{{short description|American Tex-Mex restaurant chain}} {{refimprove|date=December 2023}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2020}} {{Infobox company | name = Chuy's Opco, Inc. | logo = Chuy's.png | trade_name = Chuy's<ref name=justia/> | image = ChuysAustin-Jun2010.JPG | image_caption = The original Chuy's on Barton Springs Road in Austin, Texas | type = Subsidiary | industry = Restaurant | founded = {{Start date and age|1982}} | founders = Mike Young<br/>John Zapp | num_locations = 100<ref name="10qsep23">{{cite web |title=Form 10-Q |url=https://investor.chuys.com/financials-filings/all-sec-filings/content/0001524931-23-000080/0001524931-23-000080.pdf |publisher=U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission |access-date=1 January 2024 |date=24 September 2023}}</ref> | num_locations_year = 2023 | area_served = United States | hq_location_city = Austin, Texas | hq_location_country = United States | key_people = Steve Hislop (CEO) | revenue = {{Increase}} {{USD|422}} million<ref name="10kdec22"/> | revenue_year = 2022 | num_employees = 7,400<ref name="10kdec22">{{cite web |title=Form 10-K |url=https://investor.chuys.com/financials-filings/annual-reports/content/0001524931-23-000007/0001524931-23-000007.pdf |publisher=U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission |access-date=1 January 2024 |date=25 December 2022}}</ref> | num_employees_year = 2022 | parent = Darden Restaurants | website = {{URL|chuys.com}} }}
'''Chuy's Opco, Inc.'''<ref name=justia>{{Cite web|url=https://trademarks.justia.com/745/48/chuy-s-74548747.html|title=CHUY'S - Trademark Details|website=Justia Trademarks|access-date=March 10, 2026}}</ref> is an American Tex-Mex restaurant chain founded in 1982 in Austin, Texas, by Mike Young and John Zapp.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.chuys.com/story| title=Our Story| website=chuys.com| access-date=2019-12-22}}</ref> As of July 2024, Chuy's had 101 restaurants across 15 states in Arkansas, Louisiana, Colorado, Texas, Virginia, Florida, Ohio, Indiana, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Kentucky, Oklahoma, North Carolina, and South Carolina.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-07-17 |title=Darden Restaurants to Acquire Chuy's Holdings, Inc. in Approximately $605 Million Transaction |url=https://investor.chuys.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/175/darden-restaurants-to-acquire-chuys-holdings-inc-in |access-date=2024-07-18 |website=Chuy's Holdings, Inc. |language=en}}</ref>
== History == Chuy's was founded by Mike Young and John Zapp, and the first Chuy's location opened in 1982 on Barton Springs Road in Austin, Texas.<ref name="kxan">{{Cite web |date=2023-08-12 |title=Mike Young, co-founder of Chuy's, has died |url=https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/mike-young-co-founder-of-chuys-has-died/ |access-date=2023-08-14 |website=KXAN Austin |language=en-US}}</ref>
On May 31, 2001, then President George W. Bush's twin daughters, Jenna Bush and Barbara Bush, were cited for using fake IDs at the Barton Springs Road Chuy's,<ref>{{Cite news |date=2001-06-01 |title=President Bush's daughters using fake ID at Chuy's (pt 1) |pages=13 |work=Austin American-Statesman |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/austin-american-statesman-president-bush/129914074/ |access-date=2023-08-14}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2001-06-01 |title=President Bush's daughters using fake ID at Chuy's (pt 2) |pages=39 |work=Austin American-Statesman |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/austin-american-statesman-president-bush/129914213/ |access-date=2023-08-14}}</ref> which put Chuy's in the national spotlight.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ellison |first=Michael |date=2001-05-31 |title=Fake ID lands Bush daughter in trouble with law - again |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/may/31/usa.michaelellison |access-date=2023-08-14 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2001-06-06 |title=EATERY SORRY IT DROPPED DIME ON BUSH TWINS |url=https://nypost.com/2001/06/06/eatery-sorry-it-dropped-dime-on-bush-twins/ |access-date=2023-08-14 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Kurtz |first=Howard |date=2001-05-31 |title=Bush Daughters Grab the Spotlight |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/technology/2001/05/31/bush-daughters-grab-the-spotlight/dc077bbf-e94c-4ce9-91ba-26875d99e6ad/ |access-date=2023-08-14 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Bush daughter used borrowed ID in new alcohol incident, police say - May 30, 2001 |url=https://www.cnn.com/2001/US/05/30/jenna.bush/index.html |access-date=2023-08-14 |website=www.cnn.com}}</ref>
In 2009, Chuy's opened its first restaurant outside of Texas, in Franklin, Tennessee.<ref name="kxan" /> A second location outside of Texas opened in March 2010 in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, followed that summer by locations in Birmingham, Alabama and Louisville, Kentucky.
On July 24, 2012, Chuy's went public with a $75.8 million dollar IPO.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2012-07-25 |title=Chuy's 2012 IPO |pages=B7 |work=Austin American-Statesman |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/austin-american-statesman-chuys-2012-ip/129979172/ |access-date=2023-08-14}}</ref> At that time they operated 36 locations in 7 states.
Cofounder Mike Young died on August 11, 2023, at the age of 74.<ref name="kxan" />
In July 2024, Darden Restaurants agreed to acquire Chuy's in an all-cash deal valued at $605 million.<ref>{{Cite web |last=DURBIN |first=DEE-ANN |title=Darden Restaurants buys Tex-Mex chain Chuy's for $605 million |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/darden-restaurants-buys-tex-mex-chain-chuys-605-112041841 |access-date=2024-07-18 |website=ABC News |language=en}}</ref> The acquisition was completed on October 11, 2024.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/austin-texas-chuys-mexican-restaurant-sale-official-relocating-orlando-florida/269-8e6d2735-e49c-4eba-b94e-6206ac7ac88c | title=Chuy's to relocate headquarters after sale to Orlando-based restaurant operator becomes official | date=October 13, 2024 }}</ref>
== Menu == Chuy's serves Tex-Mex cuisine, such as enchiladas, fajitas, tacos, and burritos as well as alcoholic cocktails. The food is prepared in each restaurant.
== Charitable contributions == ''Chuy’s Children Giving to Children Parade'' has annually collected toys to be distributed to underprivileged children via the Operation Blue Santa's city of Austin Police Department not-for-profit organization since 1988.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.austinchronicle.com/daily/events/2018-11-23/chuys-children-giving-to-children-parade-returns-this-weekend/ |last=Garcia |first=Evelin |date=November 23, 2018 |title=Chuy's Children Giving to Children Parade Returns This Weekend |work=The Austin Chronicle |access-date=January 23, 2020}}</ref>
==See also== * List of Mexican restaurants
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category}} * {{Official website}}
{{Casual dining chains of the United States}} {{Darden}}
Category:1982 establishments in Texas Category:Companies based in Austin, Texas Category:American companies established in 1982 Category:Restaurants established in 1982 Category:Companies formerly listed on the Nasdaq Category:Mexican restaurants in the United States Category:Regional restaurant chains in the United States Category:Tex-Mex cuisine Category:2024 mergers and acquisitions Category:Darden Restaurants brands Category:Trade name {{Austin-stub}} {{US-restaurant-stub}}