Savor The Moment: Could TikTok End Up Saving Chili’s?
Could TikTok end up saving Chili’s? Their parent company appears to be saying so after they’ve seen a huge turn around in sales recently.
Some restaurants are having a hard time staying afloat these days. Once-popular chains like Red Lobster have had some financial troubles lately and have been shutting down stores across the country. For a while, it looked like Chili’s was going to suffer a similar fate until an appetizer went viral on TikTok.
Could TikTok End Up Saving Chili’s?
When you think of Chili’s, several different things might come to mind. First, there’s the timeless jingle for Baby Back Ribs that seemingly everybody knows. If it’s for some reason slipped your mind, you can watch a video here. Additionally, you might think of The Office episode where Michael Scott and Jan have a business meeting at Chili’s which Michael describes as “the new golf course. It’s where business happens.” To everyone’s surprise, the person they’re meeting with ends up being a lot like Michael and they hit it off and end up closing the deal. Then, there are more appearances at Chili’s on The Office in other episodes like the one where they hosted “The Dundies” at the restaurant, and Pam is eventually banned for life.
What you might not have considered is that the chain isn’t as popular as it was during the original run of The Office. Times have changed. Now, even fast-food chains are struggling to bring customers in and are creating all sorts of value meals and combos in an attempt to bring people back. Taco Bell is even testing a Nostalgic Menu with popular items from various decades!
According to CNBC, Chili’s same-store sales climbed nearly 15% in its latest quarter. That kind of growth puts the restaurant chain in some elite company, joining Chipotle and Wingstop. Meanwhile, rivals like Applebee’s and Outback Steakhouse have been seeing their same-store sales decline. Things seem to be coming together for the restaurant chain as their Triple Dipper appetizer went viral on TikTok a couple of months ago. According to CNBC, Kevin Hochman, CEO of parent company Brinker International, says that the Triple Dipper going viral on TikTok accounted for roughly 40% of the chain’s sales growth. That’s huge! That’s incredibly statistically significant that TikTok can be responsible for that large of growth. It really goes to show what the social media app can do for a brand or company.
Now, they just need to hold onto these new customers. Will they be able to do it? Hopefully, because we need our delicious Baby Back Ribs and that amazing jingle.