Latest news with #GeorgeFelix
Daily Mail
28-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Surprising restaurant chain claims the title as America's margarita king
Chili's holds the title of America's margarita king after pulling off ' the best comeback of all time.' Margaritas are the top-selling cocktail in the US, and Chili's sells more than any other restaurant brand nationwide. Last year alone, it sold more than 25 million margaritas. Chief marketing officer (CMO) George Felix revealed its iconic margaritas are an important part of the restaurant chain while speaking with Marketing Dive. The beverages also inspired Chili's to walk on the creative side and create a rom-com short film with Lifetime titled 'I'll Be Home for National Margarita Day.' The movie, starring Taye Diggs and Maria Menounos, premiered less than a week before National Margarita Day in February. Chili's also celebrated its fan-favorite Presidente Margarita by releasing a music video as part of its 'Ride the Dente' campaign with Spire Motorsports. The chain is a frequent Talladega Superspeedway sponsor, and it brought a margarita shaker-shaped mechanical bull to a NASCAR event last month. 'It's fun to see the NASCAR audience really get to experience the true meaning of Ride the 'Dente,' Felix said. 'We think that reaching the NASCAR audience with the country music approach seemed like a great fit.' The CMO hinted the brand is currently thinking of ideas for next year's National Margarita Day, and hopes the Lifetime partnership 'spurs more celebrations of a really important holiday.' Until then, Chili's is busy advertising its Radical 'Rita, a limited-time beverage, and May's margarita of the month. The brand recruited 90s icon Tiffani Thiessen to help promote the newest margarita, available for $6 at participating locations until Saturday. Thiessen rose to fame for her role as Kelly Kapowski on Saved by the Bell. 'Everyone knows me from my days on America's favorite '90s sitcom, but what they might not know is that I also love a great margarita — and some of my favorite early memories with my husband were made at Chili's,' she said. 'Chili's really knows how to tap into the spirit of such an iconic decade — one I'm especially fond of — with their Radical 'Rita.' Chili's named its new Radical 'Rita this month's margarita of the month. The drink will be available for $6 until May 31 With May wrapping up, Chili's is expected to name its newest margarita of the month shortly. Chili's margarita boom comes after its stunning earnings hike. The restaurant chain has seen a surge in customers since last year and not followed in the footsteps of competition that's filed for bankruptcy. Chili's is also one of many companies that offer music and free Wi-Fi in restaurants, two things experts claim are fueling the chain's comeback. Its competitors have not been so lucky. Applebee's shuttered nearly 100 locations between 2023 and 2024, with 35 being closed last year. TGI Fridays has been getting slaughtered financially and now has less than 100 US restaurants after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in November. These restaurants, along with recent filers Hooters and On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina, are known for offering fan-favorite drink deals year-round similar to Chili's.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Chili's New Burger Is A Bigger And Cheaper Alternative To A McDonald's Classic
There isn't always time to fire up your grill and prep our loaded Ultimate Southern Burgers with candied bacon. Especially on busy weeknights, finding a hearty, well-rounded meal for your whole family—much less one that everyone enjoys—can be a challenge. If you're turning to the drive-thru for convenience but find yourself with sticker shock, you're not alone. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics as reported by NewsWeek, the cost of goods has risen over 30% these last few years, and fast-food favorites are no exception. With recent news of beef in the burger industry, however, you just may find your wallet reaping some benefits. Chili's, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, is taking a swing at fast-food giant McDonald's with a brand-new burger that gives customers more for their buck than ever before. The new Big QP Burger (which stands for 'Bigger than a Quarter Pound') has all the flavors that burger fans know and love, with 'two slices of American cheese, mustard, ketchup, pickles, diced onions and 85% more beef than a [McDonald's] Quarter Pounder with Cheese,' Chili's announced in a press release. Here's the best part: The burger comes alongside fries, bottomless chips and salsa, and a bottomless drink for just $10.99. You can't beat that deal in the drive-thru. The beloved bar and grill is celebrating the launch with a quirky 'Fast Food Financing' pop-up in New York City on April 16 and 17, where fast-food customers can experience the bigger-and-better value of the Big QP Burger. Southerners can follow along with the brand's out-of-the-box Fast Food Financing with giveaways on Chili's social media. 'We believe Chili's 3 For Me menu, starting at just $10.99, has been the best value in the industry since we introduced it in 2022, and we just made it even better with the new Big QP burger, featuring a fast food flavor profile our guests will recognize,' said George Felix, Chili's Chief Marketing Officer. 'But for those times when you can't get to a Chili's and find yourself settling for the drive-thru, we opened Fast Food Financing to help customers in their time of need.' A full meal with bottomless sides for under $11? Count us in on this Texas-sized deal. Related: This Southern-Based Business Just Beat Olive Garden As The Biggest Chain In The Country Read the original article on Southern Living Sign in to access your portfolio
Express Tribune
16-04-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Chili's introduces 'fast food financing' amid soaring meal prices
As fast food prices continue to climb into absurd territory, Chili's is making a bold (and slightly cheeky) move to help hungry Americans fight back. The fan-favorite grill and bar chain is stepping in with a campaign that's part PSA, part real-world solution, and all sass. Introducing: Fast Food Financing — a two-day-only pop-up 'office' in New York City's Union Square (April 16–17), where Chili's is handing out $20 gift cards to offset the outrageous cost of fast food meals. And if that wasn't enough, they're giving away free Big QP burgers complete with fries, bottomless chips and salsa, and an unlimited drink—all part of the value-packed 3 For Me menu. The setup? Wild. Guests will go through a mock loan-approval process, mimicking an actual financing office, before being 'approved' to receive their gift card (while supplies last). Once cleared, they'll be ushered into a Chili's speakeasy for the full Big QP meal experience. The goal? Calling out the so-called value meals of major fast food chains by offering something actually worth your money. 'We believe Chili's 3 For Me menu, starting at just $10.99, has been the best value in the industry since we introduced it in 2022, and we just made it even better with the new Big QP burger, featuring a fast food flavour profile our guests will recognise,' said George Felix, Chili's chief marketing officer. 'But for those times when you can't get to a Chili's and find yourself settling for the drive-thru, we opened Fast Food Financing to help customers in their time of need.' The Big QP is Chili's latest burger flex, featuring 85% more beef than a Quarter Pounder® with Cheese and all the familiar flavors—American cheese, mustard, ketchup, pickles, and diced onions on deck. It joins the 3 For Me lineup alongside last year's Big Smasher, which doubled up the beef compared to a Big Mac. Even better? Unlike most fast food spots, $10.99 at Chili's gets you a full sit-down experience with bottomless everything. Meanwhile, McDonald's prices are creeping higher than your gas bill. So whether you're in NYC to take advantage of the Fast Food Financing stunt or just heading to your local Chili's, the message is clear: the best value doesn't come in a paper bag—it comes with a basket of bottomless chips.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Chili's Highly-Anticipated Scranton Branch Will Include A Menu Item No Other Chili's Has
On April 7, Scranton, Pennsylvania, is opening doors to a brand new Chili's that will certainly not be like any other. The restaurant is paying homage to its notoriety and iconic references from the former hit television series "The Office," which took place in Scranton and was a vessel for fun, jokes, and "feeling God in this Chili's tonight." Ironically, the TikTok-viral chain never had a location there, until now! The addition of this new location brings back a discontinued item that is now exclusive to Scranton — the Awesome Blossom. Similar to Outback's Bloomin' Onion or Texas Roadhouse's Cactus Blossom, the Awesome Blossom is a deep-fried onion with pull-apart petals. For a delectable dipping sauce, Chili's pairs this appetizer with its Buffalo ranch. The item was featured on its menu in all locations back in the early 2000s and was a hit amongst Chili's-goers, but was discontinued in 2008, possibly due to concerns over its high calorie count. "We created Chili's Scranton Branch to feel like a familiar home to fans complete with the perfect throwback menu item in the Awesome Blossom, and we can't wait for them to join us," said Chili's Chief Marketing Officer George Felix in a recent press release. The menu will also feature a one-day-only $5 Scranton margarita on April 7 across all locations, so if you can't make it to Scranton to try an Awesome Blossom, you can still find a way to celebrate (unless you're in Oregon, the only U.S. state without a Chili's location.) Read more: 11 Mexican Restaurant Chains, Ranked Worst To Best This new Scranton location will be reminiscent of stepping into the restaurant back in the early 2000s, as it will be filled with lots of nostalgia, and not just from the return of this old school menu item. The look of the restaurant will be complete with vintage artwork, classic tile tables, and some themed references. The more modern feel of most current Chili's will not be found there. To promote the new branch joining the Chili's family, "The Office" actors Brian Baumgartner and Kate Flannery are featured in promotional photos, and both spoke about their excitement about the new location and items, with Flannery stating that the Scranton Marg is a "really good one." With the constant yearning for what once was, it's a no-brainer for Chili's to give thanks to its roots in pop culture and embrace this nostalgic design and classic television show. The chain seems to be eager to enter this time capsule and bring fans a sense of comfort. Now, for Scranton locals, along with your honey chipotle chicken crispers and your other Triple Dipper appetizers, you can enjoy an Awesome Blossom and bask in an older look, but with the same taste. Read the original article on Tasting Table.
Associated Press
26-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Chili's® Announces the Grand Opening of Chili's Scranton Branch
The grill & bar's newest location is destined to become a Lackawanna County hotspot featuring throwbacks to iconic 2000s TV moments and the return of the legendary menu item, the Awesome Blossom® DALLAS, March 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly 20 years after cementing a spot in pop culture history thanks to a beloved group of employees at a fictitious Pennsylvania paper company, Chili's® Grill & Bar is opening its doors to the Chili's 'Scranton Branch' on April 7. The brand-new, permanent restaurant will pay homage to some of Chili's most notable on-screen moments, with throwback nods and decor, in addition to being the only Chili's location to include the fan-favorite Awesome Blossom® on menus. 'For decades, Chili's has inserted itself in culture – introducing the now-famous Baby Back Ribs jingle, and most recently unleashing Triple Dipper cheese pulls on TikTok,' said George Felix, Chili's Chief Marketing Officer. 'But we've also seen the brand come to life on screen through the years, and that includes being tied to Scranton despite never having a location there. That changes this year with our newest restaurant. A moment this big was way more than a pop-up could pay off, so we created Chili's Scranton Branch to feel like a familiar home to fans complete with the perfect throwback menu item in the Awesome Blossom, and we can't wait for them to join us.' Scranton super fans will see this isn't a normal Chili's restaurant the moment they walk in the door and spot a giant Chili's Scranton Branch chalk art mural created by the original Chili's artist from the early 2000s. Other throwback elements include vintage artwork, Chili's iconic tile tables, and a perfectly recreated business lunch booth photo opp to snap the perfect 2005 frame. To kick off the celebration, Chili's invited a few famous 'locals' to introduce Chili's Scranton Branch to the world in multiple ads that will run online and on social media. One, in the style of a classic local TV commercial, features Melora Hardin, Andy Buckley and Amy Pietz and offers a glimpse at the location's unique décor, culminating with Hardin being serenaded to Chili's unmistakable Baby Back Ribs jingle in the Awesome Blossom-laden booth that happens to be a perfect time capsule of 2005. Now available exclusively at Chili's Scranton Branch, the beloved Awesome Blossom is a deep-fried onion cut into a blossom shape with easy to pull petals and Chili's Buffalo Ranch dipping sauce. Removed from menus in 2008, it's now back and what better representative could there be than Scranton's poker champion and local band drummer, Brian Baumgartner. Baumgartner spotlights the impeccably named appetizer that fans can buy to their heart's content as long as they're at Chili's Scranton Branch, of course. 'Seeing Chili's Scranton Branch was like stepping into a time machine, especially if that time machine could also spit out the greatest appetizer of all time, the Awesome Blossom,' Baumgartner said. 'Scranton is a city I'm very protective of, and working with Chili's to open this location was a natural fit. The Chili's team pulled out all the stops in creating this restaurant, and I'll be stopping in for an Awesome Blossom every time I come visit.' Joining Baumgartner in the Electric City was a known casual Friday and Solitaire enthusiast, Kate Flannery, who took on the role of promoting the Scranton Marg, the $5 party in a glass that will be offered nationwide one day only on April 7 to celebrate the grand opening of Chili's Scranton Branch. Flannery goes on camera in a quest to make sure she's never without a Scranton Marg. 'I'm the daughter of a bar owner and I've had enough margaritas through the years that I'm getting picky about them, and the Scranton Marg is a really good one,' Flannery said. 'For fans who come to Scranton, Chili's Scranton Branch has everything you need in one place, and for those who can't make it on opening day, find the $5 Scranton Marg wherever your closest Chili's is.' The Scranton Marg won't be the only way fans can join the fun. Chili's Scranton Branch merch goes live starting April 7 with a pair of t-shirts to celebrate the opening. One will be available through a social media giveaway and both will be available to all at To learn more about Chili's Scranton Branch, please visit About Chili's® Grill & Bar Hi, welcome to Chili's! We are a leader in the casual dining industry and the flagship brand of Dallas-based Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE: EAT). We are known for our Big Mouth Burgers®, Chicken Crispers®, full-on sizzling fajitas, and hand-shaken margaritas. We take our food seriously – but not ourselves – because dining out should feel like a celebration even if there is nothing to celebrate. Our passion is making everyone feel special, and every day, our ChiliHeads make it their job to spread #ChilisLove across almost 1,600 restaurants in 29 countries and 2 territories. And Chili's cares. We host local Give Back Events to support kids, education, and hunger and have raised more than $110 million benefiting St. Jude Children's Research Hospital through generous guest donations. Find more information about us at follow us on X or Instagram, like us on Facebook, or join us on TikTok.
