Financing

Chili's shoots past 2019 sales levels, but Maggiano's lags

Comps for both brands were helped by the It's Just Wings virtual concept, but off-premise business slipped overall.
Photograph: Shutterstock

Chili’s same-store sales for the fourth quarter ended June 30th topped the pre-pandemic benchmark of two years earlier by 8.5%, buoyed by the chain’s It’s Just Wings virtual brand, parent company Brinker International revealed Wednesday morning.

But same-restaurant sales for sister concept Maggiano’s Little Italy were more sluggish, leaping 147.9% above last year’s pandemic-depressed level but still falling 17.5% short of the 2019 watermark.

Overall, Brinker reported a net income for the quarter of $75 million, compared with a year-earlier loss of $49.2 million. Revenues soared by 79.2%, to $990.9 million.

The company updated its guidance for fiscal 2022, with management projecting mid-single-digit increases in labor and food costs.

Brinker finished Q4 with 1,648 company-run or franchised restaurants.

Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.

Multimedia

Exclusive Content

Financing

Inside the Starbucks turnaround

The coffee shop giant has spent the past 18 months returning to its roots as a coffee shop where customers want to stay. Now the company plans to go on offense.

Technology

Why a Dunkin' franchisee is using AI to count its doughnuts

Tennessee-based Bluemont Group was throwing away millions of dollars' worth of unsold doughnuts a year. Enter Do’Cast, an AI camera system that is helping it match supply with demand.

Financing

Chipotle and Taco Bell had very different years in 2025

The Bottom Line: The two Mexican chains have long been among the industry’s most consistent performers. But that changed last year, at least for one of them.

Trending

More from our partners