Developer Of Chili's Chain Brinker Dies

Brinker moved to Dallas in the 1960s with his first wife, tennis great Maureen Connolly Brinker, who died of cancer in 1969.

In Dallas he started a coffee shop before developing the concept for Steak & Ale restaurants — a chain he established in the mid-1960s where he's credited with popularizing the salad bar and casual dining.

He sold Steak & Ale to Pillsbury Co. in the early 1970s and went to work for Pillsbury's restaurant division. While there, he established the Bennigan's chain and became known for creating a "fern bar" restaurant concept intended to attract single people.

In 1983, Brinker purchased Chili's, which had started as a single restaurant in Dallas and now has about 900 company-owned restaurants and more than 550 franchises. He took Chili's public and in the 1990s renamed the chain Brinker International.

Among the chains Brinker International has bought and sold are Corner Bakery Cafe, EatZi'sMarket and Bakery. It now operates On the Border Mexican Grill & Cantina, Maggiano's Little Italy and Chili's. Brinker also holds a minority investment in Romano's Macaroni Grill.

"His people in those restaurants not only admired and respected him, they loved him," said Brinker's friend, billionaire businessman and former presidential candidate Ross Perot. "He had a tremendous ability to inspire and motivate other people to do great things."