--- title: "How Chili’s Margaritas drive traffic" url: https://burnaze.com/article/10ff00f2-b83e-46cd-9c6d-b40aa5b930f9 source: "Nation's Restaurant News" original_url: https://www.nrn.com/beverage-trends/how-chili-s-margaritas-drive-traffic author: "Bret Thorn" category: "QSR" industry: "Restaurants" segment: "QSR" topics: ["Marketing","People"] published: 2026-11-04T19:59:56.000Z modified: 2026-11-05T06:01:59.215Z image: https://eu-images.contentstack.com/v3/assets/bltea7aee2fca050a19/blt5f9d39ffb9cb6b43/6aeba23b25b8d11702a7bf95/Chili_s-margarita.jpg?disable=upscale&width=1200&height=630&fit=crop --- # How Chili’s Margaritas drive traffic **TL;DR:** Chili’s sold nearly 30 million Margaritas in 2025, and the chain is poised to sell even more in 2026, driven by its popular frozen drinks. *By Bret Thorn, originally published in Nation's Restaurant News on 2026-11-04. [Read the original](https://www.nrn.com/beverage-trends/how-chili-s-margaritas-drive-traffic).* ## Story Senior Food Editor,Nation's Restaurant News Frozen Margaritas were on Chili’s original menu in 1975, but it has amped up its game in recent years. Courtesy of Chili's Chili’s sold nearly 30 million Margaritas in 2025, more than any other restaurant chain, and it’s poised to sell even more in 2026. “Guests are coming to Chili’s for ‘Margs,’” said Mary Ellen Scott, the casual-dining chain’s senior marketing director. “It’s part of who we are and part of the experience.” That’s been true for a generation or more — frozen Margaritas were on Chili’s original menu in 1975 — but it has amped up its game in recent years. Last year it launched a line of premium frozen Margaritas, and this year, in February, it introduced the Margarita of the Month Club that allows customers to track how many monthly Margaritas they bought and to buy related merch. Chili’s started offering Margaritas of the Month in 2018, and Scott said customers love them. “It’s value, newness, and fun,” she said. “It's always $6, the drink is changing every month, and we're always looking for ways to make the experience more fun, whether it's a candy or a swizzle.” Gamifying it by letting guests collect monthly digital badges for their virtual club passport makes the program work even better. “We're actually seeing those diehard Marg of the Month fans that have got to collect them all,” she said. But they trade up, too, particularly to $12 Presidente and Don Julio Margaritas, and to the frozen lineup that was launched last year. Those include the $10 Patrón Frozen Marg with Patrón Silver, triple sec, lime juice, and agave syrup available in strawberry, mango, blackberry, dragon fruit, or spicy flavors; the $12 Flamingo Freeze, which is the Patrón Frozen Marg swirled with Tito’s Handmade Vodka shaken with Owen’s Prickly Pear; and the $12 Arctic Drift, which is Malibu Coconut Rum, pineapple juice, and blue Curaçao swirled with the Patrón Frozen Marg. Scott said 25% of Chili’s Margaritas are now sold frozen, “which is huge. There was a gap that we met with that. … Our guests do come in for the Marg of the Month, but they shop across the full menu.” In September, Chili’s launched its first trade-up option for its Margarita of the Month, which was a cherry limeade Marg that could be made frozen and with Patrón for $10. “We’re eagerly waiting to analyze that and see if that’s something we can do in the future,” she said. But the core $6 Margaritas are the main focus for the brand. “We’re always listening to our guests — what they’re looking for — and we’re monitoring trends, but it’s got to be unmistakably Chili’s,” she said. “We don’t want to jump onto a trend just because it’s something that’s popping off. We need to make sure that it’s right for our customers and right for operations to be able to execute.” Of course there are popular Margaritas of the Month that get repeated, like October’s Witches Brew, a green drink made with Lunazul Blanco Tequila, blue Curaçao, and Monin Granny Smith Apple Syrup served with a broomstick swizzle. Among premium Margaritas, the Don Julio is a favorite. “It’s something that our guests recognize and want to come in for,” Scott said. “And at $12, it’s a great price point.” Although Chili’s does have a full bar, Scott said the chain’s focus is on Margaritas. “That’s our flagship,” she said. “We have a lot of great options coming and we’re excited for everybody to be able to see what’s in the pipeline.” Contact Bret Thorn at [email protected] Follow him on TikTok and Instagram: @foodwriterdiary ## Entities - Restaurants (sector) - Chili's (company) - traffic (topic) - driving (topic) - margaritas (topic) --- Originally reported by Bret Thorn, Nation's Restaurant News (https://www.nrn.com/beverage-trends/how-chili-s-margaritas-drive-traffic). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/10ff00f2-b83e-46cd-9c6d-b40aa5b930f9).