Triple Dipper to celebrate, anyone? Chili’s Grill & Bar has experienced a resurgence in recent years as more and more customers return to the promised land of Triple Dippers, awe-inducing mozzarella stick cheese pulls and specialty margaritas on rotation each month.
Now, more than 50 years after the Texas-founded chain made its debut, it’s being heralded as one of the best sit-down restaurants in America.
That’s according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index’s latest restaurant and food delivery study published last month, offering insight and analysis into which full-service restaurants are facilitating the best engagement.
“Customers are still willing to pay for full service, but they’re less forgiving when the experience feels inconsistent, slow, or out of sync with the check total,” the report read in part.
While Chili’s didn’t nab the No. 1 spot, it did garner a Top 5 finish and specific praise for its rebranding and reintroduction into the cultural zeitgeist. Landing right at No. 5, Chili’s earned an overall satisfaction score of 79 out of 100 – a 1% increase from last year’s finish, and just three points shy of the top contenders.
The rest of the full-service restaurant heavy weights list? Those lauded included:
LongHorn Steakhouse: 82 out of 100
Texas Roadhouse: 82 out of 100
Olive Garden: 81 out of 100
Applebee’s: 79 out of 100
Cracker Barrel: 79 out of 100
Golden Corral: 79 out of 100
Outback Steakhouse: 79 out of 100
The Cheesecake Factory: 79 out of 100
Buffalo Wild Wings: 78 out of 100
So, what’s the secret sauce behind Chili’s industry success? Much of that has to do with its sharp marketing ploys and working smarter – not harder – on menu curations.
“Chili’s (up 1% to 79) continues to enjoy strong business growth with the company’s emphasis on pairing high-impact marketing with operational fundamentals,” the report read. “Chili’s has simplified its menu to streamline operations while communicating its value proposition compared to both FSR and QSR brands.”
This article originally published at Welcome to Chili’s: The secret sauce behind Texas chain’s US resurgence.