Chili's Merch Collection Sells Out on Cyber Monday

By Joseph Myers

We should have seen this one coming. Only six days after wondering (while writing about Dunkin’s faux branded apparel) which eateries would follow the likes of Arby’s, KFC, Wendy’s and others, we should have known that Chili’s, our favorite Tex-Mex chain (sorry to sadden you, Taco Bell) would next join the world of branded goods. Though I failed in my role as Joe-stradamus, I can say I am pleased that the Dallas-headquartered establishment indeed made its entry into that ever-increasing cosmos, even if it did so for only Cyber Monday.

And, by all accounts, it did pretty well for itself. The limited-time collection apparently sold out:

Chili's enjoyed a lucrative Cyber Monday thanks to a quartet of branded merchandise items. | Credit: Chili's

Due to the uniqueness of the products, I hope you will forgive me for changing Chili’s renowned “I want my baby back, baby back, baby back” jingle to “I want these items back, items back, items back.” Life being what it is, I completely missed my shot at the four rarities that the company hawked on Black Friday’s online equivalent. Offering “impeccable Chili’s merch,” the entity’s initial internet-situated retail store surely made end-users with better memories quite happy and likely inspired a few trips to the more-than 1,600 locations that Brinker International operates under its flagship brand. While Chili’s food is certainly not a subpar substitute for the branded products, the spoils definitely go to consumers who made the holiday season a little spicier thanks to this quartet.

We live at a time when food-based businesses are realizing that we will likely go for any apparel-related goods that help to make our culinary preferences well known. We are long past the days when promotional campaigns could skate by with minimal novelty, as, quite frankly, consumers are always demanding more. Chili’s made a brilliant move by offering a bomber jacket, cufflink sets, a swimsuit and a T-shirt that draws inspiration from “The Office.” Here’s hoping, then, that friends of Twitter user Hannah Taylor find themselves in giving moods as the holiday season picks up.

Oh. My. God. CHILI’S MERCH? If anyone wants to know what to get me for Christmas.. LOOK NO FURTHER!! https://t.co/FF16wnHmvw

— Hannah Mason (@hanmason093) November 26, 2018

I am pretty sure I speak for many end-users when I say that these items would be smashes if they could complement Chili's menu components for a longer period of time. Come on, who could honestly go without a jacket that pays homage to cheese? Need anyone say more?

It’s a limited-edition Skillet Queso bomber jacket for not a lotta cheese. Tomorrow only at the Chili’s Cyber Monday sale. https://t.co/tk8mchLjxQ #ChilisCyberMonday pic.twitter.com/Fq6RpbRfeK

— Chili's Grill & Bar (@Chilis) November 26, 2018