Chili’s is escalating its battle with fast food, this time targeting the booming chicken sandwich category.
The brand added its Big Crispy and Spicy Big Crispy chicken sandwiches to its $10.99 3 For Me platform, which offers customers an entrée, fries, bottomless chips and salsa, and an unlimited fountain drink.
The move builds on Chili’s ongoing strategy to position itself as a full-service alternative to increasingly expensive quick-service meals. According to the company, its Big Crispy filet significantly outpaces typical fast-food portions, particularly compared to McDonald’s. Internal research shows it to be more than 80 percent larger than the McCrispy filet.
READ MORE: Chili’s Gets Ready to Make a Chicken Sandwich Splash
CMO George Felix framed the move as a direct response to what the brand sees as “shrinkflation” across fast food.
“Over the past few years, we’ve exposed the fast-food shrinkflation by serving our massive burgers in the industry-leading $10.99 3 For Me meal for a value that can’t be found in the drive-thru,” Felix said in a statement. “Now, we’re setting our sights on fast-food chicken sandwiches, offering our gigantic Big Crispy and Spicy Big Crispy chicken sandwiches in the same 3 For Me value meal. This is a shakeup to the chicken sandwich category that is long overdue, and one that our guests are going to love.”
In addition to the original and spicy, Chili’s brought Honey-Chipotle, Nashville Hot, Buffalo, and Deluxe (bacon and Swiss cheese) flavors to the regular menu. Each sandwich features a hand-battered chicken breast and is paired with house-made ranch.
CEO Kevin Hochman said in January that the revamped chicken sandwich lineup is “superior, distinctly on brand, and highly differentiated than what is in the market today.” The brand is confident that the innovation will drive traffic with new and existing customers.
The brand tested the lineup in a merchandising-only pilot across 200 stores, which, Hochman said, performed “exceptionally well from a mix standpoint.”
To amplify the message, Chili’s is leaning into experiential marketing with a one-day “Big Crispy Food Court” pop-up in New York City, where guests are invited to act as jurors in a mock trial—“Chili’s vs. Fast Food.” The activation encourages consumers to sample the product and weigh in on whether fast food still delivers value.
This isn’t the first time Chili’s has specifically targeted McDonald’s. Last year, the brand released its Big QP, which it claims has 85 percent more beef than a Quarter Pounder with Cheese. The chain also introduced the Big Smasher in 2023.
Since going viral in 2024, Chili’s has experienced one of the hottest runs in restaurant history. In the second quarter, same-store sales increased 8.6 percent, lapping a 31.4 percent rise in the year-ago period. Traffic climbed 2.7 percent on top of Q2 2025’s 19.9 percent increase.
The Q2 performance outpaced the casual-dining industry by 6.8 percent.
In recent years, Chili’s has intentionally launched improvements around its Crispers, margaritas, burgers, ribs, and queso and nachos. Additionally, the Triple Dipper appetizer has gained so much fame that it became one of Chili’s primary menu drivers.
