Employees at the popular Tex-Mex chain Chili's are in open revolt, describing a new promotional menu item as a 'living hell' that has turned their workplaces into chaos. The source of the frustration is a pair of special edition cocktails launched in November to tie in with the newly-released Wicked: For Good movie.
The Spellbinding Drinks Causing Real-World Problems
As part of a November special, the fast-casual restaurant launched two vibrant alcoholic beverages. The first is The Witches Brew Marg, a green, Elphaba-inspired margarita featuring subtle hints of apple. Its counterpart is The Good Witch Marg, a bright-pink, Glinda-themed drink made with dragon fruit. Priced at just $6 each, the festive cocktails are completed with playful garnishes: a black witch's hat for the green margarita and a pink magic wand for the pink one.
While marketing materials present the drinks as fun and cinematic, the reality for staff behind the bar is far from magical. An account purporting to be a Chili's worker took to a dedicated Reddit forum to voice the collective despair, stating that the Wicked promotion was making their life 'a living hell.'
A Bar in Chaos: Staff Speak Out
The original post on the r/Chilis thread asked fellow employees if their locations were also in 'absolute chaos' because of the relentless demand for the new drinks. 'I feel like a flying monkey behind the bar,' the user confessed, detailing how their bar manager had to schedule a third bartender for busy Friday and Saturday shifts just to cope. The core issue is the time-consuming process of making the cocktails, which is causing service numbers to 'plummet' as staff are forced to stop other tasks.
The sentiment was echoed by workers from other Chili's locations. One major point of contention is whether staff are permitted to batch-make the cocktails to save time, a luxury not afforded to all. A bartender who has to craft each drink individually complained about physical side effects, saying, 'These witches got my fingers looking like I got a hold of the dark hold with how the blue curaçao is staining them dark blue.'
The problem is compounded by high demand from non-drinkers and children, who are requesting virgin versions of the cocktails simply to get the coveted swizzle stick garnishes. When a curious Reddit user inquired about the volume of sales, the responses were staggering. One employee reported making at least 500 of the drinks on a Saturday night, while another stated, 'We made over 700 wicked margaritas tonight. Not even counting all the 'mocktail' versions... I cannot wait for November to be over.'
Supply Shortages and Operational Meltdown
The unprecedented demand has led to severe supply chain issues within the restaurants. One staff member detailed a 'MISERABLE' situation where an emergency liquor order failed to arrive, forcing managers to make trips to a local liquor store to purchase brands like Lunazul and triple sec. The problems don't stop there; locations are repeatedly running out of dragon fruit, lemon and lime for sour mix, and the essential wand swizzles.
Another employee highlighted the sheer scale of the logistical breakdown, revealing that on the previous weekend, their restaurant had run out of not only margarita glasses but also the 16 oz pint glasses they were forced to use as substitutes, and this was before the Wicked movie has even been released.
The situation is particularly ironic given Chili's recent claim to the title of America's margarita king. Margaritas are the top-selling cocktail in the US, and Chili's sells more than any other restaurant brand, with a staggering 25 million margaritas sold last year alone. However, this latest successful promotion has come at a significant human cost, exposing the intense pressure on service staff during high-volume marketing campaigns.
