The U.S. casual-dining category has a new No. 2.
Chili’s Grill and Bar surged past Olive Garden in 2025 to become the second-largest casual-dining chain in the country behind Texas Roadhouse.
Chili’s U.S. systemwide sales soared 20.6% year over year, to $5.5 billion, according to newly published Top 500 Restaurant Chain data from Technomic. It added more than $900 million in sales compared to 2024.
It continues an epic comeback for Chili’s under Brinker International CEO Kevin Hochman, who joined in 2022 and led methodical improvements to the chain’s operations, food and marketing. The result has been a renaissance for the 50-year-old brand and a power shift in casual dining.
What makes last year’s growth all the more impressive is that Chili’s did it without opening any new restaurants. It actually closed three domestic stores, leaving it with a total of 1,206. Instead, the average Chili’s just served a lot more people. Average unit volumes increased by about $800,000, to $4.6 million, from $3.8 million in 2024, per Technomic.
Dallas-based Chili’s has now grown sales by more than 47% since 2022 for a compound annual growth rate of about 14%. It climbed three spots on the casual-dining rankings during that time, from No. 5 to No. 2.
Olive Garden did not have a bad year by any means. Systemwide sales rose 5.6%, to $5.4 billion, and it opened 15 locations for a total of 938. It was a big improvement from the prior year, when sales increased just 0.8%.
But it was no match for the phenomenon that is Chili’s. The result: The venerable Olive Garden dropped a spot in the rankings for the second straight year after it was passed by Texas Roadhouse in 2024.
Chili’s still has a long way to go to catch Roadhouse. Systemwide sales at the steakhouse chain grew by 7.2% in 2025, to nearly $5.9 billion, continuing a torrid multiyear growth streak. From 2021 to 2025 alone, Texas Roadhouse’s U.S. sales increased more than 65%.
The chain also opened 20 locations in 2025 and now has 684, each of which generates nearly $8.7 million a year on average.
There was another shakeup in the top five, as Buffalo Wild Wings edged past Applebee’s into the No. 4 spot. Total sales at the chicken wing chain rose 1.2%, to $4.1 billion, while Applebee’s sales dipped 0.8%, to just over $4 billion.
Buffalo Wild Wings’ sales growth, however, comes with a caveat: It was aided by the opening of 74 new locations, most of which were likely its quick-service spinoff, BWW Go. These would not technically be considered casual-dining restaurants.
At Applebee’s, meanwhile, 29 locations were shuttered in 2025, leaving it with 1,472 nationwide.
Knocking at the door of the top five is LongHorn Steakhouse, which is owned by Olive Garden parent Darden Restaurants. Like Texas Roadhouse, it has benefited from strong consumer demand for steak, as systemwide sales grew 8.1%, to $3.3 billion. It opened 16 restaurants for a total of 610.
The solid performance at the top of the list suggests that 2025 was a good year for casual-dining chains, which have positioned themselves as a strong value proposition for consumers. Many chains have begun offering meal deals and discounts to rival fast-food prices, while also promising to give customers a fun experience they won’t find in limited service or at home.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.