Brian Nagele
Since its founding in 1975, Chili’s has fostered inclusion and enjoyment of good food and great company.
Founder Larry Lavine opened the location in Dallas, Texas with the motto “Let’s Play Restaurant.” He set a reputation for Chili’s as a place for families and friends to unwind and have a good time.
Chili’s has expanded to include over 1600 locations on three different continents, each one offering the same lively atmosphere, friendly service, and upscale American comfort food.
Even if you’ve never been to Chili’s, you’ve surely heard of it as a subject of popular culture through its catchy commercial jingle made legendary by Mike Myers in Austin Powers.
Since it’s been a favorite neighborhood spot for entertainment and meals for nearly 50 years, you can expect Chili’s to have amazing happy hours.
Below, I’ll give you the inside scoop on Chili’s happy hour deals, including food and drink specials, happy hour schedules, and participating locations of this popular chain restaurant.
Happy Hour Drink Specials
Happy Hour drink specials are unbeatable at Chili’s and further solidify its popularity as a budget-friendly all-inclusive party.
The bar has a special drinks menu for happy hour that includes reduced prices on every type of alcoholic beverage, from beer to spirits.
Each Chili’s has a different set of draft beers, well drinks, house wines, and specialty drinks, so happy hour drink specials vary from one location to the next.
You always have to check at your local Chili’s bar to see what the drink specials are for the day, week, or month.
I’ve been to a wide range of Chili’s across the US, and I consistently see discounts on well drinks, domestic drafts, and a selection of margaritas during the evening and late-night happy hours. Prices range from three to six dollars.
Margarita of the Month
Margarita of the Month is a deal that all Chili’s locations have. The best part about this special is that it’s good all day and night.
Chili’s pays homage to its Texas roots by offering a wide variety of Southwestern specialties, and that includes a top-shelf margarita.
Each month, Chili’s announces its premium, top-shelf margarita of the month. Each uses seasonal ingredients and the highest quality spirit, whether its Patron or Texas-local Tito’s.
You can visit their website to see the margarita of the month lineup for the entire year.
I loved their Margarita of the Month for April, the Straw-Eddy Rita with Deep Eddy Lemon Vodka, Lunazul Blanco Tequila, strawberry puree, and Fresh Sour.
Happy Hour Food Specials
Happy hour food specials include a variety of Chili’s most popular appetizers at a fraction of their regular price.
Appetizers range from snackables like chips and salsa to fancier and heartier dishes like boneless wings, southwestern eggrolls, and cheese fries.
The appetizer prices range from 4 to 7 dollars, depending on how elaborate the small plate is. Like the drink specials, Happy Hour food specials vary from location to location and change every month.
One of my favorite Chili’s appetizers is the Awesome Blossom, a whole onion battered, fried, and spread open like a lotus flower and served with a creamy aioli.
The Awesome Blossom is regularly offered as a food special, pairing wonderfully with a cold glass of beer.
3 for Me Value Meal
The 3 for Me Value Meal is a multi-course meal fit for a king on a pauper’s budget.
All locations have this incredible deal that includes a beverage of your choice, one appetizer, and one entrée for as little as $10.
This deal is another all-day offering and doesn’t include alcohol or dessert. Of course, Chili’s is all about customizations, so for an additional price, you can add dessert, extra appetizers, or an alcoholic beverage.
I recently went to Chili’s and got the 3 For Me meal with lemonade, southwestern eggrolls, and a sizzling chicken fajitas entrée.
I had enough leftovers for the next day’s dinner, which means I had two $5 meals!
When Is Chili’s Happy Hour?
Chili’s Happy Hour varies from location to location. They generally occur every weekday for early evening and late-night schedules.
Some locations offer happy hour from 2-6 pm and 9- close, while others offer it from 3-6 pm and 8-close.
Other locations also offer weekend happy hours, like all-day happy hour on Sunday. It’s easy enough to find out by clicking on a location near you on their website.
Do All Locations Participate?
All Chili’s locations participate in Chili’s happy hour deals, but their specials vary from location to location.
Prices remain the same no matter which location you frequent, and you can always count on discounted drinks and appetizers.
The 3 for Me and Margarita of the Month deals are also year-round, all-day offerings available at all Chili’s locations.
