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chilis giveaway fast food
chilis giveaway fast food
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Life > Experiences

Chili’s Gift Card Giveaway On X Throws Shade At Fast Food

Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Courtney Lemkin

Over the past few years, inflation has been a hot-button topic as it has caused prices to go up in almost all aspects of our lives. This has affected everyone across generations — including Gen Z, who may have trouble affording simple items as they navigate living costs while being in school or emerging into the workforce. And while fast food is supposed to be a quick and affordable option when it comes to food, chains have also been hit with inevitable cost increases as well. 

In response to this, one sit-down casual spot is working to call out — and combat — price increases being seen in fast food through a slick (and only somewhat silly) marketing campaign that aligns with the brand’s very-online persona. That’s right: The one and only Chili’s is offering a giveaway, a pop-up experience, and a new food deal that will hopefully alleviate some price-related frustrations from consumers. Plus, the restaurant is also launching a new menu item for customers to look forward to and try — and yes, this is all throwing some slight shade at popular fast food chains. 

First, the freebie: With its new “Fast Food Financing” campaign — launched April 15 — Chili’s is giving away gift cards on X, formerly known as Twitter. To get in on the fast food financing fun, from April 15 to 17, people can reply to Chili’s X post about fast food financing with the cost of their last fast food meal and where they ordered from, along with the hashtag #ChilisFastFoodFinancing in order to win a $20 gift card to help offset the cost of their food outing. For more information, fans can follow Chili’s on X, and to learn more about Fast Food Financing, they can visit fastfoodfinancing.com.

Chili’s is also hosting a limited-time in-person pop up experience in New York City. On April 16 and 17, fans can stop by the pop-up experience located at 37 Union Square West from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST. Guests will be welcomed into the immersive space, where they will go through a process that simulates a financing store experience. After being “approved”, eligible guests receive a gift card (while supplies last) to help offset the cost of a fast food combo meal and will gain access to a Chili’s speakeasy where customers can try the new Big QP burger with fries (the chain’s all-new addition to its 3 For Me menu, which, yes, is reminiscent of McDonald’s Quarter Pounder), bottomless chips and salsa, and bottomless drinks. 

“We believe Chili’s 3 For Me menu, starting at just $10.99, has been the best value in the industry since we introduced it in 2022, and we just made it even better with the new Big QP burger, featuring a fast food flavor profile our guests will recognize,” said George Felix, Chili’s Chief Marketing Officer, in a press release. “But for those times when you can’t get to a Chili’s and find yourself settling for the drive-thru, we opened Fast Food Financing to help customers in their time of need.”

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Courtney Lemkin is a National Contributing Writer for Her Campus. She writes articles for the lifestyle and career vertical where she gives advice relating to academics, campus life, and more. She is a master's student at Adelphi University, earning her MA in educational theatre with a concentration in English education. She is a recent graduate of St. John's University where she majored in communication arts with a concentration in media management and minored in English. During her time at St. John's, she was the vice president of the campus' multimedia organization and also has prior editorial experience writing for College Magazine. She later became an editor for the online publication, then worked her way up to social media coordinator / newsletter editor, and eventually held the position of editor in chief. In her free time, Courtney enjoys anything related to the arts and loves going to see Broadway plays.