Chi-Chi's
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- Inception
- 1975
- Dissolved
- 18 September 2004
via Wikidata · CC0
Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- business
- Industry
- gastronomy
- Image
- Former Chi-Chi's restaurant in Alexandria, Virginia.png
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- P2012
- Mexican cuisine
- P1056
- Mexican cuisine
via Wikidata · CC0
Article
8 sectionsContents
- History
- Bankruptcy, hepatitis A, and closure in United States and Canada
- Revival
- Grocery brand
- European franchise
- See also
- References
- External links
'''Chi-Chi's''' is a brand of Mexican food grocery products produced and marketed in North America. It was originally the name of an American chain of Mexican restaurants that was founded in 1975 by Marno McDermott and former Green Bay Packers player Max McGee. The owners sold the rights to use the brand's name on packaged grocery products beginning in 1987. The name was also used by a former European franchise through 2024 when its last location closed in Austria.
Following a hepatitis A outbreak in 2003 at a restaurant location near Pittsburgh, the American chain filed for bankruptcy. Its remaining locations were purchased by Outback Steakhouse in 2004, which were either rebranded or sold off. In 2025, Michael McDermott, son of co-founder Marno McDermott, opened a new restaurant in Minnesota, with plans to revive the American chain.
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Categories
1975 establishments in Minnesota2004 disestablishments in Minnesota2025 establishments in MinnesotaAmerican companies disestablished in 2004American companies established in 1975American companies established in 2025Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2003Defunct Tex-Mex restaurants in the United StatesHormel Foods brandsRe-established companiesRestaurants disestablished in 2004