10 Mistakes You're Making At Chili's

Chili's is a bastion of casual American dining. Yes, it's more elevated than a typical fast food or fast casual restaurant, but it's also the kind of place that you could probably wear sweatpants to without much concern. Whatever pants you wear, though, you should probably make sure they have an elastic waistband, since Chili's serves up some of the most decadent American bar food classics you'll find at any chain restaurant.

Whether you're a Chili's insider or you've only been to the chain a handful of times in your life, there's a good chance that you're making at least a few mistakes whenever you visit the restaurant. After all, every chain has its own quirks and deals that can affect your dining experience there. We've outlined some of the most common mistakes people make at Chili's so you can avoid them, making sure every Chili's experience you have is better than the last. Here are the mistakes you might be making at the popular chain.

Dining at restaurants is getting more and more expensive, which means that many of us are choosing to eat at home more often. But just because you're watching your budget doesn't mean you can never go out to eat. Chain restaurant rewards programs — like the one you'll find at Chili's — can be a great way to find decent deals that allow you to eat out more often, even when your wallet is feeling thin.

By joining the Chili's rewards program, you'll get a variety of personalized deals that you can use at the restaurant, a free dessert on your birthday, and free chips and salsa. Plus, it'll make it easier for you to order to-go orders when you want to grab your food and go home. It may not be worth it if you only go to Chili's once every five years, but if you find yourself at the restaurant often, it's absolutely worth it to join the rewards program.

When a lot of people think about going to Chili's, they imagine going to the restaurant in the evening to eat dinner. After all, many of us are busy during the day and don't have time to enjoy a leisurely lunch out on the town. However, if you do have some availability in the middle of the day, you might want to consider going to Chili's for lunch instead of dinner. During lunch, you're probably more likely to order smaller portions of lighter food, which may mean that you'll save some money by not opting for the most decadent dish on the menu. Plus, you may not be as inclined to order an alcoholic beverage, which only adds to your final bill.

Going to Chili's for lunch is about more than just the usually cheaper than dinner prices, though. Often, you'll find that Chili's is less busy during the day, which means you don't have to sit around and wait for a table to open up. Give it a try if you've only ever been to Chili's at night.

If you're trying to cut costs at Chili's when you go out to eat, you may want to decide to skip the appetizers and go straight to an entree. Sure, appetizers might be fun, but they're ultimately a superfluous part of the meal, right? Well, think again. When you're at Chili's, the appetizers might actually be the star of the show. You'll find plenty of classics, like chips and guacamole and buffalo wings, but there are some creative apps that you won't be able to find anywhere else.

For example, the Triple Dipper is one of the chain's most well-known items, since it comes with three different types of apps all in one. It's a great way to try a wider range of what Chili's has to offer. And indulgent twists on classics, like the Nashville hot mozzarella, are half of the joy of going to Chili's in the first place. Plus, some of these apps are so big, they can make an entree all on their own. Make sure you don't skip this part of the menu.

Seemingly more and more chain restaurants are rolling out updated tech to create a whole new guest experience at their locations, and Chili's isn't any exception. In August of 2024, the chain decided to roll out Ziosk tablets at tables. This tablet allows you to select what you want from the menu and pay right there at the table, without having to wait for a staff member to assist you. 

Admittedly, we don't love that these tablets are ostensibly taking jobs from servers who would otherwise by providing service to customers, but since they're there, you should take advantage of them when you can — especially if you see that the restaurant is quite busy. These tablets do offer some convenience (even if it comes at an unacceptable price). You can take your time ordering, and you won't have to wait until your server comes around to pay the check and leave.

When you're following a specific type of diet, whether you're just trying to shed a few pounds or you have a sensitivity to gluten, it can sometimes be difficult to eat out. You have to contend with fewer options on the menu that offer what you need nutritionally, and you may not be able to find anything appropriate at all. But luckily, there are some chain restaurants out there that can be pretty accommodating of different dietary needs, and Chili's is one of them.

For those with celiac or who choose to avoid gluten in their diets, there's a gluten-friendly menu that you can consult so you know exactly what you can order without fear of gluten in your dish. There are a surprisingly wide range of options to choose from here. There's also a section on the menu called "guiltless grill." While we don't agree with the idea that eating any food should make you feel guilty, we do appreciate these more calorie-conscious options. It's nice to know that there's a restaurant you can eat out at even when you have special dietary needs.

Sometimes, you might not want to cook, but the idea of actually going out to eat doesn't sound great either. Instead, you just want to post up in front of the TV and get your grub on in the comfort of your own home. That's when takeout might be your best option. The only problem? You're going to have to be your own bartender for the night. And if you don't have any adult beverages on hand or the idea of shaking up your own margarita sounds like more than you can bear in your state of deserved laziness, then you might want to check out Chili's to-go alcohol options.

When you place an order for food, you'll also be able to add to-go alcohol onto the ticket. Choose from Chili's classics like a Presidente Margarita or a Shark Attack Marg, or snag yourself a Long Island iced tea or a Deep Eddy Strawberry Texas Lemonade. Takeout night just got a little more exciting.

Compared to smaller, more local restaurants, Chili's has a significant advertising budget, meaning that it can pretty easily create hype around its menu items. Some of them may absolutely deserve the hype. However, that may make you overlook other items on the menu that may be even more delicious. Of course, that doesn't mean you shouldn't try those super-hyped items, but don't be afraid to branch out and try something new and a bit more obscure on the Chili's menu, too.

Perhaps the most hyped dish of them all is Chili's Triple Dipper, a customizable app that allows you to choose three appetizers to try in one order. The chicken crispers get a fair amount of attention as well. But if you only order these dishes, you'll be missing out on other tasty menu items, like the half rack of ribs and the mouthwatering brisket quesadillas. Don't feel limited by what you see on social media.

There are times when you may want to go out for a nice meal, but you don't want to have to spend a ton of money in the process. And these days, when the price of going out to eat seems to have risen exponentially, we're always on the lookout for a good deal. Well, Chili's just happens to offer one of the best chain restaurant meal deals we've seen as of this publication. It's the 3 for Me value meal, which allows you to choose a beverage, an appetizer, and a main course. Prices vary slightly, but they start at $10.99, which is a deal that seems pretty unheard of at most restaurants.

Starting at the lower-priced end of the spectrum, there are two different burgers you can snag for that $10.99 price tag. If you're willing to spend a bit more, you can order a classic sirloin, Cajun shrimp pasta, a crispy chicken sandwich, or a whole slew of other options. It's a great option for a budget meal that's a step above what a fast food or fast casual spot has to offer. 

After you've finished your entree at Chili's, there's probably a pretty good chance that you're going to be too full for dessert. But that's exactly why we recommend getting a to-go box, since you're going to want to indulge in what may just be the most decadent chain restaurant chocolate cake available. It's Chili's molten chocolate lava cake, and even though it's sickly sweet and arguably way, way too chocolatey, it may just be one of our favorite dishes on the menu. You can't find this classic '90s dessert everywhere these days, but you can still snag it at Chili's.

Essentially, it's a chocolate cake filled with "molten chocolate" (read: melted chocolate sauce). When you cut into the cake, that molten chocolate comes pouring out, leaving you with a chocolate crime scene you'll be happy to sop up with cake. If that weren't enough decadence on its own, this cake is also covered with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, followed by a hard chocolate shell and a drizzle of caramel to top things off. Just be warned: This dessert is rich enough that you may want to share it with someone else. Can't get to a Chili's? You can make our version of the cake at home.

One thing about Chili's is that you're going to be able to order just about any kind of decadent American food you could ever want. The chain offers an incredibly wide range of dishes, which is probably why it appeals to families and groups where not everyone can agree on what to eat. However, that means that there are some items on the menu that probably don't taste as good as they should, since those aren't the dishes the restaurant is really focused on. According to a Redditor who claims to be a former Chili's chef, at Chili's, those are the seafood dishes.

"I do NOT recommend the seafood," they wrote. "You're at a chain restaurant, and one that sells themselves as a Tex-Mex grill. Are you really expecting decent seafood in this situation?!" It's a good point. Even though some of Chili's more seafood-centric dishes may sound good on the menu, you're probably going to be better off getting buffalo wings or a fried chicken sandwich if you want your meal to taste as good as it should.