Brinker International Inc., the parent company of Chili’s, revealed on May 12 that it had recently become aware of a security incident. According to a company statement, customer information was exposed between March and April 2018, and the incident impacted only patrons at select Chili’s locations.
“We are working with third-party forensic experts to conduct a thorough investigation to determine the details of what happened,” the statement said. “Law enforcement has been notified of this incident and we will continue to fully cooperate.”
It appears that payment card details, including credit and debit card numbers, along with customer names, may have been removed from in-restaurant payment systems.
The chain advises customers to keep an eye on their account statements and consider placing fraud alerts or security freezes on their credit reports.
Retailers and eateries have faced a difficult stretch of data breaches as they attempt to offer secure digital payment choices.
In April, luxury retailer Hudson’s Bay Co. announced a breach that affected customers at locations in New York and New Jersey.
Last October, some online ordering information at Pizza Hut was compromised. Sonic’s payment processing was breached in September. Kmart experienced a breach the previous June, and Chipotle disclosed an incident in May of last year.
It seems no impulse purchase or late-night craving is immune.
Jordan Fields is a senior reporter covering retail and grocery sectors for Savinly Readers.
