Chili's CEO Says a FanFavorite Is Coming Back to the Menu Mandi JacewiczNovember 2, 2025 at 5:03 AM 0 For fans of Chili's famous Skillet Queso, the last few weeks have felt like a mini roller coaster. When the chain quietly swapped out the longtime favorite for a new Southwesternstyle version in October, people did not shrug it off. Not even close. Within days, social feeds were full of longtime guests saying they were not ready to give up that creamy dip so many of us have ordered for years. And guess what? Chili's heard the noise.
- - Chili's CEO Says a Fan-Favorite Is Coming Back to the Menu
Mandi JacewiczNovember 2, 2025 at 5:03 AM
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For fans of Chili's famous Skillet Queso, the last few weeks have felt like a mini roller coaster.
When the chain quietly swapped out the longtime favorite for a new Southwestern-style version in October, people did not shrug it off. Not even close. Within days, social feeds were full of longtime guests saying they were not ready to give up that creamy dip so many of us have ordered for years.
And guess what? Chili's heard the noise.
In an interview with Jim Cramer on CNBC's "Mad Money", Brinker International CEO Kevin Hochman confirmed what queso fans were hoping for: the classic Skillet Queso is on its way back.
He mentioned that the new Southwestern option actually tested well, especially with folks who had never tried the original. Still, once the change hit loyal Chili's fans, it became obvious pretty quickly that the original was missed, and people were not shy about saying so.
"We listen to the guests and what they want," Hochman said, noting that Chili's has been hearing the feedback and is working to improve food, service, and atmosphere overall. Nation's Restaurant News also reported that the chain plans to bring back the original Skillet Queso while still keeping the Southwestern version. Now there will be two choices instead of one.
You can see the October 30 TikTok clip from @madmoneyoncnbc here:
And if you take one look at the fan reactions, you can see why the turnaround happened fast.
One viewer, @Atticus, summed up the mood: "I love how he says newer customers who have never had the old (better) queso like it… of course they do. They don't know any better." Another commenter, @Richard, chimed in, "I've seen maybe 5% of the comments like the new queso. Everyone hates it."
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Then you had people pointing out that queso is not the only thing they have been begging for. As @Nope said, "Then why have we been screaming about the original chicken crispers for the last decade and no one seems to care?" You could almost hear Chili's fans everywhere nodding along. Perhaps one day soon those crispers will make a comeback, too.
Menu trends come and go, but this moment feels different. Skillet Queso is not just a dip. For many, it is Friday night after a high-school game, those casual family birthday dinners, or a quick weeknight stop where you already knew your order before you even grabbed a booth.
Hochman did not drop an exact date, but said that it "should be back in December," and fans are ready. Sure, the Southwestern Queso is sticking around, and in time, maybe guests will learn to love both.
Sometimes, classic comfort food deserves its encore. And when that original skillet finally hits the table again, that first scoop is going to taste like pure nostalgia in the best way.
This story was originally reported by Parade on Nov 1, 2025, where it first appeared in the Food & Drink section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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Source: Entertainment
Published: November 01, 2025 at 06:00PM on Source: COSMOPOLITE
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