How To Hack Your Chili's Triple Dipper Appetizer For A Total Flavor Bomb
Chili's has been having a comeback, with more people patronizing the casual dining chain that's in every U.S. state but one, and it's partly driven by one appetizer. The Triple Dipper lets customers choose three apps and three sauces, and although it isn't new, it went viral in 2024, with people posting on social media as they combined the components in new ways. One of the hacks is an Italian-inspired remix that got a big thumbs-up from Chili's itself.
A TikTok user posted the Triple Dipper hack for creating a chicken parmigiana mini-sandwich. Chili's gave it a seal of approval, writing in the comments, "that's it, we declare this as the best triple dipper hack."
@johnohhhh1 #chilis #chilischeesepull @Chili's Grill & Bar here's my triple dipper hack
Patrons choose from six options for the Triple Dipper: Big Mouth Bites; Southwestern Eggrolls; Bone-in or Boneless Chicken Wings in five flavors or plain; Crispy Chicken Crispers; and Fried Mozzarella. The Crispers and Mozz also come in Nashville Hot and Honey-Chipotle. They additionally select from eight sauces. Chili's says that adds up to 1,540 ways to customize the Triple Dipper.
Chipotle leans into Triple Dipper going viral on social media
The online Triple Dipper hacks (which were big on Fried Mozzarella cheese pulls) helped increase sales of the appetizer by 70%. The Triple Dipper also accounted for 14% of all of sales for the 2025 fiscal year, and Chili's now considers it one of its five core menu items, along with burgers, crispers, fajitas, and margaritas, a drink that it sells a staggering number of each year.
Although the Triple Dipper love began with customers, it became even more successful for Chili's because they leaned into it. CMO George Felix told Marketing Brew that he'd wanted to make Chili's part of the pop culture conversation and gave the social media team a wide berth to make it happen. So when the Triple Dipper hacks started taking off, they jumped on it, acknowledging and reacting to the posts, like they did for the chicken parm. Chili's also responded by creating Fried Mozzarella sauced with Nashville Hot Sauce and Honey-Chipotle as Triple Dipper "secret menu" items, which were later added as regular choices.
Another hack that's drawn attention online is putting Nashville Hot Fried Mozzarella on the Big Mouth Bites burgers. Kevin Hochman, CEO of parent company Brinker International, said in an August earnings call that Chili's would be doing TV ads based on it. (Per NRN.) Chili's even released a Triple Dipper "Dream Collection" over the 2024 holidays, with bedding, an eye mask, and socks decorated with Big Mouth Bites, Chicken Crispers, and Fried Mozzarella.