Booth Boots

Tecovas and Chili’s. Both popular Texas-born brands.

The Tex-Mex restaurant chain and the Western footwear and apparel brand recently teamed up to create The Booth Boots. The boots feature custom chili pepper stitching and the same red vinyl used to make Chili’s restaurant booths.

The collaboration was first announced via Instagram earlier this summer, just one week before the release of the boots.

The announcement created a “must have now” moment with a limited supply that sold out seconds after they were released.

Both brands share authentic values like comfort, hospitality and hometown pride. But the real marketing value of the partnership was the ability for both brands to reach new audiences.

These Boots are Made for Sellin’

Tecovas was able to introduce itself to a new audience who knew Chili’s but might not have considered purchasing a pair of cowboy boots.

For Chili’s, it gave customers a way to wear their fandom. Cowboy boots are having a fashion moment, recently thrust back into the mainstream by celebrities, artists and models. More importantly, it deepened the company’s connection with the next generation of restaurant goers.

It’s in line with Chili’s’ ongoing strategy to stay relevant and attract younger diners. Chili’s wanted to catch the attention of Gen Z, so it turned to social media. Other brands might find those new audience connections by ramping up PR efforts in a new trade vertical or attending different industry conferences.

For Chili’s, the connection is working. Same store-sales rose 7.4% in 2024, followed by a 14% jump in the first fiscal quarter of 2025. In May it was reported that Chili’s restaurant visits were up almost 20% year over year.