[category]
[title]
It’s been a big few years for US food chains trying to get a foothold in the UK market. We’ve had the huge success of Dave’s Hot Chicken, seafood and chicken chain Captain D's, the second-coming of Chick-fil-A and first outpost of burger-and-fries joint Carl’s Jr, while later this year Raising Cane’s – the third biggest fried chicken chain in the US – will open in London.
And now another US dining behemoth has its eyes on Blighty. This time it’s Chili’s, a chain which serves American, Tex-Mex and Mexican-inspired food. Think: burgers, fajitas and ribs, as well as the brand’s own ‘crispers’, a kind of crispy chicken tender.
Chili’s has said it is seeking franchise partners to help it launch in the UK. As such, the launch process is in its earliest days: no locations or potential opening dates have yet been revealed.
Founded in Texas in 1975, Chili’s has since expanded to boast more than 1,600 restaurants in 30 countries around the world, from the US and Canada to India to South Korea, Morocco and Costa Rica. Brits might also know it best as a filming location from the second series of the American Office.
But this wouldn’t be the first time that Chili’s has opened restaurants in the UK. Back in the ’90s and ’00s eight locations opened up around the country in the likes of Cambridge and Reading. Most of these restaurants closed in 2009.
The Franchising Centre said that Chili’s offers a ‘blend of immersive, energetic environments inspired by classic American dining’, adding that ‘its simple, but delicious, menu means that it is a format which appeals to a very broad demographic.’
Will Chili’s attract franchisees in the UK? Only time will tell – watch this space for updates.
Did you see that the best pie in the UK has been crowned at the 2026 British Pie Awards?
Plus: How a Co-op supermarket freezer in Sheffield became an unlikely ambient hit.
Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out UK newsletter for the latest UK news and the best stuff happening across the country.