After 27 years in business, Chili’s has quietly closed its Siegen Marketplace restaurant.
A sign on the door of the restaurant at 10305 N. Mall Drive announced its closure, thanking customers for the good times and directing them to the two other Baton Rouge Chili’s locations – at the College Drive-Constitution Avenue intersection and on Millerville Road.
Chili’s has been shutting down restaurants across the U.S. over the past year and a half. The chain closed 16 locations in California, Tennessee and Virginia in 2023, according to restaurant news site Delishably. According to online reports, since the start of the year, Chili’s restaurants in Port Arthur, Texas; Fort Wayne, Indiana; Charlotte, North Carolina; Irvine, California; St. Joseph, Michigan and South Portland, Maine, have closed.
RJ Hottovy, head of analytical research at data analytics company Placer.ai, told CNN last month that Chili’s and other casual dining chains that were staples of shopping malls and big retail centers such as Siegen Marketplace are focusing on smaller drive-through locations. Drive-through restaurants are smaller and require less staff.
The chain has recently been promoting discount hamburger and chicken sandwich combos, which cost $10.99 and come with fries, a soft drink and chips and salsa.
Brinker International, the parent company of Chili’s, said in a statement the restaurant chain is outperforming the industry in sales and traffic.
“Being a heritage brand with more than 1,500 restaurants, it’s integral to our brand health to regularly review the performance of our restaurants based on sales figures, shifting trade areas, lease agreements and other factors,” the company said. “At times, we need to make the tough decision to close one, which is not a negative indicator of our overall brand health.”