DALLAS, Aug. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ --

It started with one little click, and 999,999 little clicks later, Chili's® Grill & Bar celebrates a milestone 1,000,000 fans who "Like" the brand's Facebook page. Representing the brand's passion for making people feel special, Chili's extended the hospitality experience beyond the restaurant by flying one of their biggest fans to ChiliHeadquarters in DallasFriday, Aug. 12 for the party of a lifetime.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110815/DA52257)

One of Chili's top Facebook fans, Pam Loland of Jackson, Miss., and her husband, Kevin, are regulars at their local Chili's, where the restaurant team knows them by name. Their love for Chili's doesn't stop when they leave the restaurant; Pam shares her family's experiences on Chili's Facebook page, where she continues to be one of the brand's most enthusiastic advocates.

ChiliHeads from Dallas headquarters and Dallas/Fort Worth Chili's restaurants rolled out the red carpet for Pam and Kevin as they arrived in a limo to cheers of thanks and posters exclaiming, "We 'Like' you, too!" In celebration of this digital milestone, Pam was given the royal treatment on a tour of ChiliHeadquarters and even sampled top-secret menu items in the brand's test kitchen. Kelli Valade, Chili's Chief Operating Officer, thanked Pam on behalf of operators from around the globe by presenting her with an iPad 2, for ease of social networking, and free Chili's for a year!

"In this exciting new digital age, we now have the ability to extend our passion for making the guest feel special beyond the four walls of our restaurants, and that is exactly what Pam and Kevin experienced this past week as we gave them a behind-the-scenes look into the restaurant brand they love," said Kelli Valade, Chief Operating Officer for Chili's Grill & Bar.

To keep fans, followers and social media enthusiasts in the loop as Chili's welcomed Pam and Kevin, up-to-the-minute status updates and tweets were made throughout the celebration. Guests also followed the event on Twitter by tracking the buzz with hashtag #ChilisLIKESYouToo.

Even though Pam may have been the fan to win the trip of a lifetime, Chili's wants all guests to celebrate the brand's million fan milestone. From August 15 through August 17, a coupon for the choice of free appetizer or free dessert will be available on Chili's Facebook page for all fans to enjoy.

About Chili's Grill & Bar

Chili's Grill & Bar is the flagship brand of Dallas-based Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE: EAT), a recognized leader in casual dining. Chili's offers a fun, energetic atmosphere and a distinct, fresh mix of grilled American favorites at more than 1,500 locations in 31 countries and two territories. Brinker's wholly-owned restaurant brands include Chili's® Grill & Bar and Maggiano's Little Italy®. Brinker also holds a minority investment in Romano's Macaroni Grill®. Follow news about Chili's on Facebook at www.facebook.com/chilis, @Chilis on Twitter and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/chilis. For more information, please visit www.chilis.com.

SOURCE Chili's Grill & Bar