Brinker Q2 Comps Rise 2.8%

DALLAS-Year-over-year same-store sales at all of Brinker International’s chains rose during its Q2, which ended Dec. 28, lifting 2.8% as a whole. The increase was led by the company’s largest chain, the 1,130-unit Chili’s Grill & Bar, up 2.7%.

However, many of the chains did not post the same jumps they did during the same year-ago quarter. For example, Chili’s fell from 3.2%. One exception was the 238-restaurant Romano’s Macaroni Grill, up 1.1% during the latest financial period, which fell 2.2% in the same year-ago period.

The concept that slipped the furthest from the prior year was the 92-unit On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina, which crept up 0.6% this period from a 6.4% jump a year before. Meanwhile, Maggiano’s Little Italy, with 37 restaurants, saw its comps fall to a 2.6% increase from 5.8%.