Chili’s has launched its first-ever dedicated ad campaign for the iconic Triple Dipper, and the strategy is a masterclass in modern, fan-responsive marketing. Instead of trying to manufacture a viral moment, the brand recognized and capitalized on the organic success the appetizer and epic cheese pulls were already enjoying on social media.
The resulting campaign, which includes the 30-second spot “Perfect Basket,” strategically utilizes high-impact TV placements during major sports programs like College Football and the NFL. By running the ads during these high-traffic events, Chili’s aims to reach the large audience who may have heard of the Triple Dipper but haven’t yet experienced it.
The commercials maintain the brand’s signature, recognizable advertising style, featuring the same tight food visuals, voiceover, and the beloved Baby Back Ribs jingle. This familiar structure provides a seamless and mouth-watering introduction for new consumers, making the Triple Dipper a clear-cut craving.
Here’s what iSpot’s Creative Assessment platform revealed on actual viewer response to the campaign.
The Details:
- Chili’s :30 “Perfect Basket” featuring the Triple Dipper (and a very tantalizing cheese pull!) ranked among the top six restaurant ads of the past year (at #6) in overall consumer response to the ad:
- While a few higher-ranked ads conveyed Value more strongly (with price points, meal deals, etc.) and very strong authenticity, “Perfect Basket” sparked these emotions quite successfully while also leading in Prodtastic, Arresting, and Surreal response.
- The Chili’s ad also ranked among the most persuasive of these ads (#5), with 71% of all viewers reporting increased likelihood of purchase or visit as a result of seeing this :30 spot.
- While a few higher-ranked ads conveyed Value more strongly (with price points, meal deals, etc.) and very strong authenticity, “Perfect Basket” sparked these emotions quite successfully while also leading in Prodtastic, Arresting, and Surreal response.
- Moreover, “Perfect Basket” sparked a perfect 10 on the all-important Yummy response, with very strong, broad appeal across age/gender:
- This ad was exceptionally successful, easily outperforming norms for the restaurants category from the last year across every measured component.
- “Perfect Basket” captured impressive breakthrough (Attention and Likeability in the 97th percentile) and communicated a sense of value and authenticity that resonated broadly across all demographic groups with Relevance at the 95th percentile. This ad serves as a powerful example of product-as-hero creative that is executed very, very well.
- The creative’s tight focus on appetizing visuals of the food itself gave viewers the Information they needed to drive rare levels of Desire (top percentile) and above-norm purchase intent among viewers. Both the products and the visuals made a significant impression vs other category ads, with the Chili’s brand almost universally recalled successfully (unaided recall at 93%).
- This ad was exceptionally successful, easily outperforming norms for the restaurants category from the last year across every measured component.
- The immediate opening Chili’s branding ensured near-instant engagement (as seen on second-by-second trace results) but as likely planned, the cheese pull that went viral ensured viewers were enraptured:
- Viewer sentiment on “Perfect Basket” suggests that the visuals successfully triggered immediate physiological cravings and purchase intent across a wide audience, prompting exclamations of “mouthwatering,” “made me want to go to Chili’s,” and “I want one right now.”
- The cheese pull served as a signature visual that differentiated the ad and created a memorable, shareable moment that enhanced food appeal. The technical execution was praised as enhancing the food appeal without being distracting or overly stylized.
- The ad reinforced Chili’s heritage and existing brand equity while effectively communicating both the product concept and its Value proposition with clarity.
- While not a major issue, including pricing could have strengthened the value proposition for price-conscious consumers.
- Viewer sentiment on “Perfect Basket” suggests that the visuals successfully triggered immediate physiological cravings and purchase intent across a wide audience, prompting exclamations of “mouthwatering,” “made me want to go to Chili’s,” and “I want one right now.”
Sample comments on “Perfect Basket” :30
“The food looks amazing and I would heavily consider eating here in the future. I also learned about their new food promotion, which is something I would buy. The food really stole the show. I’m not sure I can even recall any of the actors’ faces. The voice over and music were nice and upbeat without being too loud and overbearing as some ads can be.”
Female 21-35
“That food looked amazing in this commercial and it definitely made me want to order from Chilli’s and it also made me want to visit the website and check the current menu.”
Male 36-49
“Growing up, Chili’s was like a go-to for special occasions. The food is awesome. The atmosphere is great. If there was a Chili’s around me, I would go there for dinner.”
Male 21-35
“Giving the price would be helpful. Otherwise, it is a good commercial that makes you want to go get an appetizer combo. I didn’t know about the sliders as appetizers so I learned something new.”
Female 36-49
“Everything in the commercial screams Chili’s – the nostalgic music, the food, and even the voice over. It was simple and not too noisy. The editing held on the different foods just the right amount of time and showed them off very well. Though much of the food was fried, it didn’t look greasy or unappealing. I don’t go to Chili’s very often, but I may start!”
Male 36-49
“I love the cheese pull and the close up to the wings. The sliders looked and sounded delicious. It makes me want to have some Chili’s or attempt to make those sliders at home.”
Male 21-35
“The food looked delicious and appetizing. It offers a variety when you’re dining with others. The music was upbeat and energetic.”
Female 50+
“All that food looked delicious. I didn’t realize that Chili’s was even still around to be honest with you, but you guys just made me go and look and realize that there is one here in Toledo, so I’m going to go to that restaurant here in the next couple weeks. Definitely got my attention.”
Male 36-49
“This ad made me hungry fast. That girl eating cheese sticks made my mouth water and my tummy growl. Thinking about some door dash or something. That food looks soo good.”
Female 36-49
“I like the cheese pull part of the ad. The triple dipper is a great deal and this shows how much food you can get for a small price.”
Female 21-35
- Encouragingly, while 64% of viewers described themselves as lapsed Chili’s customers, “Perfect Basket” resonated as successfully with this audience as it did with current users and considerers:
- Viewers across ethnicity and income level were impressed at levels well above the average casual dining ad, indicating additional spend with broad reach would be appropriate:
- iSpot Media Measurement reports a favoring of one of the :15 cuts on linear TV since launch (8/30/25-10/9/25), with the campaign also most prominent on streaming:
- Chili’s might consider evaluating the :15 cuts to ensure they deliver the same or higher persuasive power as the :30 second ad. This evaluation is key to determining the most effective creative and fully optimizing outcomes from the campaign spend.
- “Perfect Basket” enjoyed positive response across followers of nearly all pro and college sports (as well as those not following), offering wide media flexibility to maximize reach within budget:
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Creative Agency: O’Keefe Reinhard & Paul