Why Chili's is outperforming Applebee's

What this episode covers

Why are some chains easily outperforming their biggest competitors? This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features Joe Pawlak, the managing principal with RB sister company Technomic, to talk about this topic. Several restaurant chains are easily outperforming top competitors right now. Chili’s is beating Applebee’s. Dutch Bros is outperforming Starbucks and Texas Roadhouse is outdistancing Outback Steakhouse. Pawlak uses data from Technomic to help explain a lot of this. Customers clearly prefer some chains over others right now, and amid intense competition they are voting with their feet. We discussed what some of these chains are bringing to the table and how much luck plays a role. The discussion offers lessons for some brands as they look to win in a competitive restaurant market.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of A Deeper Dive?

This episode is 25 minutes long.

When was this A Deeper Dive episode published?

This episode was published on February 5, 2025.

What is this episode about?

Why are some chains easily outperforming their biggest competitors? This week’s episode of the Restaurant Business podcast A Deeper Dive features Joe Pawlak, the managing principal with RB sister company Technomic, to talk about this topic. Several...

Can I download this A Deeper Dive episode?

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