Burger News

Chili's slashes 50 items from menu but beefs up the burgers, fajitas, and baby back ribs

Oh my, Chili's, what a big burger you have!

Photo courtesy of Chili's

Aiming to get back to its roots and rekindle interest, Dallas-based Chili's has dramatically trimmed back its menu, removing nearly 50 dishes. The menu's been shrunk by 40 percent, from 125 items down to 75.

Goodbye, crispy asparagus. Goodbye, grass-fed burger. Goodbye, triple berry crumble cake.

According to chief marketing officer Steve Provost, the company will refocus on its most popular and successful items, namely burgers, ribs, and fajitas. "Those are the dishes where Chili's has had appeal for over 25 years," Provost says. "Burgers, ribs, and fajitas — those are our big three categories."

Dishes going away include:

mango tilapia
crispy asparagus
buffalo fried cauliflower
jalapeño wings
loaded white queso
Southwest chicken soup
Southwest mac and cheese
margherita salad
turkey and chicken sandwich
prime rib fajitas and carnitas fajitas
ancho-crusted steak and honey chipotle shrimp-topped steak
grass-fed burger
prime rib fresh Mex bowl
margarita chicken bowl
chicken, cheese, and beef enchiladas
spicy pasilla chile chicken
spicy shrimp tacos and pork carnitas tacos
chipotle chicken flatbread
smothered smoked chicken burrito and smothered carnitas burrito
smoked chicken quesadillas
triple berry crumble cake

Many of the outgoing dishes are healthy-ish and gourmet-ish. But if anything, Chili's is doubling down by bumping up the portion size on the original trio. Burgers are now 8 ounces, a full half pound, up from 7 ounces. Fajitas have 48 percent more meat. Baby back ribs have 30 percent more meat. So much meat.

"It's possible that some guests could find a half pound burger polarizing," Provost says. "However, we invented the 'big mouth burger' back in 1995. The reality is, guests want juiciness in their burgers, and size is directly related to juiciness."

Chili's opened its first restaurant on Greenville Avenue in Dallas in 1975. Back then, the restaurant was known as a burger shack with 25 menu items, and that includes beer and margaritas. In 1986, they introduced an "emerging" dish called fajitas, even offering a helpful "fa-heet-ah" phonetic pronunciation guide.

As bar and grill restaurants proliferated, so did Chili's menu, peaking in January 2017 with 125 appetizers, entrees, desserts, cocktails, and add-ons, including sections devoted to burritos, enchiladas, and flatbreads, with ingredients ranging from cauliflower to quinoa, making it one of the largest chain restaurant menus. That's when Chili's said, Enough.

Kelli Valade, president of Chili's, acknowledges that the cuts could disappoint customers. "We know there's risk here," she says. "Every dish that's being taken off has someone who likes it. But I think we're at a moment where less is truly more, and the idea of focusing on our core menu is necessary to get back to prosperity."

Hoping to distract from the subtractions, Chili's has mounted a campaign with humorous videos posted on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. A clever one called "Menu-morium" rolls out a soft-focus montage of clips of the dishes being retired, reminiscent of the Academy Awards' video tribute to film stars who've passed away.

Chili's is also sharing recipes on Pinterest and other social media outlets for more than 20 of the items being cut. "We know there are guests who will want to make that Southwest mac and cheese at home," Valade says.

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Bowling over Houston

Gluten-free Austin restaurant picks River Oaks for first Houston store

Rendering of Honest Mary's in River Oaks

Rendering by Mark Odom Studio

Honest Mary's, an Austin-based eatery, is expanding with a new location in Houston's River Oaks in fall 2025.

It will be a Houston homecoming for restauranteur Nelson Monteith with the fall 2025 debut of Honest Mary’s in River Oaks.

“It’s a joy and honor to bring a brand we’ve worked hard to create in Austin and finally be able to share that concept with friends and family in Houston,” Monteith said in a statement. “There’s a bit of built-in comfort in knowing there are folks here who are already fans of Honest Mary’s. They’ve been asking us for years to open a location in Houston, and now it’s happening.”

Located at 2047-A West Gray St., Honest Mary's will occupy the current La Madeleine space. It is not known at this time when La Madeleine will close, but construction on Honest Mary's is expected to begin in May 2025.

Monteith and his wife, Mary, launched Honest Mary’s in 2017 after embracing mindful eating to improve their health. Since then, the Austin-based eatery that describes itself as serving "life-giving fast food" has expanded to four locations, with the upcoming River Oaks spot marking its arrival in Houston.

“There’s healthy food, fresh food, and fast food,” he said. “We wanted to create something that fits into that sweet spot without sacrificing quality or convenience. The trend towards healthy eating and the reality of busy lifestyles aren’t slowing down. We offer a place that caters to both.”

At the center of Honest Mary’s menu are five signature bowls ranging from poke to vegetarian, including the smoky poblano ($10.25) that features a basmati rice base with fresh vegetables of wild arugula, sweet corn, and pickled onions in a creamy poblano sauce. Co-partner and chef Andrew Wiseheart, known for Austin’s Contigo and Ladybird Taco, leads the kitchen.

Honest Mary's menu features healthy, gluten-free bowls. Guests can choose from five signature bowls at Honest Mary's, or create their own.Courtesy of Honest Mary's

Diners can build their own bowls by selecting a base like quinoa, proteins including grilled chicken and tuna, and vegetables such as sweet potatoes. Pickled onions, cucumber salad, and avocado are among the topping selections, with sauces like lemon garlic and cashew-lime crema.

Scratch-made sipping broths round out the menu, with the chicken bone broth packed with celery, carrots, onions and parsley, or an umami-rich seaweed and mushroom broth.

A selection of house-made aguas frescas and teas, local craft beer, wine, kombucha, and organic cold-pressed juices will be available, as will Honest Mary’s popular almond butter cookies sweetened with maple syrup and topped with a sprinkle of Maldon salt.

Rendering by Mark Odom Studio

Honest Mary's, an Austin-based eatery, is expanding with a new location in Houston's River Oaks in fall 2025.

With its fully gluten-free menu, Honest Mary’s caters to a range of dietary preferences, including vegetarian, vegan, and dairy-free. To align with Monteith’s dedication to nutrition, Honest Mary’s uses seed oils sparingly and prioritizes local and organic ingredients when possible.

“River Oaks Shopping Center has a unique blend of history and vibrant new concepts, making it the ideal home for us,” Monteith said. “We aim to be a neighborhood spot where people can enjoy delicious, healthy food.”

Lunden McGill and John Frazier of Baker Katz brokered the deal for the 2,200-square-foot space and additional patio with seating for 38 inside and 44 outside. Mark Odom Studio is responsible for architecture and design.

Honest Mary’s signature elements of terra cotta and blue tilework will be incorporated to provide consistency between all five locations, while Art Deco-inspired decor of lush greenery, warm wood tones and natural light will align the space with the River Oaks Shopping Center’s structure.

Takeaway, delivery, and dine-in will be provided daily from 11 am to 9 pm.

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