Why Restaurant Chains Are Making A Comeback | CNBC Marathon

CNBC Marathon explores how different restaurant chains like Chili's, Wingstop, and McDonald's are attracting customers back into their stores.

Chili’s Grill and Bar is a casual dining chain that took America by storm in the early 2000s. From 2000-2008, its U.S. store count nearly doubled. But in the decade following the Great Recession, the nostalgic brand fell out of favor as sales grew stagnant and its store count declined. With the help of recent CEO, Kevin Hochman, parent company, Brinker International, has generated a record high $4.4 billion in revenue in fiscal year 2024. Watch the video to find out how the company has staged a comeback.

Wingstop is capitalizing on the American appetite for chicken and providing investors with strong, consistent growth. In the past five years, the company’s share price is up over 250%, and it has grown its store footprint to 2,352 restaurants worldwide. The chicken-wing chain has expanded its offerings and continued to grow brand awareness. Watch the video to find out how Wingstop became one of the hottest restaurant stocks of the year.

Fast food has become a luxury for many consumers who are constantly looking for deals and cheap meals. Many popular chains have noticed the pullback and have rolled out the return of value meals. These nostalgic menus offer select items for a cheap price and food chains hope it's a way to bring customers back and to spend on more items outside of the discounted food items.

Chapters:

Produced by: DeLon Thornton, Ryan Baker

Edited by: Darren Getter

Graphics by: Jason Reginato, Christina Locopo

Supervising Producers: Jeniece Pettitt, Shawn Baldwin, Tala Hadavi

Editorial Support: Amelia Lucas

Additional Camera: Mickey Todiwala, Natalie Rice, Eric Clark

Additional Footage: Brinker International, Getty Images, Wingstop

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Why Restaurant Chains Are Making A Comeback | CNBC Marathon