Fundraising Tips and Tricks

Give Back with Baby Back Ribs: Chili’s Fundraising

Love their baby-back ribs and need to raise money for a good cause? Chili’s fundraising is a great option for your group or organization. This blog post will outline the steps and benefits of hosting a Give Back Event with Chili’s, as well as introduce you to a similar restaurant-style fundraiser with On The Border.

Chili’s Fundraising

Chili’s holds strong family and community values, and the Give Back Event is their way to give back. Here’s how it works:

Select a fundraising date with the desired restaurant location
Tell all potential supporters about the event and distribute Give Back Event vouchers
During the event, the supporters dine with fellow participants
After the event, the restaurant will donate a percentage of the total bill to your organization

To request a fundraiser with Chili’s, first submit a Give Back Event Application to the General Manager of your local Chili’s franchise at least 5 weeks before your desired fundraising date.

If everything checks out, the manager will get back in touch with you to confirm your application and set a date for any day of the week from Monday to Thursday. Chili’s fundraising is an all day event–participants can come at any point during the day and their meal will count toward the total bill.

After the date has been set, you just need to spread the word! The more folks who participate means more funding for your cause. We highly recommend using social media to spread the word–create a Facebook group for the event so that your friends can easily invite their friends! You will have received a Give Back Event voucher to distribute to your supporters, so be sure to share this with them as well.

On the day of the event, guests must present their event voucher, either printed out or on a cellphone, for their sale to count toward the event. Chili’s will then donate 15% of the total sales from the day back to your organization. With average meal prices at $14, this can add up quickly!

The best way to build relationships is by sharing a meal. Chili’s fundraising is not just one of the most simple and easy fundraising ideas–it’s a reason for people to get together and celebrate being part of a community.

On The Border Fundraising

An awesome alternative option for Chili’s fundraising is the On The Border fundraiser. In addition to serving up tasty Mexican cuisine, On The Border hosts restaurant fundraisers to help promote and support organizations within the community. To do so, On The Border partnered with GroupRaise, an online platform that makes organizing a restaurant fundraiser a breeze.

To make a fundraiser request to On The Border, just follow these three easy steps:

Select a location near you
Choose a date and time
Press submit!

Find An On The Border Near Me

Your fundraiser request must be made at least two weeks before the date of the event. Again, it is a great idea to make a Facebook group and utilize other social media to promote the fundraiser. For even more tips on how to maximize fundraising potential, check out our Ultimate Fundraising Guide.

On the day of the event, participants arrive, dine, and have a good time with friends over some delicious fajitas. Supporters just come to On The Border within the predetermined time frame and let the restaurant know that they are participating in the fundraiser for their sales to count toward the total bill. No vouchers or flyers necessary!

Within 4 to 6 weeks after the fundraiser, On The Border will donate 20% of the total sales from that day to your organization by mailing a check. With an average meal price of $16, you’re sure to raise some cash for your cause!

Like Chili’s, On The Border fundraising is an easy to organize, fun, social way to raise money for your group. Click here to visit their fundraising page!

Recap

TL;DR? Here is a quick comparison of these two awesome fundraising options:

Percent Donated:

Chili’s: 15%
On The Border: 20%

Average Meal Price:

Chili’s: $14
On The Border: $16

Time Needed in Advance:

Chili’s: 5 weeks
On The Border: 2 weeks

Vouchers:

Chili’s: participants must provide vouchers
On The Border: not required

More, More, More

Visit GroupRaise.com to check out thousands of other restaurant fundraiser options such as Shoney’s, Applebee’s, and more!

Bennett Slavsky

Bennett is a college student at Grand Valley State University in West Michigan. At the moment, he’s gearing up to smile and pose in his cap and gown while holding a degree in English and Writing. He is a long time member of the ‘Vertical Earth’ rock climbing club and the Outdoor Adventure Center, he is involved with the Sustainable Agriculture Project, and has written for the Grand Valley’s school paper, the Lanthorn. In addition to his studious efforts and school involvement, over the last few years he has worked and written for an environmental agency, a travel company during a brief stint in Santiago, Chile, and for other various publications such as the Detroit Free Press and Mic.com. He hopes to stir inspiration and interest in his passion for culture, the environment, and some good old fashioned adventure through his writing.