Viral appetizer sends Chili’s sales surging

New York (CNN) 鈥� People apparently can鈥檛 get enough of the Big Smasher burger, $6 margaritas and Triple Dipper combination platters at Chili鈥檚.

Brinker International, Chili鈥檚 parent company, reported a 14% jump in same-store sales and 6.5% increase in traffic as the chain continues to perform strongly with promotions that and menu items that are going viral on TikTok.

sparked an advertising campaign for Chili鈥檚 promoting its $10.99 Big Smasher, a rival to McDonald鈥檚 Big Mac, that 鈥渃ontinues to win with guests鈥� and is a 鈥渟ignificant鈥� traffic driver, Brinker CEO Kevin Hochman said on the company鈥檚 earnings call on Wednesday.

Brinker () shares soared 9% in midday trading and are up a whopping 150% for the year.

Chili鈥檚 launched the $10.99 Big Smasher meal deal in April, describing it as having 鈥渢wice the beef of a Big Mac and flavors fast food lovers will recognize.鈥� The meal also includes unlimited refills of a non-alcoholic drink, bottomless chips with salsa and french fries.

The deal has been so successful that it has been extended again will continue through next year as 鈥渃onsumers seek out value coming off their holiday spend,鈥� he said, noting that the customers are telling employees that the 鈥渂urger looks just like the ad.鈥�

Another success story for Chili鈥檚 has been its Triple Dipper platter, which lets eaters choose three appetizers and sauces priced at less than $20. The meal deal is now 11% of Chili鈥檚 business, with sales soaring 70% over the last year.

The Triple Dipper is 鈥渧ery relevant with younger guests and how they prefer to eat with more variety, customization and experiential flavors through our wide variety of dips,鈥� Hochman said. The Triple Dipper is a , with customers filming their combinations and raving about it. Chili鈥檚 $6 monthly margaritas are also luring people in, particularly its 鈥淲itches Brew鈥� for October, which has become 鈥渙ne of the best-selling promotional margaritas ever,鈥� he said. A new $10 Don Julio-based margarita is also attracting higher-end consumers.

Chili鈥檚 focus on affordability and virality 鈥渟hows just how broad the appeal of the chain is,鈥� according to a , a firm tracks foot traffic. 鈥淏y delivering high-quality meals at affordable prices, Chili鈥檚 has solidified its place as an everyman鈥檚 chain, offering value comparable to that of quick-service restaurants.鈥�

Chili鈥檚 success is a stark contrast to some of its rivals, like TGI Fridays. That chain abruptly within the past week across the United States as a reported bankruptcy looms. Meanwhile, McDonald鈥檚 was seeing its fortunes recover because of the $5 meal deal, but its because of an E. coli outbreak.

The-CNN-Wire