With both grocery and restaurant prices taking a toll on Americans’ wallets more than ever, people are in search of an affordable place where they can relax and eat. Of those few options, the chain sit-down restaurants Applebee’s and Chili’s are two of the biggest competitors. Especially as fast food prices have kept hitting new highs, sit-down chains have been pushing deals to fill in the budget eating void, rolling out combo meals like Applebee’s Really BIG Meal Deal and Chili’s 3 for Me that are actually competitive with places like McDonalds. But claims to be the best value in town are one thing — if you are looking for an affordable meal between Applebee’s and Chili’s, what’s the reality?
To compare the two we looked at menu and deal prices at Applebee’s and Chili’s locations in similar areas and tried to compare the most similar menu items. The good news is that both places are still impressively affordable given recent inflation, and as for which you should choose, well, it’s actually going to come down to taste, because Applebee’s and Chili’s have almost identical prices. Each has slight edges on different items, and portion sizes made a 1-to-1 comparison imperfect. In most cases, the difference in price came down to less than a dollar. If you are looking for a real difference, the biggest is that Chili’s 3 for Me deal is one of the best restaurant values right now.
Chili’s and Applebee’s offer almost identical value
Looking across the offerings from both chains, you can quickly see how close in price Chili’s and Applebees’ are. In appetizers, Applebee’s mozzarella sticks (which have a French origin) at our tested location were $10.49, while the same size was $10.39 at Chili’s. The app sampler at Applebee’s was $16.99, while it was $16.69 for Chili’s triple dipper sampler. The most basic burger and fries were slightly less at Applebee’s, $12.99 to Chili’s $13.79, while the Mushroom Swiss burgers had the exact same price. The steaks are a perfect example, as both have identical six-ounce sirloins on the menu with mashed potatoes and broccoli, and Chili’s was only 10 cents cheaper.
Where there was a difference, the higher priced options often have bigger portions, making them still very similar in value. Chili’s rib or chicken tender combos were a few dollars more than at Applebee’s but came with an extra side. Even the drinks are basically indistinguishable. Both chains emphasize crowd-pleasing margaritas and offer Patron margs for around $12 a pop, as well as more affordable house margaritas at around $8.
The specials are where Chili’s stands out. Applebee’s current deal offers a limited selection of sandwiches with fries and a drink for $9.99. Chili’s 3 for Me ranges from $10.99 for the burger and fries combo up to $16.99 for pasta and comes with an appetizer as well. Both are good deals, but the Chili’s one feels like one of the few genuine bargains left at restaurants.
