CNBC Marathon explores how different restaurant chains like Chili’s, Wingstop, and McDonald’s are attracting customers back into their stores.
Chili’s Grill and Bar is a casual dining chain that took America by storm in the early 2000s. From 2000-2008, its U.S. store count nearly doubled. But in the decade following the Great Recession, the nostalgic brand fell out of favor as sales grew stagnant and its store count declined. With the help of recent CEO, Kevin Hochman, parent company, Brinker International, has generated a record high $4.4 billion in revenue in fiscal year 2024. Watch the video to find out how the company has staged a comeback.
Wingstop is capitalizing on the American appetite for chicken and providing investors with strong, consistent growth. In the past five years, the company’s share price is up over 250%, and it has grown its store footprint to 2,352 restaurants worldwide. The chicken-wing chain has expanded its offerings and continued to grow brand awareness. Watch the video to find out how Wingstop became one of the hottest restaurant stocks of the year.
Fast food has become a luxury for many consumers who are constantly looking for deals and cheap meals. Many popular chains have noticed the pullback and have rolled out the return of value meals. These nostalgic menus offer select items for a cheap price and food chains hope it’s a way to bring customers back and to spend on more items outside of the discounted food items.
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
01:10 Why Americans Are Going Back to Chili’s (Published September 2024)
12:56 How Wingstop Became One Of The Hottest Restaurant Stocks (Published August 2024)
24:51 Why Fast Food Chains Like McDonald’s, Wendy’s And Taco Bell Brought Back Value Meals (Published August 2024)
Produced by: DeLon Thornton, Ryan Baker
Edited by: Darren Getter
Graphics by: Jason Reginato, Christina Locopo
Supervising Producers: Jeniece Pettitt, Shawn Baldwin, Tala Hadavi
Editorial Support: Amelia Lucas
Additional Camera: Mickey Todiwala, Natalie Rice, Eric Clark
Additional Footage: Brinker International, Getty Images, Wingstop
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Why Restaurant Chains Are Making A Comeback | CNBC Marathon
50 Comments
Inflation duh
thank you chillis for changing the game
Wow. Im not surprised.
i wonder how poor the quality of food is for them to achieve such low prices?
Interesting how chicken is now (supposedly) causing cancer.
Hardee’s is just as expensive as chilis.
Good stuff
I’d like to experience this consumption…
…but I’m Black. I’m afraid to be Floy’d. So… China, Italy or Japan trip it is then. 🫶🏾
All this food is trash. Its not bad once or twice a year. But it takes like trash in general. It is what it is.
This is some of the worst reporting I’ve ever seen.
No mention of Hot Ones videos inspiring Wing Stop transactions?
I miss Chilies so much. We need a Chilies in the Vancouver or Ridgefield WA area, which is blowing up with new businesses and construction. The closest current Chilies to us is in Spokane WA which is like a 6 hour drive away. We need one or two west of the Cascade Mountains.
Yall made this video before
It’s because of inflation. If McDonald’s prices are same as Chili’s then might as well just go Chili’s. The quality is just better there.
This is the media trying to prop up the industry. They're lying or uneducated.
When groceries cost an arm and a leg, going to a chain restaurant is the better option.
Limit fast food to 2-3 orders per month not going more than $10 each time, if you want to salvage your health.
People are broke, thats why.
It's all low quality high sugar and fat food. Save money eating out and wind up being treated for onset diabetes at a younger age. Too high a price to pay for your health.
Please…and after student loan repayments???😂
Do you want burgers and fries for $15-$20 or can you go to Denny’s and get a T-bone steak and eggs for the same price and then have time to decide if you want dessert ?😂
This video is just a huge advertisement
Americans proudly lead the charge, heroically stuffing their faces with processed junk like it’s a national sport. No mystery why we’re global champions in obesity, diabetes, and cancer—it’s the only gold medal we seem determined to win.
If I'm gonna go sit down for a meal it won't be at a chain restaurant it will be a local family fun business. Otherwise I'll save the money and eat at home.
I've seen a massive drop in people going to fast foods.. We have lost all of our Churches Chicken and Popeyes.
High prices and bioengineered gmo foods….
spoiler alert cause everyone’s broke
$5.00 20 piece Nuggets, 2 large fries for $5 would bring a lot of consumers in also, yet sales will enevitably decrease as soon as value menus fade, It's simple economics consumers are forced to shop value given the current economy.
No fast food restaurants can compete against Chick fil A.
Chick fil A has the best food AND the best service in the fast food industry.
Real talk 💯
No, that "influencer" talking with her mouth full, actually makes me sick.
Fake news. Both Burger King and Wendy’s closed in my city within the past year. Apple Bee’s is barely half the volume since covid ended. 15bucks for a quarter pounder meal? Unhealthy and way overpriced. Eat at home. This broadcast lies.
Chili's, Applebee's, Red Robbin, etc…all kicking the fast food chains butts with better quality and sit down service. No Brainerd. That's what fast food deserves for getting greedy.
4:23 butt scratch
Y’all really getting paid for this segment huh
When you actually offer specials people will come. You offer more specials then you get people to come. They know they keep customers if they can't people in the doors with a special
W Video✅ W Topic😁
You buy food because you saw some fake reviews on social media?
Last time I went to a Chilis and it was peak was 2005-2007. I did take out a good bit, dates and always crowded. But after that I went in 2010s a few times and dead. The insides looked like places you didn’t want stay in. More like a business lunch real quick, or a take out vibe. 2022 I went and same thing..just business lunches mostly and not much else.
It use to be very crowded with family’s on any given Saturday with an hour wait. I knew in my early 20s, me and my girlfriend use to always go. The quality and hot food was up to par then.
Usually first date nite spot pick as well, this probably before Sushi blew up in every suburban strip mall. Mid to late 2000s Chilies was popping! But the one thing Chilis had forever, was the construction worker happy hour. I remember seeing 30-50 or so day workers piling in for drinks every night. Not sure if that’s still a thing. But 2000s that’s when is was a very popular happy hour spot…for better or worse lol.
Fakest ad I have ever seen in my life fast food restaurant are closing right and left
My parents taught me not to talk with my mouth full…
A lot of the wages given to kitchen employees are insane. They pay from $8-14 on average here in Oklahoma. You work a lot of hours most days of the week and it’s 2nd shift hours mostly. They work you like crazy for a low amount of pay.
Mc Donald is making a come back? What?
I stopped going to fast food restaurants because of the ridiculous high prices. A blessing in disguise. My family now eats at home, eats more healthily and much, much cheaper. We do go on rare occasions to Chilis since it is good value.
Love chicken in the mornin'
I like the Impossible Whooper the best
i will never return to starbucks or mcdonalds ever again after the sh.t they pulled on menu prices the last few years
Most people use credit cards to pay for food. And most carry balances. And that means every time they buy food, the cost never stops. Hundreds even thousands of extra dollars over the years extra for food. Wow.
I had Chili's last year for the first time in years. That Ultimate Smokehouse Combo for $26 is something else in terms of value. I feel like that plate would be $30+ elsewhere easily. I've been to Chili's twice more since the end of 2024 and its my go to entree. The chicken crispers are better than I remember them being 4-5 yrs ago, too. I'm not surprised to see them making a killing when they overdeliver at those menu prices.
Only feather brains continue eating out in a down economy
Cause they had to, they had no choice.