Brinker (EAT) Q1 FY2027: how to test the consumer questions investors asked

Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE: EAT), the company behind Chili's Grill & Bar and Maggiano's Little Italy, reported first-quarter fiscal 2027 results on Wednesday, Oct 28, 2026. Investors asked four consumer questions. A fund can answer each with a Neon Blue study well before the next earnings call.

How can a fund test whether the Big Crispy pulls diners from fast food?

To test whether Chili's Big Crispy Chicken Sandwich pulls diners away from fast food, a fund can run a Neon Blue brand-switching study on adults who buy chicken sandwiches at fast food chains. Neon Blue returns the share who would choose Chili's instead at $10.99, which occasions move and why.

From the call. The CEO said "Customers are responding to the size and quality of the sandwich versus fast food." Chili's held 55 sandwiches sold per restaurant per day in Q1. Management didn't say how many of those guests came from fast food.

The study

• Audience. US adults 18 and older who bought a chicken sandwich from a fast food chain in the past month. Split into Chili's guests (past 6 months) and non-guests, cut by household income and age band.
• Questions to field.
  1. Have you seen the Chili's Big Crispy Chicken Sandwich meal advertised? [Yes / No / Not sure]
  2. As a $10.99 meal, how likely are you to order it at Chili's in the next month? [0 to 10]
  3. What would that visit replace? [A fast food meal / A different casual dining meal / Cooking at home / Nothing, it's an extra meal out]
  4. Which matters more to you here? [Price / Portion size / Table service / Quality]
  5. In a sentence or two, why would you pick Chili's or fast food for this meal?
• What comes back. Brand switching from fast food to Chili's by income and age, with source of volume. A consumer channel check gives the same read from the diner's side.
• Time to answer. Well before the next earnings call.

Run this study free as your first Neon Blue study

How can a fund test whether Chili's guests are trimming drinks and desserts?

To test whether Chili's guests are cutting drinks and desserts from their orders, a fund can run a Neon Blue check-size study on recent Chili's guests, split by income band. Neon Blue returns how add-on ordering is changing by cohort, the reasons behind it and what would bring add-ons back.

From the call. The CFO said mix turned slightly negative in October, with guests doing "a little check management in alcohol and desserts." Traffic made up for it. Management didn't say which guests are trimming their checks.

The study

• Audience. US adults 21 and older who ate at Chili's at least twice in the past 6 months. Cut by household income (under $50K, $50K to $99K, $100K and up), age band and party size.
• Questions to field.
  1. On your last visit to Chili's, did you order any of these? [An alcoholic drink / A dessert / An appetizer / None of these]
  2. Compared with six months ago, how often do you add a drink or dessert at a sit-down restaurant? [More often / About the same / Less often]
  3. If less often, what's the main reason? [Saving money / Health / Shorter visits / Something else]
  4. Which would most get you to add a dessert? [A lower price / A smaller size / A shareable option / Nothing]
  5. In a sentence or two, how has the way you order when eating out changed this year?
• What comes back. Average ticket and basket size drivers and consumer sentiment by cohort, split by income band and party size.
• Time to answer. Well before the next earnings call.

Run this study free as your first Neon Blue study

How can a fund test how much more price Chili's guests will take?

To test how much more price Chili's guests will take, a fund can run a Neon Blue price-ladder study on recent Chili's guests, split by income and visit frequency. Neon Blue returns a price-tolerance curve: at each step, the share who change nothing, trade down, visit less or go elsewhere.

From the call. Chili's price was 3.7% in Q1. The CEO said "We are confident our overall experience and price point provides the best value to guests." Management didn't say how much further price can go without losing guests.

The study

• Audience. US adults 18 and older who ate at Chili's at least twice in the past 6 months. Cut by household income and by heavy (monthly or more) and light guests.
• Questions to field (dollar steps are test levels you set).
  1. How good a value is Chili's compared with other sit-down restaurants? [Much better / Somewhat better / About the same / Worse]
  2. If the 3 for Me meal cost 50 cents more, what would you do? [Nothing different / Pick a cheaper item / Go less often / Go somewhere else]
  3. And at $1 more? And $1.50 more? [Same options]
  4. What would make a higher price feel fair? [Bigger portions / Better service / New items / Nothing]
  5. At what price for your usual meal would you stop choosing Chili's? Tell us in your own words.
• What comes back. A price-increase tolerance curve by income band and visit frequency, with the trade-down path at each step. Example layout below.
• Time to answer. Well before the next earnings call.

Run this study free as your first Neon Blue study

Example output layout (illustrative, not a real result)

The shape of a Neon Blue price-ladder output. Cells are blank on purpose; your study fills them. Nothing here is data about Chili's guests.

How can a fund test demand for the Big Crispy Chicken Parm?

To test demand for Chili's Big Crispy Chicken Parm as in-restaurant signs arrive, a fund can run a Neon Blue launch study on Chili's guests and casual diners. Neon Blue returns awareness, order intent and how much an in-restaurant sign changes it.

From the call. The CEO said sales are "a little over two a day, which is a little short of what we expected it to do." Table tents were set to start Nov 1. Management didn't say how much signs would lift orders.

The study

• Audience. US adults 18 and older who ate at a casual dining chain in the past 3 months. Split into Chili's guests and non-guests, cut by age band and social media use.
• Questions to field.
  1. Have you heard of the Big Crispy Chicken Parm at Chili's? [Yes, on social media / Yes, somewhere else / No]
  2. If it's not on the menu, how likely are you to ask for it? [0 to 10]
  3. If a table sign shows it, how likely are you to order it? [0 to 10]
  4. Would it replace another item or be added? [Replace my usual / Add for the table / Neither]
  5. What would make you try it? Tell us in your own words.
• What comes back. Purchase intent for a new item with and without in-restaurant signs, by age and social media use. It works as a pre-earnings consumer check.
• Time to answer. Well before the next earnings call.

Run this study free as your first Neon Blue study

How Neon Blue runs consumer studies for funds

Neon Blue runs studies on simulated audiences grounded in real people's data. A fund brings a question tied to one variable in its model and gets the answer back by segment as a model input. See consumer research for funds.

• Scoped to the variable. Each study is built around the audience and questions behind one line in the model. Neon Blue answers the consumer question, never the call on the stock.
• Simulated, and kept separate. Simulated answers are kept separate from real responses. Bring your own audience data, or add live follow-ups with real people through the AI interviewer.
• Private. Client questions stay private and are never used for training. Neon Blue has completed a SOC 2 Type II audit.
• Cost. A consumer study costs a fraction of a round of expert calls, and the first study is free. PE work is scoped per project.

Run your first study free

What to watch before Brinker's Q2 fiscal 2027 call

• Chili's reimages. Brinker expects 60 to 80 reimages in fiscal 2027. Test: visit intent among guests near a remodeled Chili's.
• Maggiano's banquets. Banquet sales rose 11%, and the CEO said bookings are ahead heading into the holidays. Test: holiday group-event plans among office and family planners.

FAQ

What consumer questions came out of Brinker's Q1 fiscal 2027 earnings call?

Whether the Big Crispy pulls diners from fast food, whether Chili's guests are trimming drinks and desserts, how much more price guests will take, and how much demand the Big Crispy Chicken Parm has. Each can be tested with a Neon Blue study.

How can I test Chili's check size before Brinker reports Q2 fiscal 2027?

Run a Neon Blue check-size study on recent Chili's guests by income band. You see who is cutting drinks and desserts, why, and what would bring add-ons back.

How long does a Neon Blue study take?

A Neon Blue study comes back well before the next earnings call, while the answer can still change your model.

Does Neon Blue give a view on EAT stock?

No. Neon Blue answers the consumer question behind a variable in your model. It doesn't predict results or make stock calls.

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