Chili's Parent Co. Promotes New CMO
Brinker International, the parent company of Chili's and Maggiano's, has promoted George Felix to EVP and Chief Marketing Officer. The executive move is a key development for one of the largest players in the casual dining space, signaling potential shifts in brand strategy.
George Felix is known as a brand turnaround specialist, having previously orchestrated the acclaimed "Return of Colonel Sanders" campaign for KFC and the "Newstalgia" campaign for Pizza Hut. Before joining the restaurant industry, he was a brand manager at Procter & Gamble, where he led the award-winning "Smell Like a Man" relaunch for Old Spice. Since joining Brinker International as Chili's CMO in 2022, Felix's marketing strategies have been credited with helping drive the company's market capitalization from $1.3 billion to $6.25 billion as of March 2026. This move reunites him with Brinker CEO Kevin Hochman; the two previously worked together at both Yum! Brands and Procter & Gamble. Under this leadership, Chili's has seen a remarkable surge, posting double-digit same-store sales growth for six consecutive quarters. In the first quarter of its 2026 fiscal year, Chili's same-store sales grew 21.4%, driven by a 13% increase in traffic at a time when many competitors in the casual dining space have struggled. Now, Felix's expanded role includes applying his successful playbook to Maggiano's Little Italy, the company's other major brand. While Chili's has thrived, Maggiano's has faced challenges, reporting a 2.4% decline in same-store sales in the second quarter of fiscal 2026. The promotion is a key part of the "Back to Maggiano's" strategy, which aims to clarify the Italian-American brand's market positioning and improve operational execution. The move signals a clear vote of confidence from CEO Kevin Hochman that Felix's approach can revitalize the lagging brand and accelerate its performance.
