In an iconic second-season episode of The Office, beleaguered secretary Pam, drunk off a few too many Chili’s margaritas, receives an award (for “whitest shoes”) and concludes her acceptance speech by declaring: “I feel God in this Chili’s tonight.”

The moment has been quoted, GIF’d, and clipped countless times since the episode aired in 2005—but the show’s setting of Scranton, Pennsylvania, didn’t have a local Chili’s until April 2025. Opening a restaurant there, CMO George Felix says, was an opportunity to pull off what he calls a “culture pop”—a moment that inserts Chili’s into the cultural conversation in an authentic way.

Despite a modern exterior, the Scranton Chili’s has a sign and decor straight out of 2005, plus a replica booth from the episode for photo ops. Chili’s made TikToks with stars from The Office to promote the opening, which helped the location notch the best opening for a new Chili’s restaurant in the past three years.

The Scranton launch was a microcosm of Felix’s approach to rebuilding the Chili’s brand since he joined the company (from Tinder) in 2022. Namely, respecting its feel-good heritage while understanding what customers want today.

As it marks 50 years slinging fajitas and margaritas, Chili’s is sizzling. Same-store sales were up 24% year over year in Q4 2025—the chain’s fifth consecutive quarter of double-digit growth.

The chain’s comeback is partly due to a focus on value—which Felix says isn’t simply a race to the bottom. In June, for example, Chili’s introduced $10 frozen margaritas with Patrón tequila ($4 more than its lowest-priced rocks margarita).

To promote the launch, Felix’s team opened a “Chilli’s” frozen location in New York City, with booths and tables made of ice. It demonstrated that the chain was all-in on frozen margs—and despite the higher price, diners have been, too. Sales of the drinks doubled projections in their first three months. It’s proof that value is about “the holistic experience,” Felix says. “That’s why I think Chili’s is winning.”