• I dined at Chili's and Applebee's to see which American chain restaurant had the tastiest food.
• Chili's impressed me with its choices of customizations, baby-back ribs, and delicious appetizers.
• I preferred Applebee's margarita, but Chili's won this meal comparison for me.

I recently dined at Chili's and Applebee's to compare the chains' drinks, appetizers, baby back ribs, and desserts.

I grew up going to Applebee's, but I only tried Chili's for the first time a month ago. Still, I went into this comparison ready to give each restaurant a fair shot and see which one would be my favorite. 

Here's how the same meal at Chili's and Applebee's compared.

First, I visited Chili's on a busy Friday night in Queens, New York.

Chili's specializes in burgers but is also well-known for its baby back ribs, Southwestern-inspired appetizers, and drinks.

Chili's has over 1,600 restaurants across 31 countries, the company said in September.

My friend and I were immediately seated at a booth in the restaurant's dining room.

We both live in Brooklyn, New York, and it was a quick car ride to the Chili's at The Shops at Atlas Park outdoor shopping mall in Queens.

As we walked into the restaurant, we saw rows of booths, tables, and decor that paid homage to the chain's signature offerings, including a large mural across the back of the restaurant that said "Baby Back Ribs."

It was already busy with diners, from families to couples, but we were seated right away at a booth in the center of the restaurant. The decor was simple but welcoming, and the high-backed booth was comfortable and made it feel like we were the only people there. 

Our waitress was attentive throughout the meal, consistently ensuring everything was going well.