10 Discontinued Chili's Menu Items We Desperately Want Back

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The corporate chain as we know it would not exist without Chili's, who set the blueprint for the all-ages sit-down dining destination in 1975. Before making a name off the iconic babyback ribs and downright amazing happy hour deals, it was a rough-and-tumble operation in Dallas, Texas. Larry Levine, the founder, envisioned a neighborhood watering hole that was welcoming and could please any crowd. He scouted out an abandoned post office, which ended up being the perfect venue for hearty chili, burgers, and fare with a Southwestern spin.

Offering bottomless choices with little to no cohesion may explain the real reasons Chili's struggled in the past. In 2017, the chain embarked on a massive shake-up by reigning in the menu. Burgers and fajitas stayed, but the spree resulted in a 40% reduction that saw record numbers of appetizers, entrées, and desserts slashed from the rotation. Naturally, many of the retired dishes are ones customers adored, and purchased fairly frequently to justify repeat visits. So, we figured it's time to pour one out for the Chili's menu items that are doubtfully making a return any time soon. And these items in particular are ones we desperately want back.

Technically, Chili's Chicken Crispers haven't gone anywhere. So why are we including the crave-inducing poultry plate to begin with? Fans desperately want the "original" Chicken Crispers back, and aren't afraid to draft a strongly-worded petition to get the job done. For context, Chili's dredged its tenders in a different breading to the denser coating found today. This batter was light and super flaky, and it created an airy texture that was simply uncommon in normal fast food establishments. "It's like eating fish and chips but instead of fish, it was chicken, or like a tempura chicken," one poster described on Reddit, adding "I am sure that if Chili's reintroduced them or marketed them better, they'd sell so well especially since they are unique."

That being said, in 2022 diners witnessed the star menu item vanish from restaurants. Despite enjoying a rabid following, the crispers couldn't compete with two of the franchise's other tender offerings, the regular Chicken Crispers and Honey-Chipotle Chicken Crispers, respectively. Corporate explained to Today that the delicate batter style didn't entice patrons to the same degree. On the other hand, it was the melt-in-your-mouth crispiness that got customers in the door.

Sometime in 2023, Chili's customers noticed Buffalo Chicken Salad was no longer available to order. This was a loaded salad combining Chicken Crispers drenched in Buffalo sauce, tossed with bacon bits, bleu cheese, crunchy tortilla strips, tomatoes, onions, cheese, and a thick dressing. Judging from the plethora of copycat recipes online, people clearly yearn for this particular salad bowl to make a comeback. But it hasn't, and customers swear on never returning because of it. "It was the only thing I liked on the menu, now I won't eat there," admitted a commenter on Reddit.

Truth be told, there are claims that the Buffalo Chicken Salad experienced a drop-off in quality leading up to its elimination. In a side-by-side comparison of the dish from 2020 and 2023, Reddit posters complained that the chain had gotten stingy, tossing in fewer, scrawnier pieces. Today, the Santa Fe Crispers Salad is the closest you'll find to the retired offering. Nab a side of Buffalo sauce (for $1 extra) and you can create a substitute that's semi-authentic. Although, as visitors lament, it can't hold a candle to the real thing. It appears American restaurants ditched the menu item, since internationally, it's still accessible — we found signs of its presence at locations in Kuwait.

Chili's definitely makes attempts to lure in diet-conscious customers not wanting to indulge too much. The "Guiltless Grill" section is intended to veer leanly low-calorie. But at the end of the day, the corporate chain knows what sells well, and that's salty, saucy grease-bombs. That's to a limit however, should the infamous 'Awesome Blossom' serve as the ultimate example. It turns out some customers didn't know that Chili's discontinued the menu item, polarizing as it was, back in 2008.

Of course, a deep-fried whole onion ain't healthy, but Chili's starter towered over the threshold of what was acceptable as a junk food. In fact, Men's Health Magazine notoriously battered the 2,710 calories, 203 grams of fat, and double the sodium nutritionists advise for one's daily consumption in a "worst-of" round-up in 2008, the same year the Awesome Blossom vanished. Piecing together the story, one can speculate the franchise didn't want to attract further bashing, and did the sensible thing by quietly slashing it.

Regardless, not all hope is lost. Scranton, Pennsylvania, now claims a "The Office"-themed Chili's restaurant, and it's the only location nationwide where the fan-favorite appetizer item thrives. And, yes, that mouthwatering, creamy Buffalo ranch sauce is still included.

When brainstorming great savory additions to waffles, it's truly hard to picture a more fitting accompaniment than fried chicken. The Honey Chipotle Chicken Crispers & Waffles was Chili's rendition on the Southern pairing, and featured a spicy, tongue-tingling sauce plus jalapeños and chopped bacon. Not to mention, the presentation was very appetizer-like — one waffle, split into four wedges affixed with a chicken strip, h'ors d'oeuvres-style. Restaurants also served the platter with a side of crispy French fries.

Why Chili's would willingly abandon such a winner of a meal shocked dedicated customers, who confirm locations stopped serving the dish in 2022. The move wasn't publicized, but on Reddit, a user posted a screenshot of an employee-only menu confirming the entrée was indeed getting booted from the picture. And regardless of the petitions and requests, loyal diners have yet to find any sign of the comforting dish's return. Admittedly, the fiery chicken strips didn't entirely go away. Order the entrée now, and restaurants will serve them with french fries and macaroni and cheese.

With highly-ranked burger sliders and chicken wings under its belt, Chili's does a bang-up job when it comes to the bar grub. Yet the other half of the menu, however, veers in a decisively Tex-Mex direction. Enchiladas (beef, cheese, and Green Chile Chicken) were the standard-bearers since 2014, at least until the company announced their departure in — when else? — 2017. Another casualty of the great menu clean-out that, years after, fans are still distraught over.

The chain bid the Green Chile Chicken enchiladas a public adieu in the form of a comedic video, though on social media, patrons commenting on the chain's post weren't keen on smiling about it. "I will miss the green chile enchiladas. They were my favorite," lamented one Facebook user. Many folks expressed disappointment and continue to ask around for the recipes to this saucy, cheesy soul fuel. One Reddit commenter took time to answer a poster's inquiries about the beef variety, who revealed the chain's methods don't quite live up to the menu's home-cooked vibe since the sauce is pre-made and the beef is standard frozen meat. Not accounting for the "magic" a dining chain could bring to their version, diners can assemble a similar smothered cheesy beef enchiladas from home without missing a beat.

Skim the dessert section of any restaurant menu, and the choices will be about the same everywhere. At minimum, you can dig into a hot fudge sundae when the pickings are extra-slim. So to Chili's fanatics, the Paradise Pie was a breath of fresh air — or more accurately, a slab of manna. Imagine one of the most magnificent indulgences to garner the extra-fancy "al a mode" label. A chocolate-chip cookie bar, studded with copious bits of coconut and walnuts; streaks of caramel and chocolate sauces; and flowing from the center, a massive scoop of vanilla ice cream.

The former dessert was an enchanting creation. And in 2020, when it was removed for good, customers just couldn't believe it. Mind you, this wasn't the first instance Chili's took it off the menu. From a 2018 press release for a fundraising effort with St. Jude's Children's Hospital, the chain revived it for a second time, which implies the treat has disappeared yet manages to return now and then.

Anecdotally, the Paradise Pie did not draw a lot of buzz per a thread on Reddit. For reasons still beyond us it was somehow less ordered, perhaps due to competing with the Molten Chocolate Cake, which remains one of those chain restaurant desserts worth saving room for. Still, the blissful amalgamation of nutty, creamy deliciousness lives on, if only in our memories.

We'll just say it: The year 2017 was simply a downer time to be a Chili's customer. We saw record menu cuts that robbed us of many fan-favorites, including the tastiest selection of signature flatbreads people miss terribly. These toasty little 'zas were yummy additions to the restaurant's burger-heavy lineup, a refreshing substitute to the grilled portion of the menu. They even helped boost profits that outnumbered the traditional pizzas rolled out by the chain at the same time, per Food Business News.

First introduced in 2013, Chili's flatbreads appealed to palates craving bold, zesty cuisine, and the restaurant used to offer three varieties to guests: the Chipotle Chicken, California Grilled Chicken, and Margherita, the Italian version of regular cheese pizza. Of course, diners favored ordering one as an appetizer for the table, but the proportions could be filling enough to satisfy as a single personal pizza. This information aligns with a Facebook post from 2014 advertising the flatbreads as a choice in the company's popular lunch combo deal.

So what happened? Apparently, high sales couldn't protect them from business goals and a shrinking menu. Abroad, Chili's still carries the menu item (a pesto flatbread, for instance, can be procured in India) so it seems only American eaters have been singled out.

Calls to protest emerged after Chili's discontinued the Roasted Street Corn. Also referred to as "elote," it consists of a corn cob dressed in a spicy mayo, crumbled creamy cheese, cilantro, and lime. Diners appreciated having it as an option for a couple reasons. Not only were the zingy, creamy flavors on-point, but there was simply nothing else like it in the typical casual family-oriented establishment. Too bad the chain nixed the Mexican specialty as of June 2025.

Franchises understandably have to cut items now and then; it's the nature of the capitalistic beast. Unfortunately, the chain didn't do itself any favors by also taking away corn on the cob, as well. One of the most classic side-dishes (and nostalgic of campfire foods everyone loves) can no longer be added to your burger or sauce-slathered ribs. On Reddit, alleged employees speculated its removal had to do with filling orders faster, since the corn apparently took more effort to prepare than other side dishes. At the same time, scrapping the corn offerings made no sense, given how workers saw patrons frequently order them. "We have a guy who comes in weekly and orders ten street cobs he loves them that much," a Redditor said.

Specializing in "Southwestern" cuisine means nothing if you don't have tacos. Eating at the original Chili's in Dallas, Texas would have seen locals chowing down on soft tacos filled with chili and cheese. So to see the whole category swiped off the menu is startling out-of-character. Again, Chili's rationale for eliminating tacos in 2017 emerged out of pragmatism, yet it left the roster a little less zesty, and neglected any opportunities to replace it.

Customers mostly miss the Spicy Shrimp tacos and Prime Rib tacos. While Reddit users say the Prime Rib taco was never intended to hang around permanently, the Spicy Shrimp was by all accounts a reliable choice, so it shocked regular customers that they couldn't order them again. When the chain's Facebook posted a video tutorial for the recipe, followers reacted negatively, demanding the dish's return instead. "I don't want the recipe," one commenter wrote. "It was fun to go out to get them." We can't speak for everyone, but it's safe to say sipping on margaritas (some of varying quality) will never be the same.

To date, loads of resources exist out there if you wish to make the crispiest fried pickles of your life. At minimum, you mix up a batter, dredge the briny cukes in said batter (perhaps these Dill Pickle Chips from Whole Foods' 365 line?) and sizzle them in hot, bubbling oil. They're quite quick to whip up, minus the effort, but still not as quick as ordering a basket straight from Chili's. Which we can no longer do, on account of an inconvenient truth: The eatery discontinued them — with little warning to its loyal patrons. Remarked one Reddit poster, "I'll never forgive them for getting rid of the fried pickles."

The battered bites appeared to have gotten the axe in 2023, and like previous discontinuations the news spread online through word-of-mouth. Reddit users got wind of the change through a menu screenshot, which outlined specific offerings the franchise was planning on retiring. Even worse, the Fried Pickles joined other popular entrees on the chopping block, including the Buffalo Chicken Salad and Spicy Shrimp Tacos. To fans who haven't forgiven Chili's regrettable error, take the let-down in stride: There's a world of fast food fried pickles at your disposal to savor!