That review about bad management is right on. We ate here 4 months ago and the server was a sweetie. Came back today with the same party of 8. There were several open tables to the right but most were booths that could not be moved. To the left were plenty of tables that could be moved together. Hostess said she needed to see if manager would let us sit there because it was a closed section and they did not have 2 tables in the other section they could put together for us. She came back 5 minutes later and said manager would not open that section for us to eat together. I asked, "so are you saying you want us to go somewhere else to eat?" Her response,was something to the effect that perhaps a big booth Might open up in 20 minutes (but no real eagerness to commit to that either).
Sent hubby to Cheddars next door and even though they were much busier than chili's that pulled 2 tables together in no time. As I sat in chili's waiting for an update, I watching several others people come in and get seated immediately. The problem was not they were too busy, it was that they did not want to put seats together in the closed section. They expected us to wait for their convenience.
Two things: managers that don't want to accommodate people should come tell them--not send the message through a high schooler.
If you don't want to seat people quickly don't build a building with all those seats to the left. Yes, I understand it is an inconvenience for staff if customers are spread out; but 1) you are in a customer service business, and 2) servers are not really needed to take orders with the table side kiosk.
I took my money next door and will Never return again. Suggest you do the same.