An American fast food chain that closed down its last UK branch 17 years ago is planning to return to Britain. US Tex‑Mex chain Chili’s Grill & Bar has confirmed plans to open a flagship UK location within the next 12 to 18 months, marking a fresh attempt to re‑enter the market.
This won’t be its first presence here — the brand originally expanded to the UK in the 1990s, operating nine restaurants in places such as Cambridge, Reading and London’s Canary Wharf. However, by 2009, all of those sites had shut down, and Chili’s then disappeared from the UK entirely. The new launch signals a renewed push to establish the brand after more than a decade away.
Chili’s is planning a major UK return by teaming up with The Franchising Centre, a partnership designed to help the brand re‑establish itself after more than a decade away, Metro reports.
As part of this strategy, the company is exploring the possibility of opening up to 100 restaurants across both major cities and suburban areas, signalling a far more ambitious rollout than its previous UK presence.
John Overdijking, franchise recruitment specialist at The Franchise Centre, recently told Propel Hospitality that they see ‘significant’ scale opportunities for Chili’s here, estimating they could have “85 to 100 restaurants nationwide”.
He said: “Chili’s is best known for its full-service restaurants, [but] the brand has flexible formats, including full-service restaurants (3,000-3,500 square feet), standard casual dining (2,500- 3,500 square feet) and fast-casual (1,500- 2,500 square feet).
“This opens up potential for compact urban sites, travel hubs, and even non-traditional locations over time. However, its initial focus will lean more toward full-service.”
Founded in Texas in 1975 by Larry Lavine, Chilli’s now owned and run by Brinker International, is well known not just for its Tex‑Mex food but also for its pop‑culture moment as the setting of the Dundies awards in season two of the US version of The Office.
The menu reflects its Tex‑Mex roots, offering everything from crispy chicken and full racks of ribs to fajitas, burgers, salads, soups and, naturally, plenty of chilli.