Vol. 114 Chili’s: Calling out rising prices 👊

Case Studied
At what cost?  

Fast food exists on the premise of speed and affordability. But as menu prices have steadily risen across major chains, that value proposition has started to crack. Customers now regularly question fast food restaurant prices, comparing them to sit-down restaurants that offer more food and service for a similar price.

Quick-service restaurant (QSR) brands have responded in different ways. McDonald’s reintroduced their Extra Value Meals and launched the “McValue” platform. Wendy’s drew significant backlash after telling investors they’d start testing “dynamic pricing”, with critics comparing it to surge pricing (the CEO later clarified that they did not intend to raise prices during peak times). And in April 2025, Chili’s weighed in on this cost tension in their own way. 

This week, Case Studied explores how Chili’s earned media coverage and supported sales with a satirical pop-up… placed next to a McDonald’s.

The Brief

Founded in 1975, Chili’s has long occupied the middle ground between fast food and formal dining. In recent years, the brand began leaning more into its value-driven messaging. Most notably, this showed up through its popular 3 for Me menu, which bundles an entrée, appetizer, and drink at a fixed price.

As Chili’s adopted this approach, fast food pricing became a cultural flashpoint. Inflation, labor costs, and supply-chain pressures pushed prices up across major QSR chains, leading consumers to openly question whether fast food still delivers on its promise of affordability. 

Viral social posts comparing fast food receipts to sit-down restaurant bills further amplified this skepticism. But in that, Chili’s saw an opportunity.

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The Execution

Chili’s partnered with JM&D and M ss ng p eces to bring their Fast Food Financing campaign to life. It centered on a temporary pop-up in Manhattan’s Union Square that was intentionally placed next door to a McDonald’s location. 

Visually, the storefront space could be described as payday loan storefront meets daytime TV commercial. There was oversized signage warning that fast food prices were “out of control,” plus exaggerated messaging that promised customers the chance to “eat like a trillionaire.” Before customers even walked inside, the loud Chili’s setup and the polished McDonald’s storefront carried a message of stark contrast.

Inside the experience, satire met product positioning. The pop-up distributed gift cards and served Chili’s Big QP burger, a menu item designed to challenge McDonald’s Quarter Pounder. 

A separate product-focused spot reinforced this comparison by highlighting that the Big QP contains significantly more beef than a typical quarter-pound burger. This ad visually juxtaposed the Chili’s sandwich against a thinner alternative, without directly naming the competitor in copy (but clearly implying it).

For consumers who couldn’t attend in person, the brand extended the Fast Food Financing campaign beyond the physical space. Social giveaways on X offered gift cards, while a campaign microsite invited users to “apply for financing.” The site posed pointed questions about fast food pricing (e.g. “Do you believe fast food prices are out of control?”) and included playful interactive elements like a mini crossword and maze.

The Results

Fast Food Financing quickly generated earned media across marketing, food, and culture outlets. Social clips and photos from the Union Square pop-up circulated widely, driven by the campaign’s exaggerated visuals and easily understood premise.

While Chili’s did not tie the Fast Food Financing campaign to specific sales figures, the activation fueled momentum for the brand’s steadily strong sales. In fiscal Q2 2025, comparable sales at Chili’s rose 31% year over year. To date, the brand’s had 19 consecutive quarters of same-store sales growth. 

The Takeaways

1)  Find creative ways to sharpen competitive contrast.

Placing their pop-up directly next to a McDonald’s made the comparison to Chili’s clear but not confrontational. Chili’s didn’t need side-by-side prices or aggressive claims. The environment, visuals, and juxtaposition allowed consumers to draw their own conclusions.

Brands competing with category leaders can take note: differentiation can be communicated with a nod and a wink. Rather than head-to-head messaging, consider how you can make your audience feel like they’re in on the joke with you.

2) Turn shared frustration into participation.

The rising cost of fast food is a widely felt pain point and Chili’s treated it as an invitation. The pop-up, social giveaways, and interactive microsite allowed consumers to engage with the issue playfully, transforming irritation into involvement.

When addressing sensitive topics like pricing, look for ways to bring audiences into the conversation. Participation can build trust and affinity long before a purchase decision is made.

3) Lean into aligned cultural moments.

Fast Food Financing supported Chili’s broader momentum that was already underway. The brand had been leaning into value-driven messaging and viral menu items for a while. So even though it was a stunt, the campaign didn’t feel like a one-off.

For marketers, the lesson is alignment. What topics is your brand well-suited to speak to and why? Lean into those and show off your brand’s savvy.

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