Chili's Grill & Bar, founded in 1975 in Texas by Larry Lavine, is owned and operated by Brinker International. It is a popular casual dining restaurant chain in the United States.
In 1967, Larry Lavine attended the first Terlingua Chili Cook-off, which inspired him to create a new culinary experience. This led to the birth of Chili's Grill and Bar, a place known for burgers, friends, and Southwestern spirit.
Chili's was founded in 1975, creating a culture of support and passion among its employees known as ChiliHeads.
In 1976, Chili's opened its second location in Houston, expanding its presence in the casual dining industry. This marked a significant milestone in the growth of the restaurant chain.
The original Chili's location on Greenville Avenue in Dallas, Texas, moved to a new building on the same site in 1981.
In 1983, Larry Lavine handed over the control of Chili's to Norman Brinker and his firm, Brinker International. Lavine, however, remained active in the restaurant business.
In 1984, Norman Brinker acquired Chili's restaurant chain.
In 1986, Chili's introduced fajitas to its menu, popularizing the dish in America.
In 1994, Chili's introduced their famous ribs along with a memorable jingle.
Chili's advertising jingle, 'I want my baby back, baby back, baby back...', was sung by a doo-wop quartet, Take 6, in 1996. The jingle was known for its catchy tune and was revived in 2017 for a new menu promotion.
By 1997, Chili's had become the top seller of margaritas in the United States.
The Brinker Family Fund was established in 1999 to provide support to Chili's team members in need.
In 2002, actor Mike Myers sang Chili's jingle in an Austin Powers movie, giving the brand additional exposure.
In 2005, Chili's raised $14,000 for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital through their Create-A-Pepper campaign.
Chili's on Greenville Avenue in Dallas, Texas, relocated again to a new building in 2007.
In 2008, a class-action suit was filed against Brinker International for misleading nutritional values of items like the 'Guiltless Black Bean Burger'.
In 2009, a Chili's employee was fired for sexual harassment but later re-employed due to public outrage.
The original building of the first Chili's location, which was replaced in 1981, was torn down in 2012. The restaurant had been closed for five years by then.
In 2013, Chili's launched the Create-A-Pepper Campaign which successfully raised $50,000 for St. Jude's charity.
Even after leaving Chili's, Larry Lavine continued to support Emilia Flores and Taco Stop. His mentorship and friendship with Flores showcased his dedication to the restaurant industry.
In September 2017, Chili's dropped about 40 percent of its menu items to focus on burgers, ribs, and fajitas.
In 2018, Brinker started the Women Taking the Lead initiative to promote dialogue on the impact of female leadership within the company.
In February 2020, Chili's announced a new marketing campaign encouraging people to 'laugh so hard you pee a little.' The campaign was focused on 'Out to 'Ita' and used elements of ASMR.
Chili's promotes a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace where individual strengths and stories are respected and valued. They celebrate differences in gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, religion, age, cultural background, and life experience.
Chili's values diversity among its team members, recognizing that each individual is unique and contributes to the strength of the team. The inclusive environment fosters a sense of belonging and respect for all members.