Brinker International's latest results showed continued momentum at Chili's, and CEO Kevin Hochman said the chain's long-running $10.99 meal deal is helping it win value-conscious diners without relying on coupons, apps or limited-time windows. The offering includes an entrée, a bottomless non-alcoholic drink and unlimited chips and salsa, and Hochman said the strategy is designed to build traffic rather than depend mainly on price increases. Chili's reported a 5.6% increase in same-store sales in the latest quarter, while Brinker projected fiscal 2027 revenue of $6.15 billion to $6.27 billion and said a 53rd operating week should add about 2% to revenue. Hochman, who took over in 2022, said some guests choose the $10.99 meal while others trade up to higher-priced food and drinks, supporting volume-led growth. He also said Brinker expanded its workforce to more than 85,000 employees from more than 50,000 when he became CEO in June 2022, adding servers, food runners and other staff instead of leaning more heavily on labor-saving tools such as kiosks. He said those investments have helped push ticket times to an all-time low and guest experience to an all-time high. Brinker shares have risen nearly 700% since Hochman became CEO, capping a broader turnaround at Chili's after years of slower growth.