Restaurants

Casual Dining

The Only Recap Of Chili's Major Resurgence You Need

On March 13, 1975, Larry Lavine, with partners Malloy Buckner and John Foshee, opened a casual, full-service restaurant in Dallas offering burgers and chili in a Southwestern-themed setting. They called it Chili's. Short, sweet, and easily remembered, it became a restaurant people went to when they're looking for affordable, delicious food and a full dining experience that doesn't hurt the wallet.

Over the decades, Chili's became one of the nation's most prominent casual dining chains. In 2025, it marked its 50th year in business, a milestone made all the sweeter by the fact that it has experienced a resurgence in both popularity and sales.

Chili's journey from a restaurant where moms and dads went for Taco

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