Chili’s ode to its past continues. The casual dining leader, which recently unveiled its “Less is More” menu nationwide, is reviving another guest favorite: the famed “I want my baby back, baby back, baby back,” ad campaign.
The revamped edition will promote Chili’s more-focused menu. On September 18, a lineup of 75 items—a 40 percent cut from the previous menu—unrolled across the country. The plan was to speed up service and streamline back-of-the house operations. Also, to highlight and improve the brand’s core offerings: burgers, ribs, and fajitas, and reconnect with loyal guests. The burgers and fajitas are now larger, with the fajitas including nearly 50 percent more meat, according to the chain.
Steve Provost, chief marketing and innovation officer of Chili’s, said Chili’s return to a beloved and recognizable campaign followed a similar theme.
“We admit that as a brand, we lost our way a bit and needed to take a step back to successfully move forward, which for us, included going back to our roots and revisiting our iconic jingle that was once on everyone’s lips,” he said in a statement to Business Insider. “But we didn’t just want to revive the original jingle, we wanted to break out of the casual dining ‘sea-of-sameness’ rut and let our guests know that Chili’s Is Back, Baby and better at what we’ve always done best—serving quality burgers, ribs, and fajitas, washed down with a cold margarita.”
The Brinker chain has cushioned the news with a series of videos and media to explain the changes, as well as honor past favorites no longer on the menu.
Chili’s posted recipes of departing guest favorites on its Pinterest page, released a series of recipe tutorial videos, including how to make Southwestern Mac & Cheese, and put together a collection of send-off videos to share on its social media channels. Check them out here.
Below is a list of the menu items cut from Chili’s menu:
- Mango Chile Tilapia
- Buffalo Fried Cauliflower
- Ancho-crusted Steak
- Honey Chipotle Shrimp Steak
- Margherita Salad
- Crispy Asparagus
- Margarita Chicken Bowl
- Margarita Chicken Flatbread Salad
- Turkey Sandwich
- Triple Berry Crumble Cake
- Grilled Chicken Sandwich
- Triple Berry Margarita
- Grass Fed Burger
- Southwestern Mac & Cheese
- Chipotle Chicken Flatbread
- Southwest Chicken Soup
- Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
- Spicy Pasilla Chile Chicken
- Spicy Shrimp Tacos
- Smothered Chicken Burrito
- Smoked Chicken Quesadillas
- Smothered Carnitas Burrito
- Carnitas Fajitas
- Creamy Jalapeno Wings
- Chicken Enchiladas
- Loaded White Queso
- Pork Carnitas Tacos
- Prime Rib Fresh Mex Bowl
- Prime Rib Fajitas
- Prime Rib Tacos
