Chili’s is launching a location near Scranton, Pennsylvania, that will appeal to both Chili’s and “The Office” fans alike.
The Brinker International-owned chain is set to start serving guests at the “Scranton Branch” restaurant that Chili’s said was designed to “pay homage to some of Chili’s most notable on-screen moments, with throwback nods and decor” come April 7.
According to Chili’s, the “Scranton Branch” comes “nearly 20 years after cementing a spot in pop culture history thanks to a beloved group of employees at a fictitious Pennsylvania paper company” (A.K.A. Dunder Mifflin from the popular series “The Office”).
Inside, there will be a chalk art mural harkening back to Chili’s decor of the early 2000s, plus tile tables and vintage artwork throughout, the chain said.
Chili’s has also set up a “perfectly recreated business lunch booth photo opp to snap the perfect 2005 frame” at the soon-to-open “Scranton Branch.”
Its menu will offer the “Awesome Blossom” pull-apart deep-fried onion. That dish has not been sold at a Chili’s restaurant in some 17 years, the chain said.
“For decades, Chili’s has inserted itself in culture – introducing the now-famous Baby Back Ribs jingle, and most recently unleashing Triple Dipper cheese pulls on TikTok. But we’ve also seen the brand come to life on screen through the years, and that includes being tied to Scranton despite never having a location there. That changes this year with our newest restaurant,” Chili’s Chief Marketing Officer George Felix said in a statement.
CHILI’S SLIMMED-DOWN MENU IS WINNING, CEO SAYS
When it opens, the “Scranton Branch” restaurant will join the more than 1,200 locations that Chili’s already has in America. There are also over 360 Chili’s outside the U.S.
The casual dining chain has been seeing major success.
Brinker International CEO Kevin Hockman introduced a new strategy when he took the helm in 2022 to reinvent the company and bring it back to its heyday. It involved a smaller menu, revamped restaurants and boosting its social media presence.
He told FOX Business last month that the company’s strategy is driving traffic among its “existing fan base” as well as with a younger generation that has been introduced to the brand for the first time through social media channels.
Chili’s generated $1.2 billion in revenue for Brinker International during the second quarter, marking a 30% increase from the same three-month period in the prior year. Comparable restaurant sales at the brand also posted a 31.4% year-over-year jump in the second quarter.
FOX Business’ Daniella Genovese contributed to this report.
Read the full article here
