I went to Chili's and saw why the chain is competing with fast-food joints like McDonald's

• I went to Chili’s to see whether the sit-down restaurant is really a competitor to McDonald’s.

I visited this Chili’s restaurant in Alexandria, Virginia.

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.

My food arrived quickly.

My chicken sandwich and one Triple Dipper arrived less than 10 minutes after I ordered them. I ordered a second Triple Dipper to go to try later.

My favorite Triple Dipper item was the Big Mouth Bites…

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.

…while Chili’s boneless wings were less enjoyable.

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.

The star of my meal was the Spicy Big Crispy.

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 fries and mac and cheese were average.

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.

Overall, I was happy with my meal at Chili’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.

Diners care a lot about value these days, and Chili’s seems to offer that.

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.