Latest news with #BigSmasher
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Family favorite restaurant chain booming thanks to cracking deals… as industry struggles
It's been a terrible year for restaurants. But one major chain is bucking the industry's sour trend. Chili's, the Dallas-based Tex-Mex brand famous for baby back ribs and frozen margaritas, just posted a 24 percent jump in sales — serving millions more customers than last year. That's on top of a big increase in 2023, meaning the chain's sales have soared 39 percent over the past two years. Chili's has now logged five straight quarters of growth. It is a rare bright spot in an industry where many chains report diners are eating out less and cooking at home to save money. Chili's says it's attracting shoppers through its doors by focusing on young restaurant-goers and keeping prices low. The 1,200-store chain says its $10.99 three-plate value is one of its biggest attractions. It also pointed to a $14.39 burger and fries meal that targets ultra-low-cost establishments like Burger King and McDonald's. 'Chili's has been on fire lately and has been significantly boosting traffic to its restaurants,' Neil Saunders, head of retail at GlobalData, told 'There are a whole host of reasons for the success including improved menus and product quality, strong social media activity, and winning over younger diners.' Chili's is also helped by the fact it is good value for money, so it's an affordable indulgence for many Americans who are still feeling pinched by inflation, he said. Hochman, who took over the top role in 2022, simplified the Chili's menu and upgraded its french fry and chicken tender — or chicken 'crisper' — recipes. Brinker International spent more than $400 million on the new menu, plus adding more servers and upgrading outdated restaurants. Now, the menu focuses on four core offerings: burgers, chicken crispers, fajitas and margaritas. Instead of upping prices, the chain, which has over 1,000 locations across the US, offered deals including $6 margaritas and a $10.99 'Big Smasher' burger which it claims has 'twice the beef of a Big Mac.' At the same time, it still offers pricier options including steaks and ribs, for customers who are willing to spend a bit more. On TikTok, the company's channel features videos with well-followed influencers doing up-to-date trends. The company has over 180,000 followers. The famous rib-chain reported a stunning 24 percent rise in sales compared to last year The company thinks that its quality cooking is the secret recipe to its success. 'It's clear we have a winning product with our new ribs, and our intent now is to use them to drive traffic,' Chili's CEO, Kevin Hochman, told investors on Wednesday. 'Those who believe our success was driven solely from a cheese pull and social media are just not close enough to our story.' Other industry titans said their sales aren't cooking with gas. Consumer sentiment has remained consistently low this year, as inflation-weary shoppers continue to rein in unnecessary spending. And that has crunched several bottom lines. Burger King, Wingstop, Cava, Sweetgreen, Chipotle, and Shake Shack have all reported significant declines in quarterly sales or misses compared to Wall Street's expectations. They all remain profitable - but their lower-than-expected sales show a major change in the way Americans spend cash. Meanwhile, several iconic brands have plunged into bankruptcy as the higher cost of food and the lower traffic count create a financial double-whammy. TGI Fridays, Hooters, Red Lobster, Bertucci's, On The Border, and Buca di Beppo all declared Chapter 11 after financial struggles.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The Restaurant Chain That Just Dropped A Quarter Pounder Copycat With More Beef
Chili's has been in the fast casual restaurant game for decades, and as food prices keep climbing, the chain's had to provide affordable menu options for hungry customers. Thankfully, Chili's just added a new burger to it's frugal 3 for Me lineup, offering a beverage, starter, and entree for $10.99 — and this new burger is taking a shot at McDonald's. In an email to Daily Meal, Chili's writes, "The Big QP delivers all the craveable flavors of your favorite classics, with two slices of American cheese, mustard, ketchup, pickles, dice onions, and 85% more beef than a Quarter Pounder® with Cheese." With nearly half a pound of beef in one patty, Chili's Big QP certainly earns its name. On April 16 and 17, Chili's fans in New York City can enjoy this burger at Fast Food Financing, a pop-up mock payday lender that "loans" visitors a coupon card to cover the price of the expensive burgers at the joint next door, which happens to be a McDonald's. However, attentive guests may notice a speakeasy-style setup inside, slinging the Big QP. Read more: The Ultimate Ranking Of Mexican Restaurant Chains Chili's has seen its ups and downs over the years but is now resurgent, and this innovative marketing campaign suggests that the chain is betting big on the Big QP's success. While this almost half-pound Quarter Pounder copycat might be another one of the big changes coming to Chili's in 2025 along with upgraded kitchen equipment, this burger is not the restaurant chain's first stab at a McDonald's-inspired sandwich. In 2024, Chili's released the Big Smasher, a version of its existing smash burger, dressed with diced red onions, lettuce, pickles, American cheese, and Thousand Island dressing. Although it lacks a sesame seed bun this structure is quite similar (and drew direct comparisons) to McDonald's Big Mac and its Thousand Island-like Big Mac sauce. The Big Smasher debuted on Chili's 3 for Me menu deal, and it seems to be a success, as it's still on the menu and now available alongside its copycat sibling, the Big QP. Hungry for more? Sign up for the free Daily Meal newsletter for delicious recipes, cooking tips, kitchen hacks, and more, delivered straight to your inbox. Read the original article on The Daily Meal.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Chili's Starts Beef With McDonald's In The Form Of A Brand New Burger
Quarter Pounder, step aside, because there's a new version in town -- sort of. Chili's is firing shots at McDonald's by releasing its own Quarter Pounder-ish burger called the Big QP, which is being added to the Chili's 3 For Me menu. If you don't recall, the 3 For Me menu (which has done wonders for Chili's bottom line) is a three course lunch deal that starts you off with bottomless chips and salsa, gets you a main entree, and is served with fries and a drink, all sold at prices that are similar to that of fast food restaurants. The Big QP name is sort of a misnomer, however, because the burger patty Chili's uses is 85% larger than a quarter pound. This means it's 7.5 ounces before cooking it, as opposed to McDonald's four-ounce patty. So in reality, you're getting something that's more akin to a half-pound burger in a meal deal that also includes chips and salsa. The price for the Big QP 3 For Me meal is $10.99. To put this all into perspective, my nearest McDonald's location here in Chicago sells a Quarter Pounder meal for $10.19. The burger comes similarly dressed to McDonald's Quarter Pounder with two slices of American cheese, ketchup, mustard, diced red onions (a slight deviation from McDonald's), and pickles. With ever-rising fast food prices, it's clear Chili's is reaching down to meet potential customers while they're hunting for the best bang for their buck. (And not terribly long after one of McDonald's worst food contamination issues in recent history.) Read more: We Tried 9 Chain Restaurant Burgers And Ranked Them Worst To Best If you think this burger is some kind of miraculous coincidence with McDonald's, things start to get a little harder to refute when you realize Chili's has had a Big Mac-ish burger on its menu since last April called the Big Smasher, which was also released as part of its 3 For Me menu. It has that same large burger patty, American cheese, Thousand Island dressing, shredded lettuce, pickles, and diced red onions. Its original press release even touted the fact that the Big Smasher has twice the beef of a Big Mac (it called the burger out by name), and it's still part of the meal deal at the $10.99 price point. Another notable fact is that these meals are available to-go, which means you don't need to sit down at a Chili's location to eat them, so long as you order them beforehand for pickup. So there is that slight concession, considering Chili's isn't a drive-thru restaurant. But with the Big QP and the Big Smasher now on Chili's deal menu, along with its chicken tenders (which McDonald's will be releasing a version of this year), the brand is continuing to go toe-to-toe with the Golden Arches. For more food and drink goodness, join The Takeout's newsletter. Get taste tests, food & drink news, deals from your favorite chains, recipes, cooking tips, and more! Read the original article on The Takeout.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Chili's Has a New Burger That's Bigger (and Cheaper) Than McDonald's Quarter Pounder
Ok, we'll say it: We love fast food drama. Yes, we live for a sassy social media account clapping back at one of its competitors, but what we really appreciate is when the drama—or war, if you will—benefits us. Popeyes practically broke the internet when it launched its chicken sandwich, which has led to many iterations of the tasty, crispy menu item. McDonald's can't seem to get its Snack Wrap back on menus, but brands like Wendy's, Burger King, and KFC sure can. Recently, the chains' competitiveness has gone beyond delicious offerings and into a new category we care about just as much as taste: value. With inflation and upset customers, fast food chains have been racing to put meal deals and value offerings back on menus. As chains try to get you back to the drive-thru, some casual dining restaurants are capitalizing on customers' cravings for good yet inexpensive food. In 2024, Chili's introduced its '3 For Me' meal deal, which included a burger and fries, bottomless chips and salsa appetizer, and a fountain drink, all for just $10.99. Even better—Chili's introduced its meal deal with a Big Smasher burger, which took aim at McDonald's classic Big Mac burger. Chili's Big Smasher burger features twice as much beef as a Big Mac, topped with American cheese, Thousand Island dressing, diced red onions, lettuce, and pickles, all on a hand-buttered bun. After the Big Smasher's success, the restaurant chain has decided it's not done poking fun at Mickey D's. So, this week, it's adding an all-new quarter-pound burger to its 3 For Me menu—and, you guessed it, it's pretty similar to McDonald's Quarter Pounder with Cheese. Chili's is releasing its new Big QP burger, which is even bigger (and cheaper) than a McDonald's Quarter Pounder with Cheese. Chili's burger features a 7.5-ounce precooked patty, while McDonald's burger is only 4 ounces precooked. The Big QP includes two slices of American cheese, mustard, ketchup, pickles, and diced onions atop a patty that's 85% beefier than McDonald's. As part of the 3 For Me meal, you'll receive bottomless chips and salsa, unlimited fountain drink refills, and a side of fries, all for just $10.99. And, we don't know about you, but we can barely find a large Quarter Pounder meal for $10.99 at the Golden Arches nowadays. Beginning April 15, you'll be able to order the Big QP or Big Smasher burgers as part of your 3 For Me meal at all Chili's restaurants nationwide. Now, all Chili's needs to do is start selling breakfast and we'll never have to hit a drive-thru again. Read the original article on ALLRECIPES
CNN
15-04-2025
- Business
- CNN
Chili's trolls McDonald's with its new quarter pounder burger
Chili's is ratcheting up its fight against fast food rivals with a new cheeseburger that might make McDonald's call their lawyers. The chain is rolling out Tuesday the Big QP burger, which not only has a similar name to McDonald's Quarter Pounder but also the same toppings: two slices of American cheese, pickles, ketchup and diced onions. Chili's says in a press release that its version has 85% more beef, making it 'even more value-packed' than the fast food classic. The Big QP is being added to Chili's popular '3 for Me,' a $10.99 meal that includes the burger, fries, unlimited chips and free refills of a soft drink. The deal exploded in popularity last year when Chili's took aim at customers of its fast food rivals (notably McDonald's) who might be turned off by their rising prices. And while the meal might be more expensive than a McDonald's Quarter Pounder, which costs around $5 to $7 depending on the city, it's comparable in price to a combo meal with medium fries and medium-sized soft drink. Chili's directly jabbed McDonald's in its press release, calling the $10.99 deal 'less expensive than a comparable meal at McDonald's' as well as releasing TV ads that call the Quarter Pounder 'tiny.' The Big QP is the second McDonald's-inspired burger from Chili's. Last year, the chain added a Big Mac-like burger called the Big Smasher, rolling out a cheeky ad campaign that directly called out the Big Mac. Ultimately, that proved a successful gambit, with the Big Smasher helping Chili's register a 15% jump in same-store sales following its release. Chili's is likely hoping to sustain its skyrocketing sales by continuing this rivalry. Sales in its most recent quarter jumped 31%, marking the chain's third-straight quarter of double-digit growth. Shares of Brinker International (EAT), its parent company, have soared 200% over the past year. Once trailing flashier rivals, Chili's is pulling off its comeback thanks to these deals, plus revamped chicken tender recipes and viral TikToks of its 'Triple Dipper' appetizer. The chain also recently opened a location in Scranton, Pennsylvania inspired by 'The Office.' This success stands in contrast to most casual dining chains. Typically catering to lower and middle-income families looking for a sit-down meal, diners have been abandoning these companies in recent years. These restaurants have been hiking menu prices at the same time their customer base is being squeezed by the rising cost of living, resulting in several bankruptcies, including Hooters, TGI Fridays and Buca di Beppo. Although McDonald's hasn't directly responded to Chili's, the chain recently added a 'McValue' menu category in hopes of turning around its sluggish sales. In addition to the $5 meal deal, the menu also has a 'Buy One, Add One for $1' option and more locally targeted promotions from its franchises.
