Chili’s social media department is getting ribbed after it weighed in on North Carolina’s election fraud scandal ― without really understanding it.

It all started Monday when Andrew Bates, a spokesperson for the progressive super PAC American Bridge, offered a Chili’s gift certificate to North Carolina GOP Executive Director Dallas Woodhouse with a caveat: Stop trying to seat Republican congressional candidate Mark Harris, whose election has been marred by ballot fraud allegations.

I will give you a @Chilis gift certificate if we can make it to Christmas without you repeating calls for rewarding election fraud. #ncpol #NC09 https://t.co/x7VqB1AMU0 — Andrew Bates (@AndrewBatesNC) December 17, 2018

Woodhouse didn’t respond, but Chili’s social media person did and aggressively attempted to do some promotion piggybacking on Bates’ tweet.

You heard the man. Don't repeat calls for rewarding election fraud and you can have the time of your life at your local Chili's. — Chili's Grill & Bar (@Chilis) December 17, 2018

That unidentified social media person realized shortly after sending the tweet that he or she may have gotten themselves (and Chili’s!) into a situation a corporate chain that aspires to be loved by all parts of the political spectrum didn’t want.

Also, caveat: that last tweet was in no way political. We're just encouraging everyone to have their best shot at having Chili's in the near future. — Chili's Grill & Bar (@Chilis) December 17, 2018

Regrets? Chili’s social media person had a few.

What started as a light-hearted tweet is about to be hours of researching North Carolina politics. — Chili's Grill & Bar (@Chilis) December 17, 2018

Some intuitive Twitter users sensed that social media person was going through a whirlwind of emotions.

The @Chilis twitter guy just walked into his bosses office. "So, it's not the worst thing anyone's ever done on Twitter, but I may have just got involved in something down in NC that I don't fully understand." — Brian Francis (@briandfrancis) December 17, 2018

The Chili’s person didn’t deny that theory.

It's funny because it's true. — Chili's Grill & Bar (@Chilis) December 17, 2018

Meanwhile, others weighed in with advice.

Be very freakin’ careful you don’t tweet a typo claiming you have great MAGAritas. — Dodgeball School (@jam_rine) December 17, 2018

Others wondered if other fast casual chains would be weighing in on the scandal.

Hmmm I wonder if @TGIFridays or @Applebees would be interested in taking a bolder stance against election fraud. — A.P. Joyce to the world 👼 (@AndrewPaulJoyce) December 17, 2018

One person just wanted things the way they were before the election.

It's quite simple:



We want our ballots back ballots back ballots back our ballots back. — corey welton (@cswiii) December 17, 2018

Another person was happy to see Chili’s become politically active, even if it was unintentional.

Welcome to the resistance, @Chilis — Danielle Harlow (@DanielleRHarlow) December 17, 2018