The combination of seeing a Chili’s commercial and buying some new glasses in the span of a few days jogged something in my memory. Many months ago, I was at an optometrist’s office and saw some truly bizarre frames for sale. Among them: a Chili’s-branded frame, which looked exactly like the others but with the big red chili pepper logo that the chain is known for.

Really? A casual dining chain lending its brand to prescription eyewear? What could the relationship between these products possibly be? Let me go out on a limb and say there isn’t one. It’s just plain silly, and provides a great example of brand extensions that have gone too far.

Yes, Chili’s reminds me of cheap dining out and some respectable fajitas and quesadillas. But that doesn’t mean I’m any more likely to buy their eyeglasses over a generic option. Without some logical tie between what the brand is known for and the type of product that’s licensing their name, these type of brand extensions are good for entertainment value only.