I tried value meals at Chili's and Applebee's to see which one was a better deal.Chili's 3-For-Me included bottomless chips and salsa and could be upgraded with a classic margarita.Applebee's chicken sandwich was heartier, but the lunchtime deal didn't feel like a better value.Casual dining chains like Chili's and Applebee's are trying to lure customers in with deals as the"value wars"continue.I tried Chili's 3-For-Me which included an appetizer, a drink, and an entre and Applebee's $12.99 lunch deal, which included the choice of a burger or chicken sandwich and a bottomless soda, to see which chain offered the best value combo meal.John Peyton, the CEO of Dine Brands, which owns Applebee's, told Business Insider in February that the chain will be thinking a lot about value in 2025."It's important that we don't lose sight of the fact that value's got a very specific definition for us, which is great food, a really generous portion, and great service at an accessible price," he said.George Felix, the chief marketing officer at Chili's, had a similar outlook when he spoke with BI in January."You're seeing a lot of competitors throwing different combo meals and meal deals out there at different price points, but I think what's really hard to replicate is we're delivering all of that, combined with a really excellent experience," he said."I think a lot of brands mistake the lowest price point for being [the best] value, and I don't think that's giving consumers enough credit," Felix continued. "So for us, we believe value is the entire holistic experience of what you pay for what you get."When I tried meals from the two chains, I thought both delivered on flavor, but Chili's edged out Applebee's with its portion size, option to upgrade the deal, and its addition of bottomless chips and salsa.Here's what you get in both chains' value meals.I visited my local Applebee's in Brooklyn, New York, to try one of the chain's value meals.A sign on the window of the restaurant advertised the chain's lunch deals. Erin McDowell/Business Insider Before I visited, I expected to be able to order the chain's Really Big Meal Deal, which costs $9.99 and includes the choice of a classic bacon cheeseburger or chicken sandwich, a drink, and bottomless fries.However, the deal wasn't advertised or available at the location I visited when I went in early March. My server, however, did tell me about the chain's lunch deal, which was similar.For $12.99, plus tax, I got the choice of a cheeseburger or the chain's bacon ranch chicken sandwich, fries, and a refillable drink. The deal is available at participating locations Monday through Friday between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. and is only available with dine-in service.I ordered a soda to start my meal.I ordered a diet soda to start. Erin McDowell/Business Insider The Diet Coke was crisp and complemented the rest of my meal.I ordered the bacon ranch chicken sandwich as my entre.I ordered the bacon ranch chicken sandwich, which came with fries. Erin McDowell/Business Insider At the same location, the chicken sandwich typically costs $16.99, excluding tax. The deal cost $12.99 and also included a drink, which I thought made this meal good value.The chicken sandwich came topped with two strips of crispy bacon and ranch dressing.The chicken sandwich came topped with two strips of bacon. Erin McDowell/Business Insider The chicken sandwich also included pickles and shredded lettuce on a brioche bun.The chicken sandwich was juicy and flavorful but could have been crispier.I wished the breading on the chicken was crispier. Erin McDowell/Business Insider The chicken's breading lacked the crunch I typically look for in a chicken sandwich, though the pickles and ranch dressing did increase the moisture and flavor.The chicken breast itself was thick and moist, though the bacon strips were just slightly overdone for me. Some people love their crispy bacon, but I like my bacon to have just a touch of chewiness.I thought the fries could have used a touch more seasoning.The meal came with fries. Erin McDowell/Business Insider Overall, this meal didn't taste bad and was a decent value I'd even order it again the next time I'm at Applebee's.However, I thought it didn't compare to the meal I received from Chili's.I tried Chili's 3-For-Me meal deal, which came with a lot more options.The Chili's 3-For-Me had a wide selection of menu items to choose from. Erin McDowell/Business Insider The meal deal starts at $10.99 and includes the choice of a beverage, a starter, and a variety of entres.The chain's crispy chicken sandwich was included in the cheapest tier of the meal deal, so I opted for that. Other options at the $10.99 price point included the chain's OldTimer burger with cheese or the chain's Big Smasher burger.I appreciated the ability to upgrade my meal with a different appetizer, like the chain's Dip Trio, or choose an upgraded entre for a few dollars more.I was also able to upgrade my drink choice.I ordered a margarita with my meal deal. Erin McDowell/Business Insider The $10.99 meal deal came with a fountain drink, lemonade, or iced tea.However, for $3.99 more, I could upgrade my drink to a classic or frozen margarita or opt for the "margarita of the month" for $6 more.I decided to upgrade my drink choice to a classic margarita to see if it was worth the extra few dollars. The margarita was perfectly sweet and salty and enhanced my dining experience overall.The meal deal also came with bottomless chips and salsa.The meal deal came with bottomless chips and salsa. Erin McDowell/Business Insider The chips were thin and crispy and paired well with the chain's salsa. Before my entre even came, I was nearly full thanks to the bottomless appetizer.I could have easily shared this with other people, which made the meal deal feel like even better value if you're dining out with friends or family.The star of the show, however, was Chili's crispy chicken sandwich.The chicken sandwich came with seasoned fries. Erin McDowell/Business Insider The chicken sandwich typically cost $14.49 at my local Chili's in Brooklyn, New York.By ordering through the meal deal, I saved nearly $4 and also received an appetizer and drink."The amount of food that you get is unbeatable, especially with the bottomless chips and salsa and bottomless drink," George Felix told Business Insider of the chain's signature meal deal, adding that the chain is also focused on providing great service and food quality."When you take all of that in totality, we're really confident that it's the best value in the industry," he said.The crispy chicken sandwich came topped with mayonnaise and pickles on a brioche bun.There was a hearty serving of mayonnaise on the sandwich. Erin McDowell/Business Insider The chicken breast was fried to crunchy perfection, and bits of fried goodness practically spilled out of the sandwich. Judging by its appearance alone, I couldn't wait to bite in.The chicken sandwich's breading was crispy and flavorful.The chicken sandwich was crunchy and flavorful. Erin McDowell/Business Insider After biting in, waves of salty, briny flavor hit my tastebuds. The chicken sandwich was perfectly crunchy and crispy but still moist, thanks to the chicken breast and generous serving of mayonnaise on both buns.The fries were also well-seasoned and paired well with the sandwich, though after the bottomless chips and salsa, they weren't even necessary.I had to give the win to Chili's in this small battle of the "value wars."Chili's impressed me the most with its chicken sandwich and bottomless appetizer. Erin McDowell/Business Insider For the price point, I couldn't believe the amount of food I received at Chili's. I also liked the ability to expand and upgrade my meal I simply had way more options at Chili's.However, in my opinion, the actual taste of the food clinched Chili's win.While I did enjoy the bacon and ranch chicken sandwich from Applebee's, I personally preferred the taste of the classic crispy chicken sandwich from Chili's, which crunched with every bite.The winner was clear: For a few dollars more, I could upgrade my drink to a salty margarita, and fill up on bottomless chips and salsa before my meal even arrived, making Chili's 3-For-Me the better value.