Chili’s Drives ‘Ride the ’Dente’ to NASCAR After Record 30M Margarita Sales

Chili’s is taking its most famous margarita back to the racetrack.

The grill & bar returns to NASCAR on March 1 at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, growing its partnership with Spire Motorsports and driver Carson Hocevar.

At the center of it all is the "Presidente Margarita," nicknamed the ‘Dente, and the now-familiar phrase "Ride the ‘Dente."

The restaurant chain sold nearly 30 million margaritas in 2025, more than any other restaurant brand in the U.S.

The Presidente has been on menus since 1994, served with its signature blue shaker and built with reposado tequila, brandy, and orange liqueur.

What started as a menu staple has evolved into a cultural hook inside racing.

“We love how fans have taken the campaign and made it a rallying cry for hard racing or a way to say they’re headed to Chili’s for margs and Triple Dippers,” said Tim Forman, director of media at Chili’s.

Last year’s debut introduced a western-themed car and firesuit, plus off-track moments like a country music video and a mechanical margarita shaker ride at Talladega.

This season, the look shifts with the help of creative agency It's Advertising Time and production firm BT Studios.

The No. 77 Chevrolet ZL1 now carries a black-and-white design with red accents and pepper vines crawling across the bodywork, a nod to founder Larry Lavine.

The firesuit follows suit with a darker outlaw tone.

“Chili’s set the bar last year with the Ride the ‘Dente scheme and firesuit,” said Hocevar.

“This year, they’ve outdone themselves with the full look. I don’t think you’ll find another car or campaign in the garage that is as detailed and unique as this one."

Overall, it's an effort that sustains Chili's brand awareness inside a uniquely passionate subculture.

Pepper Vines on the Track

The detailing goes beyond paint.

Nearly 1,100 general managers from corporate-owned Chili’s restaurants have their names incorporated into the pepper logos on the car doors.

It's a symbolic move that connects store-level teams to a national stage.

Meanwhile, the black firesuit features faux denim, a bolo tie, and an updated Texas-sized belt buckle.

The pepper vine design wraps across the car’s roof and sides.

Fans at COTA will see the car on track Saturday and Sunday, culminating in the race broadcast on FOX.

The campaign builds on last year’s off-track efforts, which included experiential activations like the mechanical marg shaker ride in the infield at Talladega.

Other industry giants, like LEGO, have previously tapped into motorsports culture to exist within ongoing cultural conversations. 

Recently, the toy company made a 418,000-brick Cadillac during the Vegas Grand Prix, teaming up with "White Chicks" star Terry Crews to create a viral moment. 

Chili's NASCAR Push and Fan-Favorite Cocktail

The brand's latest racing chapter serves as a great example of how to embed products into the budding sports culture. Here, we learn that: 

• Turning a menu item into a chant gives fans language to amplify organically.
• Detailed visual identity, from car to firesuit, builds memorability beyond a logo slap.
• Tying local operators into national campaigns strengthens internal pride and external storytelling.

All signs point to Chili’s investing in continuity instead of one-time stunts, and it's that consistency that compounds over seasons.

The grill & bar experienced a boost in performance in 2025, with total revenues at an estimated $5.8 billion.

Our Take: Can a Margarita Win on Sunday?

Eyes on its product. That's what Chili's is getting with its latest NASCAR initiative. 

The restaurant chain could have treated NASCAR like a billboard, but instead it built a mythology around a drink that’s been on the menu for three decades.

The pepper vines, the outlaw suit, and the chant all feel obsessive, but in a good way.

If I’m a marketer, I’m asking myself whether I have a product strong enough to carry this kind of narrative weight.

Not every SKU deserves a racecar. But when one does, you head to the tracks, paint a car your brand colors, and let fans scream its name.

In other news, Chili’s recently introduced Margarita of the Month into a structured loyalty platform to drive repeat visits nationwide.

Find top digital marketing agencies that know how to turn clicks into customers in our directory.