There’s nothing I love more than a fast casual restaurant. Applebee’s Grill and Bar’s Triple Chocolate Meltdown and The Cheesecake Factory’s Eggroll Sampler are always on my mind. I’ve made my way through most fast casual restaurants, minus Chili’s Grill and Bar. It’s been number one on my list since I saw Jake Jonez celebrating his birthday at one of the locations on TikTok and, of course, all the TikToks raving about the Triple Dipper — just look at the cheese pull of the mozzarella sticks. The fast casual chain has a loyal fanbase and when news about potential closures arises, there’s an outburst. Last week, MSN reported Chili’s is shutting doors across America in 2024, however, users on X, formerly known as Twitter, took that as the chain was closing, permanently.
Is Chili’s Grill & Bar closing?
Thankfully, no. Chili’s was quick to alleviate concerns on X responding, “NO, we'll be here forever!” to a comment saying, “I need a concrete answer Chili’s. Yes or no.”
However, it is true that some locations are closing. According to MSN, Chili’s has closed three locations this year in Fort Wayne, IN, St. Joseph, MO, and Charlotte, NC — a notable trend for the chain. Last year, Brinker International, the owner of the Chili’s Grill & Bar restaurant chain, permanently closed 16 locations that were “performing below our standards and were near or at the expiration of their lease terms,” according to Moody on the Market.
Aside from the standalone locations, Chili’s — including other popular chains like Applebee’s and Ruby Tuesday — in malls will also close and be replaced with newer eateries due to the boom in smaller and regional restaurant chains with a local following, CNN reported. Some new restaurants include Lazy Dog, Gen Korean BBQ, and Postino Wine Café to draw customers back to malls.
Though there might be fewer Chili’s Grill and Bar locations across the country, the franchise is still up and running. You’re baby back ribs and chicken crispers are still safe.