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Chili’s Grill & Bar takes to the road in Labor Day promotionChili’s Grill & Bar takes to the road in Labor Day promotion

Casual-dining brand offers handy Google routes and gift card prizes in Chili’s Road Trip

Ron Ruggless, Senior Editor

September 1, 2020

2 Min Read
Chili's Road Trip Promotion Cropped
Chili's Road Trip offers five U.S. routes for potential Labor Day trips.Brinker International Inc.

Chili’s Grill & Bar is marking the Labor Day weekend and the end of the pandemic summer with a weeklong promotion that offers road trip maps and gift card awards while highlighting Chili’s locations.

The grill and bar division of Dallas-based Brinker International Inc. launched the Chili’s Road Trip promotion Tuesday, and it runs through Sunday, Sept. 7, the day before Labor Day.

“To help give you something to look forward to — since your summer plans were likely canceled (thanks 2020) — we created a handy map with five routes that include several attractions to see and Chili’s to enjoy along the way,” the company said in a press release.

“After all, we figured you probably hadn’t realized a three-day weekend was around the corner, so we’re just doing you a favor here,” Chili’s added.

Chili's Satisfy your Cravings from Coast to Coast_604x500.jpegThe website offers online routes and maps for five U.S. regions, ranging from “East Coast Chillin’ and Grillin” for the District of Columbia, Maryland, New York and Pennsylvania to “Shakin’ Up the Cali Coast” for California.

The routes include sites ranging from the widely known, such as the Grand Canyon, to the more obscure, such as the “World’s Largest Rocking Chair” in Gulfport, Miss.

The brand roped in social-media platforms to award the prizes, urging entrants to take pictures of their road trips and post them publicly on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and use the #ChilisRoadTrip hashtag.

Related:Brinker banks on virtual brand It’s Just Wings growing into $150 million annual business

Photos posted from Sept. 1-7 are eligible to win the top prize of free Chili’s meals for a year. The second-place winner will receive a $250 Chili’s gift card, and third place will receive a $100 gift card.

For the fourth quarter ended June 24, Brinker swung to a net loss of $49.2 million, or $1.20 a share, from net income of $46.7 million, or $1.25 a share, in the same period a year ago. Revenues fell 32.5% to $563.2 million from $834.1 million in the prior-year quarter.

As of June 24, Brinker International owned, operated or franchised 1,663 restaurants, including 1,610 Chili’s and 53 Maggiano’s Little Italy units. In June, the company introduced in 1,050 units the DoorDash-delivery-only It’s Just Wings virtual concept.

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Contact Ron Ruggless at [email protected]

Follow him on Twitter: @RonRuggless

Read more about:

Brinker

About the Author

Ron Ruggless

Senior Editor, Nation’s Restaurant News / Restaurant Hospitality

Ron Ruggless serves as a senior editor for Informa Connect’s Nation’s Restaurant News (NRN.com) and Restaurant Hospitality (Restaurant-Hospitality.com) online and print platforms. He joined NRN in 1992 after working 10 years in various roles at the Dallas Times Herald newspaper, including restaurant critic, assistant business editor, food editor and lifestyle editor. He also edited several printings of the Zagat Dining Guide for Dallas-Fort Worth, and his articles and photographs have appeared in Food & Wine, Food Network and Self magazines. 

Ron Ruggless’ areas of expertise include foodservice mergers, acquisitions, operations, supply chain, research and development and marketing. 

Ron Ruggless is a frequent moderator and panelist at industry events ranging from the Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators (MUFSO) conference to RestaurantSpaces, the Council of Hospitality and Restaurant Trainers, the National Restaurant Association’s Marketing Executives Group, local restaurant associations and the Horeca Professional Expo in Madrid, Spain.

Ron Ruggless’ experience:

Regional and Senior Editor, Informa Connect’s Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality (1992 to present)

Features Editor – Dallas Times Herald (1989-1991)

Restaurant Critic and Food Editor – Dallas Times Herald (1987-1988)

Editing Roles – Dallas Times Herald (1982-1987)

Editing Roles – Charlotte (N.C.) Observer (1980-1982)

Editing Roles – Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald (1978-1980)

Email: [email protected]

Social media:

Twitter@RonRuggless

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ronruggless

Instagram: @RonRuggless

TikTok: @RonRuggless

 

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