- This page was last modified on 9 August 2025, at 07:56. Suggest an edit.
Petro's Chili & Chips facts for kids
 |
|
| Chain of restaurants | |
| Industry | Fast-food |
| Founded | 1982 |
| Founder | Joe and Carol Schoentrup |
| Headquarters |
Knoxville, Tennessee
,
United States
|
|
Key people
|
Dale and Keith Widmer |
| Products | Corn chips topped with either meat-based or vegetarian chili |
Petro's Chili & Chips is a popular fast-food restaurant chain. It started in Knoxville, Tennessee. You can find its restaurants in Knoxville and other areas of East Tennessee.
Contents
How Petro's Chili & Chips Started
Petro's began at the 1982 World's Fair in Knoxville. A World's Fair is a big event where countries show off new ideas. Joe and Carol Schoentrup from Spokane, Washington, along with Joe's sister Ann and her husband Mark Lawrence, ran a food stand there.
They sold a special snack: a mix of chili and corn chips. They called it the "Petro." This name came from "petroleum," which is like oil or gas. The fair's theme was energy, so the name fit perfectly!
From Simple Snack to Fair Favorite
The idea for the "Petro" came from a simple snack. People at high school sports events in Omak, Washington, would pour chili and onions into bags of Fritos. They would then eat it right out of the bag. In the southwestern United States, similar snacks were called "Frito pies."
For the World's Fair, the Schoentrups made this snack even better. They added cheddar and Monterey jack cheese, tomatoes, green onions, sour cream, and hot sauce. This made the simple snack much fancier!
The "Petro" was a huge hit! They sold 175,000 of them during the six months the Knoxville fair was open.
Growing the Business
After their success, the Schoentrups also sold their "Petro" snack at the 1984 World's Fair in New Orleans. After these two big events, they decided to expand. They looked into "franchising," which means letting other people open restaurants using their name and recipes.
Eventually, they sold the "Petro" idea and its name to two brothers, Dale and Keith Widmer. The Widmer brothers opened Petro's Chili & Chips restaurants, often in food courts inside shopping malls. The very first one was in Knoxville's West Town Mall. They started offering franchises in 1992, allowing even more locations to open.
What's on the Menu at Petro's?
The main item at Petro's is their special corn chips topped with chili. You can choose either meat chili or a vegetarian chili. It also comes with cheese, green onions, tomatoes, and sour cream. Everything is served neatly in a cup.
Toppings and Other Treats
You can add extra toppings like Black olives, salsa, and Jalapeños if you like. Petro's also has "Premium Petro Toppings." These include BBQ pulled pork, grilled chicken, queso (cheese dip), and zesty guacamole.
Besides their famous chili and chips, the menu also has all-beef hot dogs, fresh salads, and giant baked potatoes. For dessert, they offer fresh-baked cookies.
Signature Drink
Petro's has a very special drink called "Hint-of-Orange Iced Tea." It's served with a slice of orange. This unique iced tea is their signature beverage, meaning it's what they are known for!