commonly bought using BNPL, followed by technology devices and home décor, LendingTree said. The average purchase amount was $142 in 2022, the most recent year of data, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). However, it noted approximately 63% of users had multiple BNPL loans. How can BNPL jeopardize your future Overspending: 'Relying on BNPL and short debt gives consumers a false sense of affordability, making it easier to overextend financially,' said Haiyan Huang, chief credit officer at Prosper. 'Relying on BNPL and short debt gives consumers a false sense of affordability, making it easier to overextend financially,' said Haiyan Huang, chief credit officer at Prosper. Limiting future borrowing: 'If BNPL is helping you make purchases you cannot afford to pay back, then your credit score could take a hit,' especially if you miss payments, Miller said. 'This can hinder your ability to borrow in the future, which could be crucial as you get older and seek a mortgage (or) car loan.' BNPL payment history usually isn't reported to the major credit reporting companies, but a failure to repay may be reported by a debt collector, CFPB said. BNPL companies also can restrict your use in the future. Credit scores help determine 'interest rates for loans and mortgages, your insurance premiums, rental approvals, credit limits on credit cards, and can potentially impact employment,' Huang said. Messing with spending and budgeting mentality: 'You may feel like you can make any purchase you want; however, it's likely not the case,' Miller said. 'Future spending, like in retirement, can't be done erratically, as you'll be on fixed income." Also, 'budgeting is something you need to do for your future self, especially when retirement comes around.' What can BNPL users do? The first thing everyone, not just BNPL users, should ask themselves when considering taking on debt is whether the purchase is essential, Huang said. If yes, then consider the repayment schedule and how it might affect repayments on other debt. It's also important to explore all your options before borrowing money, Huang said. Check to see if financial assistance is available. Consider tapping into your equity if you own a home or taking out a personal loan to cover the expenses with a lower interest rate, she said. 'Fixed-rate personal loans can be a strong tool for consolidating high-interest debt or covering major one-time expenses without the confusion or financial juggling BNPL often creates,' Huang said. 'They provide predictable monthly payments, clear repayment terms, and often lower interest rates than credit cards.' Note, most personal loans are reported to credit bureaus, but that's not necessarily bad. 'When used responsibly, (they) can help build or strengthen credit history,' she said. Medora Lee is a money, markets, and personal finance reporter at USA TODAY. You can reach her at mjlee@ and subscribe to our free Daily Money newsletter for personal finance tips and business news every Monday through Friday.
