Chili's Recent $6 Offer Margarita Functions As A Color-Changing Portal To The 1990s

The Radical 'Rita is a nostalgic concoction with an innovative twist and a swizzle.

Credit: Chili's Grill & Bar

Chili’s is appealing to millennial nostalgia with its newest Margarita of the Month: the Radical ’Rita. The $6 drink, offered throughout May, is a swirling amalgamation of dragonfruit, blue curaçao, and Lunazul white tequila, which transitions from pink to blue to a vibrant purple when stirred with a themed swizzle stick.

Indeed, swizzle sticks are available. Indeed, they are inspired by the 1990s.

To promote the beverage, Chili’s engaged actress and former teen idol Tiffani Thiessen, renowned for her television performances in Saved by the Bell and Beverly Hills, 90210. In a campaign advertisement made by SNL short filmmaker Mike Diva, Thiessen maintains her composure while the surrounding restaurant descends into retro mayhem, with scrunchies, slap bracelets, and huge cordless phones.

“I am recognized from my tenure on America's beloved ’90s sitcom,” Thiessen states in the video, “but what may not be widely known is my fondness for an excellent margarita — and some of my cherished early memories with my husband were created at Chili’s.”

Chili’s extensively references the 1990s in its latest cocktail collaboration with Tiffani Thiessen. Credit: Chili's Grill & Bar

Tastewise reports that customer interest in 1990s-themed foods and beverages has increased by roughly 40% annually, as numerous firms leverage retro aesthetics to appeal to nostalgia-seeking millennials and Gen Z. The resurgence of the 1990s is evident on menus across the country, featuring neon-hued beverages and nostalgic packaging. In the 1990s, "radical" served as a common substitute for anything deemed stylish, aggressive, or exceptionally impressive.

The Radical Rita is included in Chili's enduring Margarita of the Month initiative, which commenced in 2018. The Texas-based firm, asserting it sells more margaritas than any other restaurant chain in the United States, reported over 25 million margaritas sold in 2024 alone. The rotating selection has featured previous favorites such as the Witches Brew Margarita and the Lemon Drop Margarita, all offered at a uniform price of $6.

Jesse Johnson, Chili's vice president of marketing, stated that the new beverage "features a highly fashionable flavor in dragonfruit and showcases it in a manner our patrons have never experienced."

The Radical 'Rita is offered at certain venues across the country until the conclusion of May.