The Model

Brand Localisation

Chili’s® has a distinct character and identity with a proven international appeal: immersive, energetic, rooted in classic American dining, and a menu built around bold flavours, genuine value, and consistent execution. It is a format with broad demographic appeal, and a track record of translating successfully across cultures and markets around the world.

While we have established a template for success, however, we are also keenly aware that a brand needs to adapt to its local market, and operators need to have the tools to make it relevant locally.

Flexibility built in

Chili’s® is designed to adapt without losing what makes it distinctive. For the UK market, that means:

Menu localisation

Dietary requirements, flavour profiles, portion conventions, and seasonal preferences are carefully considered when developing local menus in collaboration with the global support team, ensuring consistency with the core brand offering.

Beverage programme

Localised to reflect UK expectations around beer, wine, and soft drinks, sitting alongside Chili’s® signature cocktail and margarita offering – although we’re confident British consumers will also enjoy that a great deal.

Format flexibility

From full-scale flagship restaurants in high-footfall retail and leisure destinations to more compact venues in transport and entertainment environments, the physical expression of the brand can be adapted to suit a variety of sites.

Ensuring effective localisation is not a one-time exercise. Through annual menu innovation cycles and ongoing brand development, Chili’s® continues to evolve, and our UK partners will benefit from that as a matter of course.

How we’ve prepared for the UK market

Our vision of growth into the UK is not based just on an ambition to expand into a market as yet untapped by our brand, but rather on considerable preparation and understanding of this market’s potential and individual character.

We have conducted extensive research into how Chili’s® would perform in the UK with an exhaustive Market Entry Study which carefully examines both how we can adapt our model to UK customers, and to suit the unique business climate of the UK marketplace.

That study has included:

Site selection – population data, competitor mapping, and retail infrastructure analysis to support location decisions before any commitment is made

City-level insight – individual assessment of target cities and towns to identify specific local opportunities and risks

Financial modelling – detailed projections covering start-up costs, EBITDA, and ROI timelines

Market demand analysis – comparable brand performance, consumer trends, and growth forecasts quantifying the size and longevity of the opportunity

Localisation strategy – how product, tone, and customer experience can be adapted to UK consumer preferences

Franchising and legal framework – an analysis of the UK F&B landscape, covering legal structures and operational norms

Implementation planning – supplier selection, equipment costs, fit-out strategy, and areas for operational enhancement

Key Strategic Partnerships

We have also partnered with The Franchising Centre, one of the UK’s leading teams of experts in global investment partnerships of this kind. Their involvement means prospective UK partners can benefit not just from our international expertise, but also from specialist on-the-ground knowledge of how to build and scale a network in the UK market.

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