Chi-Chi’s, the former popular chain of Mexican restaurants, is ready to make a comeback in 2025, coming back after 20 years off. From a place of bright stars and earthy flavors, the once-thriving chain ceased operations in 2004 due to financial hardship and a health issue. But today, the brand is having a lucky second chance with the blessing of Hormel Foods (the parent company of Chi-Chi’s trademark) and Michael McDermott (son of the Chi-Chi’s founder Marno McDermott).
Chi-Chi’s was a headliner in the 1980s/90s, boasting 200+ restaurant sites in the US. Though the restaurants disappeared, the brand lived on through grocery store products like salsa and tortillas, which remain popular.
Michael McDermott, a man who has made a name for himself running restaurants such as Kona Grill and Rojo Mexican Grill, is at the helm of the revival. His newly founded company, it’s Restaurants LLC, hopes to combine the joy of the past with the technology of today’s dining.
I’ve been raised in its restaurants and watched how much happiness they generated for families,” McDermott said. “We want to honor that legacy by bringing back the flavors people loved while creating a fresh, updated experience for today’s diners.”
The locations and timeframe of the upcoming new restaurants are still unknown, but McDermott is confident that they will stick to the essence of the brand while pleasing contemporary tastes.
Hormel Foods, guardian of the Chi-Chi brand via grocery products, is thrilled with the resurrection. “it holds a special place in people’s hearts, and we’re thrilled to help bring it back to life,” a representative said.
To those who fondly recall sizzling plates and the party atmosphere, Chi-Chi’s is a reprise of a dining chapter in the past—but this time with a contemporary edge.
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