Sunday, October 30, 2022
Open Letter to the Chili's Corporation
Regular readers of this blog (if in fact they exist) know that I have historically been a huge Chili's booster. If given the opportunity, I would bathe in a Skillet Queso, and I consider the Cajun Chicken Pasta to be one of the great wonders of the modern world. When the downtown location of Chili's closed, I considered wearing black for a year, though ultimately fashion intervened. And perhaps the majority of my travels, domestic and international, have involved a stop at an O'Hare Chili's, even though they don't even have the full menu, which is of course a travesty. Point being: I like Chili's.
So it was especially distressing to me to be thwarted from settling in for a Megarita or two last night at the Chili's of North Riverside, where I was visiting my sister. Of course I could understand if a Chili's was simply filled past capacity with adoring Southwestern Eggroll fans. But we saw at least a dozen open tables as we entered the establishment. The issue, it seems, was that the Chili's was understaffed and could not accommodate the strain of an additional table for two. At least not for another fifteen minutes. I have never, of course, been so insulted in my life.
Thus, we went to the nearby Miller's Ale House, where we were greeted with open arms and something called Zingers Wings. Our server kept the Diet Coke refills and gentle sass coming, and Smashmouth was playing incredibly loudly in the men's restroom. Aside from the distressing fact that the calorie counts were listed on the menu, it was perfect.
So Chili's, you are on notice. There are other American casual dining companies out there. And my heart can be bought with complex carbohydrates.
