Brinker to Add 20-30 Chili's Restaurants Annually Through Fiscal 2029

Brinker International (EAT) plans to open 20 to 30 Chili's restaurants per year through fiscal 2029, expanding its roughly 1,200 U.S. locations at a 2% to 3% annual pace after identifying up to 300 potential sites, CFO Mika Ware said at the company's Sept. 17 Investor Day. The chain targets the Carolinas, Georgia, Virginia, Washington, D.C., Ohio and Washington state, where it operates just one streetside restaurant versus 35 to 40 for rivals. California, Texas and Florida remain its strongest markets. Same-store sales rose 5.6% in fiscal 2026's fourth quarter, extending five consecutive years of growth, while average annual sales per restaurant climbed to about $5 million from $3.3 million in fiscal 2023. Brinker has invested roughly $180 million in front-of-house upgrades and plans to remodel about 10% of U.S. locations annually. New restaurants cost $5 million to $6 million each.