Chi-Chi’s returning

[Bowser214]

(WTAJ) — Twenty years after closing all of its locations due to bankruptcy and a foodborne illness outbreak, a popular Mexican restaurant is looking to make a comeback.

https://kfor.com/news/popular-mexica...LqiAmDx-j4K4Hg

[Swake]

(WTAJ) — Twenty years after closing all of its locations due to bankruptcy and a foodborne illness outbreak, a popular Mexican restaurant is looking to make a comeback.

https://kfor.com/news/popular-mexica...LqiAmDx-j4K4Hg

"Hormel Foods, who owns the trademark, worked out a deal to bring Chi-Chi’s back to life after every location closed in 2004"

That makes sense for the quality of food they had at Chi-Chi's.

[Bill Robertson]

I was on the crew that wired the NW Exp Chi-Chi's. We got to know a bunch of the first round of employees. My first wife and two couples we hung out with went there at least once a week the whole time they were open. They were really good. I hope they decide to open one here.

[Bowser214]

I remember their fried ice cream. Lol

[SoonerDave]

I worked briefly at the I-240 location way back in the day. We so overloaded with customers coming in only to get fried ice cream that managers would give us tips on how to get rid of them and turn the table over as quickly as possible.

Also, they had a multilevel tip scheme where busboys like me only got tipped out of what the waiters wanted to give us from *their* tips, which didn't usually work out too well.

We were also open in the waning days of illegal liquor by the drink, wherein you had to have a "private club" to sell any alcohol. ChiChis was raided for that several times but not while I was there.

It was a pretty tough place to work and they had high turnover because of their schedule demands. I remember one guy who went to OU saying "I told the manager I'm not quitting school for ChiChis " And the hours were eventually why I quit as well.

[Bill Robertson]

Also, they had a multilevel tip scheme where busboys like me only got tipped out of what the waiters wanted to give us from *their* tips, which didn't usually work out too well.

A couple guys that I went to NWC with and I were busboys at Glen's Hickory Inn for a while. They did tips to us the same way. I don't remember the number but it was a policy of what percentage we were supposed to get. We overheard the waitresses often say things like "I'm not giving him that much. I need the money more than he does".

[btmec]

I worked briefly at the I-240 location way back in the day. We so overloaded with customers coming in only to get fried ice cream that managers would give us tips on how to get rid of them and turn the table over as quickly as possible.

Also, they had a multilevel tip scheme where busboys like me only got tipped out of what the waiters wanted to give us from *their* tips, which didn't usually work out too well.

We were also open in the waning days of illegal liquor by the drink, wherein you had to have a "private club" to sell any alcohol. ChiChis was raided for that several times but not while I was there.

It was a pretty tough place to work and they had high turnover because of their schedule demands. I remember one guy who went to OU saying "I told the manager I'm not quitting school for ChiChis " And the hours were eventually why I quit as well.

We never ate there only for the ice cream. I loved their beef burritos. It was a favorite place of my families for dinner. I remember going to the bar and you got a member card.

[Boop]

I bet the food is not the same as it used to be

[jn1780]

I bet the food is not the same as it used to be

There would be no way of fairly comparing the upcoming rebooted version to the version that hasn't been around for 20 years. Nostalgia is a powerful ingredient. Hormel recognized this since they used the brand for marketing.

[mugofbeer]

I now realize l was wrong this was Chi Chi's location, but what was the name of the restaurant that was out among the antennae farm that had a lake next to it back in the 1980s?

[Pete]

I now realize l was wrong this was Chi Chi's location, but what was the name of the restaurant that was out among the antennae farm that had a lake next to it back in the 1980s?

Sullivan's.

[Martin]

Sullivan's.

was there more than one sullivan's location? the one i remember (along with sully's cafe) was just east of the northeast corner of reno and meridian.

[Pete]

was there more than one sullivan's location? the one i remember (along with sully's cafe) was just east of the northeast corner of reno and meridian.

Sorry, I meant Joe Kelly's.

[Swake]

I bet the food is not the same as it used to be

Chi Chi's is one of those old school "Mexican" restaurants that everyone, me included, thought was good before our Hispanic population boomed and brought real Mexican and Texmex food with them. They had long since faded by the time they closed.

[Pete]

I guarantee you there isn't a restaurant chain from the 80s that could hold a candle to today's standards.

The restaurant business has evolved significantly as have the tastes of customers.

[mugofbeer]

Sorry, I meant Joe Kelly's.

Yep, the one l was thinking about was Joe Kelly's. Thanks!