I showed up just after 5 pm on a Thursday. There were plenty of tables, and the host seated me right away.

While this restaurant appeared to be just under half full, there were definitely signs of life. A table over, a party of five seemed to be celebrating a reunion of some kind.

As I ordered and ate, I saw more people trickle in, from single diners to families.

Part of Chili's turnaround has been upgrading its in-restaurant tech. This tablet included games that I played while I waited for my food. I spent the most time playing one called "Subway Rush," which involved guiding a man around obstacles as he ran through a street chased by drones. There was also a button to log into a Chili's loyalty account.

Later, I used it to pay my check when I was done eating — a handy feature that saved me from having to catch my waiter just to request the bill.

Essentially sliders, these burgers provided a beefy hit, plus a little bacon on each. I wondered whether I should've ordered a regular-sized Big Mouth burger instead of my chicken sandwich.

As a cheese lover, I also liked the gooey mozzarella sticks.

Coated in too much Honey Chipotle sauce, these boneless wings were fine except for the breading, which fell off when I tried to pick them up.

Even so, I felt that each Triple Dipper provided reasonable value for money. And I had a wider selection of items to pick from than I would have at many fast-food chains.

Chili's chicken sandwich meal cost me two or three times as much as a McCrispy meal at McDonald's. But it was also a much better sandwich.

The whole cut of chicken breast felt heartier than the more processed patty that many fast-food chains use. And while I didn't bring a scale or ruler with me, it was clearly much bigger than its McDonald's counterpart. Chili's says that the Big Cripsy's filet is "80% bigger than the average McCrispy breaded filet."

I don't eat tons of burgers or chicken sandwiches. But when I want one, this is pretty close to what I envision.

The mac and cheese tasted fine, though there was too much sauce. It also struck me as an odd pairing with the friend chicken sandwich and the fries — is a vegetable too much to ask for?

The fries, meanwhile, were a little too thick and soggy for my taste. They left me longing for some thinner ones from McDonald's.

With tax and tip, I spent just over $77 on two Triple Dippers, a Spicy Big Crispy chicken sandwich, and an iced tea.

That was slightly more than I expected to spend, given what I had heard about the 3 For Me deal. But the fact that the Triple Dippers were nearly meals in themselves made the pricing feel more reasonable.

While some consumers are cutting back on eating out, others are still willing to spend on restaurants — but they need to feel like they're getting a good deal when they do.

Yes, my trip to Chili's was more expensive than if I had eaten at McDonald's. But I also got more food, better food, and more choices for my money.