French fry lovers, it’s happening — Chili’s is coming for the fry crown.
©Chili’s
We just got word that Chili’s has made a BIG change to their French fries — and it’s not just some boring behind-the-scenes kitchen tweak. They’ve seriously upgraded one of the most crucial parts of any burger-and-fries experience, and it’s all about making sure those golden beauties come out hot, crispy, and actually seasoned. We’ve got all the juicy details on what’s changing (and why it matters), so let’s break it down.
So, what’s going on with the fries?
If you’re like us, the first thing you grab when a burger lands in front of you is a French fry, and apparently, Chili’s CEO Kevin Hochman knows this too, because he and his team went deep into fry optimization mode. His exact words? “We spent a lot of time making sure that our fries were properly cooked.” And honestly… respect.
©Chili’s
Turns out, Chili’s added 30 extra seconds to their fry cook time. Doesn’t sound like much, but that little change makes a big difference — the fries come out hotter and crispier than ever. That’s a win. But that’s not even the biggest update. The real game-changer are the new seasoning shakers. The old ones were slow and inefficient — staff had to shake them 30 times just to get enough flavor on the fries. That meant fries were getting cold before they were even fully seasoned. Total buzzkill.
©Chili’s
Now, Chili’s uses new shakers with larger holes, so you only need 6 to 10 shakes to get that same flavor level. The result: fries come out fast, hot, and perfectly seasoned. No more lukewarm, under-seasoned sadness on your plate. This is just one part of a bigger glow-up for Chili’s.
Now, let’s talk burgers — because what’s a fry without a burger? Enter: the Big Smasher Burger. This thing is a monster — it has twice the beef of a Big Mac, plus all the good stuff like cheese, lettuce, onions, pickles, and special sauce. And yes, they even upgraded the pickles.
©Chili’s
It’s not just big — it’s good. Hochman himself says it’s his favorite menu item, especially when paired with a Presidente Margarita. We wouldn’t argue with that combo.
So… should you go try the new fries? Yes. Yes, you absolutely should. If you’ve been sleeping on Chili’s lately, this is your sign to stop by, order a Big Smasher combo, and start with the fries. They’re crispier, hotter, and way better seasoned — the kind of fries you finish before you even touch your burger. You know the ones.
©Chili’s
Chili’s is doing what a lot of fast-casual places should be doing right now: making the food better and keeping it affordable. And if that means rethinking how we season fries or which pickles go on burgers, so be it. We’ll take a properly seasoned fry over an overpriced fast food combo any day.
In the meantime, stay tuned to DFB for more!
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We ate at our local Chili’s twice in the past couple of weeks. Oh, yes! The fries! They were indeed hot and crispy and both times very well seasoned. You really don’t need to ask for salt, which these days is unusual. They were good enough that we remarked on them both times, which would indicate that it was not a fluke.
There seems to be a tendency recently among restaurants to make a real effort to get things right, and it is probably because the dining-out dollar doesn’t go as far as it used to. Competition.