First customers at Chili's following coronavirus closures are 'younger,' drinking more than family clientele, CEO says
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Things are reportedly getting spicy at Chili’s.
Chili’s Bar & Grill is drawing a “younger” crowd with greater proclivities to imbibe as the fast-casual chain's dining rooms gradually reopen following coronavirus-related closures amid the pandemic, the CEO of the restaurant’s parent company has claimed.
In this file photo, a customer walks towards the entrance of a Chili's Grill & Bar restaurant in San Antonio, Texas. (Callaghan O'Hare/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“That first group that comes in, they’re just a little bit less concerned,” Wyman Roberts, CEO of Chili’s holding company Brinker International Inc. told Bloomberg in an interview Wednesday.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}MICHIGAN RESTAURANT USES GHOSTS TO FILL EMPTY SEATS, PROMOTE SOCIAL DISTANCING
In this June 15 photo, a sign notifies customers of new regulations outside a Chili's Grill & Bar restaurant in Syracuse, New York. (Maranie Staab/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
As quarantine orders are lifted across the country, the executive said that Chili’s clientele has generally been “a little younger, a little more single and less family” as of late.
“Those folks tend to have a little bit higher alcohol check. They don’t have kids, and they may feel more comfortable having a drink or two,” Roberts explained.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Many diners, however, are “still cautious” about eating inside the restaurant, Roberts said, noting that takeout and delivery options continue to remain popular.
Chili’s Bar & Grill is drawing a “younger” crowd with greater proclivities to imbibe as the fast-casual chain's dining rooms gradually reopen following coronavirus-related closures amid the pandemic, the CEO of the restaurant’s parent company has claimed. (Callaghan O'Hare/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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While carefully reopening dining rooms amid the ongoing outbreak, Chili’s is heeding guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the government.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In the fight against the viral disease, the restaurant is promoting safe social distancing, touch-free payments and enhanced cleaning and sanitization protocol throughout, while requiring employees to wear masks and frequently wash hands, among other COVID-19 health safety response measures.
As of last week, 873 dining rooms across Chili's 1,622 locations were open for business once again, Restaurant Business Online reported.