NEW YORK, December 31, 2025, 18:14 ET
- Chili’s mocked fast-food “value meals” on X and promoted a $10.99 burger-and-sides deal.
- The jab followed fresh comments about price-sensitive diners pulling back at major fast-food chains.
- A high-profile Chili’s location inside Orlando International Airport is set to close on Dec. 31.
Chili’s Grill & Bar took aim at McDonald’s, Wendy’s and Burger King on Wednesday, arguing that fast-food value meals no longer feel like a bargain and promoting its own $10.99 burger-and-sides deal. The post landed as McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski told investors, “We continue to see a bifurcated consumer base,” a reference to spending splitting between higher- and lower-income diners. Fox News+1
The exchange matters now because value is becoming a front-line battleground in U.S. dining, with more consumers watching every dollar as food inflation and higher menu prices squeeze budgets.
For casual-dining brands, the fight is also about perception. Reuters reported in November that Chili’s was drawing more low-income diners with value-focused marketing even as pricier chains struggled to hold onto younger customers.
Chili’s jumped into the conversation after an X user flagged signs of slowing traffic at big fast-food brands and called it a stress signal for consumer demand, Fox News reported.
The chain’s reply leaned on a simple comparison: a sit-down meal for $10.99, including a burger, fries, bottomless chips and salsa, and a drink, versus what it called misleading fast-food “value” pricing.
Online reactions were mixed. Some users said the offer made them consider trying Chili’s, while others treated it as another sign that drive-thru meals have become a tougher sell for price-sensitive diners.
Fast-food chains have leaned heavily on cheaper bundles and limited-time offers to blunt a slowdown in restaurant traffic, Reuters reported in November, as executives pointed to pressure on lower-income consumers.
Value meals are typically bundled deals sold at a set price, often combining an entrée with a side and a drink, and they are designed to keep customers coming back even when discretionary spending tightens.
A Chili’s spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the chain offers everyday value compared with fast food, the outlet reported.
Separately, a Chili’s Grill & Bar location inside Orlando International Airport will close permanently on Wednesday, Dec. 31, Orlando-News.com reported, citing a social media post from the airport.
The airport described the closure as a bittersweet goodbye and encouraged travelers to stop in one last time, according to the report.
Taken together, the social media jab and the airport closure underline how restaurant brands are juggling price messaging, foot traffic and location strategy heading into 2026.
