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

I visited Applebee's, Buffalo Wild Wings, and Chili's with a $30 budget. Some chains offered way more value than others.

Tech Insider : Business, Style
A composite image of the exteriors of Applebee's, Buffalo Wild Wings, and Chili's restaurants.
I compared $30 meals at three different chain restaurants to find the best value.

Artography/Shutterstock; Ken Wolter/Shutterstock; Joseph Hendrickson/Shutterstock

I compared Chili's Big Crispy chicken sandwich to McDonald's McCrispy. One was a way better value.

Tech Insider : Business, Economy, Style
chilis chicken sandwich and mcdonalds chicken sandwich
Chili's is taking on the fast-food giant with five new chicken sandwich flavors and an update to its 3-For-Me value meal.

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

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

Major food chains are reinventing themselves. We ranked their efforts to see who's winning the Great Restaurant Reset.

Tech Insider : Business
Two large billboards displaying a Pizza Hut and Cracker Barrel logos
Brands including Chili's, Starbucks, and Cracker Barrel have undergone revitalization efforts this year.

Getty Images; Tyler Le/BI

Where people are — and are not — eating right now

Tech Insider : Business
Florida, Orlando, Chili's Grill & Bar, restaurant entrance.
Florida, Orlando, Chili's Grill & Bar, restaurant entrance.

Jeffrey Greenberg/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

I tried classic cheeseburgers from 4 major chains. Only one stood out as the ideal choice for football season.

Tech Insider : Business, Travel
buffalo wild wings all american cheeseburger
We tried cheeseburgers from four chain restaurants to determine a winner for football season.

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

Cracker Barrel tried to look forward while everyone else looked back — and it bombed

Tech Insider : Business, Economy, Environment
A composite image of Cracker Barrel logos
The now-scrapped Cracker Barrel logo is seen next to its "Old Timer" logo that will return.

Insider composite

9 tips for making the perfect burger at home, according to Chili's head chef

Tech Insider : Business, Style
chilis chef brian paquette and chilis burger
Brian Paquette, the head of culinary at Chili's, shared his tips for making a perfect burger at home.

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

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