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Company type | Public |
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Industry | Restaurant |
Predecessor |
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Founded | 1991 |
Founder |
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Headquarters | Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
Number of locations | 1,672 restaurants (2019) |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | |
Services | Foodservice |
Revenue | ![]() |
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Total assets | ![]() |
Total equity | ![]() |
Number of employees | 62,200 (2020) |
Subsidiaries | |
Website |
brinker |
Footnotes / references [2] [3] |
Brinker International, Inc. (or simply Brinker) is an American multinational hospitality industry company that owns Chili's and Maggiano's Little Italy restaurant chains. Founded in 1975 and based in Dallas, Texas, Brinker currently owns, operates, or franchises 1,672 restaurants under the names Chili's Grill & Bar and Maggiano's Little Italy worldwide. [4] [1]
Larry Lavine opens the first Chili's Grill & Bar in Dallas, Texas. [5] The company was renamed Chili's Inc. in 1976.
Chili's Inc. was sold to Norman E. Brinker in 1983, and took the company public a year later. [5]The first Romano's Macaroni Grill opens in Leon Springs, Texas, in 1988. [6] [7]
In 1991, Chili's Inc. became Brinker International, Inc. [8] In 1992, the company entered into an agreement with Pac-Am Food Concepts to expand the Chili's brand to the Far East. [9]
Chili's, Inc. became Brinker International, Inc. (Brinker) in 1991. [10] In 1992, the company entered into an agreement with Pac-Am Food Concepts to expand the Chili's brand to the Far East. [11]
In 2000, Norman Brinker stepped down as company chairman, he passed away in June 2009. [12]
In May 2012, the Supreme Court of California issued its much-awaited decision in Brinker Restaurant Corp. v. Superior Court. The Brinker decision gave important guidance to employers regarding meal breaks, rest periods, and class certification. [13]
On February 7, 2013, Brinker announced the election of Wyman Roberts to its board of directors. Roberts served as CEO and President of Brinker International, and President of Chili's Grill & Bar until his retirement in June of 2022. Roberts' Brinker tenure includes his role as President of Chili's since 2009. Previously, Roberts also served as Brinker's Chief Marketing Officer and President of the Maggiano's Little Italy brand. [4]
In June 2024, CFO Joe Taylor retired and was succeeded by Mika Ware. [14]
Brinker acquired Maggiano's from Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises in August 1995. [15]
The company sold off the Corner Bakery Cafe brand in 2005. [16]
In December 2008, Mac Acquisition LLC, an affiliate of Golden Gate Capital, purchased a majority interest in Romano's Macaroni Grill for $131.5 million. [3] [17]
In June 2010, Brinker sells On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina to OTB Acquisition LLC, also an affiliate of Golden Gate Capital. [3] [18]
In 2015, the company purchased 103 franchised Chilli’s restaurants for a reported $106.5 million. [19]
Brinker International owns, operates, and franchises the Chili's Grill & Bar, Maggiano's Little Italy and It's Just Wings [20] restaurant concepts. They also have a minority stake in Mac Acquisition LLC, the owners of Romano's Macaroni Grill as of 2008. [2]