History Of Norman Brinker

HISTORY OF BRINKER INTERNATIONAL

Restaurateur Norman Brinker purchased 40 percent shares of Chili's Bar and Grill in 1983 and in 1984 Brinker International was formed. It now has over 1,500 restaurants worldwide with over 100,000 employees and system-wide sales exceeding $4 billion annually. Brinker International was listed among the top 400 companies by Forbes magazine. Based in Dallas, Texas, it is the largest employer based company in the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex.

The mainstay of the company is Chili's, a chain of more than 1,000 eateries featuring Southwest decor and inexpensive meals. In 1984, Chili's 23 restaurants were generating $40 million in sales from their menu of gourmet burgers, french fries, and margaritas. Brinker wanted to improve the amount of sales. Thus he started conducted market surveys and talking to his customers about their level of satisfaction at Chilli’s. On the basis of this feedback, he began to shift the focus of Chili's menu away from burgers to include a broader array of salads and chicken and fish entrees. By the late 1980s, the company was ready to branch out into new restaurants and began to consider several different acquisitions. In February 1989, the company purchased a restaurant chain owned by a family named Regas. Nine months after purchasing Regas, Chili's acquired another restaurant concept, which it also planned to expand into a chain. With $41 million in capital obtained through a stock sale, Chili's purchased the rights to the Romano's Macaroni Grill concept. By early 1990’s the operations from Chilli’s, Regas Grill and restaurant, and Romano’s Mac and grill added revenues up to $438 million.

In May 1991, Chili's announced that it was changing its corporate name, to better reflect the newly diversified nature of its operations. The company's name became Brinker International,