Chili's CEO wakes up at 5 a.m., runs daily, and uses that time to generate ideas for the business

Tech Insider : Business
Chili's CEO Kevin Hochman photo collage
Chili's CEO Kevin Hochman starts his day before sunrise, and some of his best business ideas come to him during his morning run.

Kevin Hochman/Chili's Bar & Grill; Getty Images; Tyler Le/BI

Chili's CEO says its comeback comes down to 2 simple principles

Tech Insider : Business, Technology
chilis ceo kevin hochman
Chili's is defying a casual-dining slowdown with growth driven by viral menu hits, a focus on value, and a back-to-basics strategy.

Chili's Grill & Bar; Robert V Schwemmer/Shutterstock

Everything you eat at The Cheesecake Factory is made in-house, except for its most iconic dish

Tech Insider : Business
cheesecake
cheesecake

Business Insider

I ordered the same meal at Olive Garden and Red Lobster, and the winning chain had slightly lower prices

Tech Insider : Business
Composite of olive garden exterior next to exterior of a Red Lobster
I ordered fried calamari, a shrimp Alfredo pasta, and a chocolate-cake dessert at Olive Garden and Red Lobster to compare.

PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images; Bloomberg/Getty Images

I tried Red Lobster's Endless Shrimp, which once contributed to the chain's bankruptcy. It's still an unbeatable deal.

Tech Insider : Business
red lobster endless shrimp
I tried Red Lobster's revamped Endless Shrimp deal, which contributed to its bankruptcy. Two years later, it's still an unbeatable value.

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

I tried every new item on The Cheesecake Factory's spring menu. I now have a new favorite appetizer.

Tech Insider : Business
cheesecake factory bbq pork belly buns
I was impressed by The Cheesecake Factory's new pickle fries, pork belly buns, and bowls.

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

I ate at Red Lobster for the first time since its revamp. I miss Endless Shrimp, but I can't wait to go back.

Tech Insider : Business
red lobster shrimp your way times square
I tried Red Lobster after not eating there for two years. I can't wait to go back.

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

Celebrity-chef restaurants and Applebee's are using the same playbook

Tech Insider : Travel, Business, Style
Photo collage of Gordon Ramsay and his food with Applebees
Celebrity-chef restaurants and Applebee's have more in common than you might think.

NurPhoto/Getty Images; Scott Olson/Getty Images; Tyler Le/BI

Stepping inside Gordon Ramsay's Hell's Kitchen in Atlantic City felt like entering a TV set, with mood lighting, marble floors, and screens playing his most iconic moments.

I tried boneless wings from 5 chain restaurants and ranked them from worst to best

Tech Insider : Business
chilis grill and bar boneless wings
We tried five chain restaurants' boneless wings, and Chili's had the tastiest.

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

I tried Buffalo wings from 5 major chain restaurants and ranked them from worst to best

Tech Insider : Business
wingstop original hot wings
Wingstop original hot wings.

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

Subscribe to chain-restaurant