Chili’s Bets Big on Its New Value Menu

The appeal of Chili’s revamped value menu among diners resulted in a strong earnings performance for the casual-dining chain, parent company Brinker International disclosed, Tuesday. The Dallas, Texas-based subsidiary grew company-owned store sales by 2.9 percent, and franchised locations by 3.4 percent in its fiscal second quarter. Customer traffic for the period ending Dec. 26 also increased 2.9 percent, according to the restaurant group. By comparison, Brinker International, which additionally owns Maggiano’s Little Italy, disclosed combined 2.5 percent sales growth for its two brands. Maggiano’s posted a 1.8 percent boost in comparable-store sales along with a 1.3 percent rise in store traffic. An All New Value Menu Chili’s introduced its reconfi