🠈  Brinker International  🠊

Brinker International

Brinker International is a holding company for popular restaurants. Its primary properties are Chili's and Maggiano's Italian Restaurant.

The company started as Chili's then, under the leadership of Norman E. Brinker, developed a number of restaurant concepts. The compan chainsy refocused on its core after the death of Mr. Brinker.

• Chili's is a fun chain serving a tasty and healthy southwestern cuisine. The first Chili's opened in Dallas, Texas in 1975. The menu has gradually expanded to include favorites like Baby Back Ribs, Big Mouth Burgers, the Awesome Blossom and Chili's famous Guiltless Grill. Chili's opened its 1000^th restaurant in 2005. They had 1,600 restaurants when I visited the site in 2019.
• Magianno's Little Italy includes 52 Italian style restaurants. They are noted for their selection of fine wines. The larger rooms at Magianno's are ideal for groups and banquets.

Brinker International is headquartered in Dallas, Texas. The chain employs 110,000. They trade on the NYSE with the symbol EAT.

Corporate History

This section shows select corporate transactions.

• 1975: Larry Lavine opened Chili's Grill & Bar in Dallas, Tx.
• 1976: The company took the name Chili's, Inc..
• 1983: Norman E. Brinker (June 3, 1931 – June 9, 2009) acquired Chili's. Mr. Brinker had worked for Jack In the Box then started a chain of Irish Pubs called Bennigan's. He sold the chain to Pillsbury, becoming the head of Pillsbury's restaurant division in the process.

  Norman Brinker

  Norman Brinker developed franchises and started his own chains before hiring on as the manager of the restaurant department of Pillsbury where he helped established the chains that became the foundation of Brinkers. Brinker left Pillsbury to acquire Chili's after which he acquired brands from Pillsbury.

  • 195?: After college, Brinker worked for a new chain called Jack-in-the-Box and helped it expand.
  • 1955: Brinker married tennis champion Maureen "Little Mo" Connolly who had won Tennis Grand Slam.
  • 1966: Brinker established Steak and Ale, a dimly lit steak bar, in Dallas.
  • 1976: Brinker established an Irish-pub themed chain called Bennigan's with the first restaurant in Atlanta, Ga
  • 1981: Norman Brinker married Nancy Goodman a year after her sister Susan Goodman Komen died of brest cancer.
  • 1982: Norman and Nancy established the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation to raise awareness of breast cancer and to race for a cure.
• 1984: Brinker took Chili's public with the symbol CHLI.
• 1989: Brinker acquired Grady's Goodtimes out of Knoxville, Tn. They renamed this Regas.
• 1989-2008: The company bought the franchise rights to Romano's Macaroni Grill. The first restaurant was opened the year before by Philip J. Romano in Leon Springs, Texas.
• 1991: The company took the name Brinker International, Inc..
• 1992: Brinker renamed Regas to Grady's American Grill.
• 1992: in partnership with Pac-Am Food Concepts, Brinker expanded Chili's to the Far East.
• 1992-1993: Brinkers tried experimental concepts including Spegeddies, Kona Ranch Steakhouse in Oklahoma City, and Nacho Mama's in San Antonio, Tx.
• 1994: Brinker opened Cozymel's Coastal Mexican Grill.
• 1995: Brinker acquired Corner Cafe which started in 1991.
• 1995: Brinker acquired Maggiano's Little Italy (maggianos.com) from Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises.
• 1995: Brinker sold Grady's and Spageddie's to Quality Dining Inc..
• 1996: Brinker launched Eatzi's.
• 2000: Norman Brinker stepped down as chairman.
• 2005: CBC Restaurant Corp, funded by Bruckmann, Rosser, Sherrill & Co. acquired 92 unit Corner Bakery Cafe for $70 million.³
• 2007: Olympus Partners purchased 95 Chili's for $155 to create a franchise group called Pepper Dining Inc..
• 2008: Golden Gate Capital, via Mac Acquisitions LLC, acquired majority stake in Romano's.
• 2010: Golden Gate Capital, via OTB Acquisitions LLC, acquired On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina.
• 2015: Brinker reacquired Pepper Dining Inc. which now had 103 Chili's franchises from Olympus Partners
• 2019: Brinker acquired 116 Chili's restaurants from ERJ Dining.

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References:

1. Wikipedia - Brinker International (Drawn 10/10/2019)
2. Funding Universe - Brinker International (Drawn 10/10/2019)
3. GlobeSt - CBC acquires Corner Cafe (Drawn 10/12/2019)

Directory Listings:

• Cochise County - Dining: Chili's
• Coconino County - Dining: Chili's
• Gila County - Dining: Chili's Grill
• Mohave County - Dining: Chili's
• Phoenix Color - Dining: Chili's
• Phoenix Color - Dining: Maggiano's
• Pima County - Dining: Chili's
• Pinal County - Dining: Chili's
• Yavapai County - Dining: Chili's
• Yuma County - Dining: Chili's
• Boulder Color - Dining: Chili's
• Colorado Springs Color - Dining: Chili's
• Denver Color - Dining: Maggiano's
• Denver Color - Mexican: Chili's
• Fort Collins Color - Dining: Chili's
• Garfield Colorado Links - Dining: Chili's
• Grand Junction - Dining: Chili's
• Pueblo Color - Dining: Chili's
• Cedar City - Dining: Chili's
• Davis County - Dining: Chili's Grill
• Logan Utah - Dining: Chili's
• Ogden, Utah - Dining: Chili's
• Provo Utah - Mexican Restaurant: Chili's
• Saint George - Dining: Chili's
• Salt Lake Sites - Mexican: Chili's
• Cheyenne, Wyoming. US - Dining: Chili's
• Laramie, Wyoming - Dining: Chili's

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