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Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5)
Registration No.: 333-238011

PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
(to Prospectus dated May 28, 2020)
chuyslogojpga12.jpg
CHUY’S HOLDINGS, INC.
Up to $50,000,000
Common Stock
We have entered into an Open Market Sale AgreementSM, or the Sales Agreement, with Jefferies LLC, or Jefferies, relating to shares of our common stock offered by this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. In accordance with the terms of the Sales Agreement, we may offer and sell shares of our common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $50,000,000 from time to time through Jefferies, acting as our sales agent.
Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market, or Nasdaq, under the symbol “CHUY.” On May 29, 2020, the last reported sale price of our common stock on Nasdaq was $15.99 per share.
Sales of shares of our common stock, if any, under this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus may be made in sales deemed to be an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415(a)(4) promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act. Jefferies is not required to sell any specific amount of shares of our common stock, but will act as our sales agent and use commercially reasonable efforts to sell on our behalf all of the shares of common stock requested to be sold by us, consistent with its normal trading and sales practices, on mutually agreed terms between Jefferies and us. There is no arrangement for funds to be received in any escrow, trust or similar arrangement.
Jefferies will receive from us a commission equal to 3.0% of the gross proceeds of any shares of common stock sold through it under the Sales Agreement. In connection with the sale of shares of our common stock on our behalf, Jefferies will be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act, and the compensation of Jefferies will be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts. We have also agreed to indemnify Jefferies with respect to certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, and to contribute to payments Jefferies may be required to make in respect of such liabilities.
Investing in our securities involves risks. See the section entitled “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-4 of this prospectus supplement and in the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus before investing in our securities.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
 
Jefferies
The date of this prospectus supplement is June 1, 2020



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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Prospectus Supplement
 
 
 
Prospectus
 
You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and any free writing prospectuses we may provide to you in connection with this offering. We have not, and Jefferies has not, authorized any other person to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We are not, and Jefferies is not, making an offer to sell or seeking an offer to buy shares of our common stock under this prospectus in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
Persons outside the United States who come into possession of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus must inform themselves about, and observe any restrictions relating to, the offering of the securities and the distribution of this prospectus outside the United States. Furthermore, you should not consider this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus to be an offer or solicitation relating to the securities if the person making the offer or solicitation is not qualified to do so, or if it is unlawful for you to receive such an offer or solicitation. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or free writing prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front cover of those documents, or that the information contained in any document incorporated by reference herein or therein is accurate as of any date other than the date of the document incorporated by reference, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus or any sale of a security. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.
It is important for you to read and consider all information contained in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus, the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein, and any free writing prospectus prepared by or on behalf of us that we may authorize for use in connection with this offering, in their entirety, before making an investment decision. You should also read and consider the information in the documents to which we have referred you in the sections entitled “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Documents Incorporated by Reference” in this prospectus supplement and in the accompanying prospectus.


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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relate to the offering of shares of our common stock. Before buying any of the shares of common stock that we are offering, we urge you to carefully read this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, together with the information incorporated by reference as described under the headings “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Documents Incorporated by Reference” in this prospectus supplement. These documents contain important information that you should consider when making your investment decision.
This document is in two parts. The first part is this prospectus supplement, which describes the specific terms of this offering and also adds to and updates information contained in the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein. The second part, the accompanying prospectus, provides more general information. Generally, when we refer to this prospectus, we are referring to both parts of this document combined. To the extent there is a conflict between the information contained in this prospectus supplement, on the one hand, and the information contained in any document incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement that was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, before the date of this prospectus supplement, on the other hand, you should rely on the information in this prospectus supplement. If any statement in one of these documents is inconsistent with a statement in another document having a later date—for example, a document incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement-the statement in the document having the later date modifies or supersedes the earlier statement.
We further note that the representations, warranties and covenants made by us in any agreement that is filed as an exhibit to any document that is incorporated by reference herein or in the accompanying prospectus were made solely for the benefit of the parties to such agreement, including, in some cases, for the purpose of allocating risk among the parties to such agreement, and should not be deemed to be a representation, warranty or covenant to you. Moreover, such representations, warranties or covenants were accurate only as of the date when made. Accordingly, such representations, warranties and covenants should not be relied on as accurately representing the current state of our affairs.
Unless otherwise specified, or the context otherwise requires, the references to “Chuy’s,” “our company,” “the Company,” “us,” “we” and “our” refer to Chuy’s Holdings, Inc. together with its subsidiaries. When we refer to “you” in this section, we mean all purchasers of the securities being offered by this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, whether they are the holders or only indirect owners of those securities.


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CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the information incorporated by reference herein and therein contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements reflect the current views of our senior management with respect to future events and our financial performance. These statements include forward-looking statements with respect to our cash and cash equivalents if we had paid all of our expenses, our estimates regarding achieving positive EBITDA, expected additional restaurant operating and G&A expenses, our intended use of proceeds and our business and industry in general. Statements that include the words “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “project,” “forecast,” “estimate,” “may,” “should,” “anticipate” and similar statements of a future or forward-looking nature identify forward-looking statements for purposes of the federal securities laws or otherwise.
Forward-looking statements address matters that involve risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those indicated in these statements. We believe that these factors include, but are not limited to, the following:
the ultimate geographic spread, duration and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the effectiveness of actions taken, or actions that may be taken, by governmental authorities to contain the outbreak or treat its impact;
the success of our existing and new restaurants;
our ability to identify appropriate sites and develop and expand our operations;
our ability to manage our growth effectively;
we operate most of our restaurants under long-term leases which we would be obligated to perform even if we closed our restaurants;
we may not be able to renew leases;
changes in economic conditions;
damage to our reputation or lack of acceptance of our brand in existing or new markets;
our expansion into markets that we are unfamiliar with;
economic and other trends and developments, including adverse weather conditions, in the local or regional areas in which our restaurants are located and specifically in Texas where a large percentage of our restaurants are located;
acts of violence at or threatened against our restaurants or centers in which they are located;
the impact of negative economic factors, including the availability of credit, on our landlords and surrounding tenants;
changes in food availability and costs;
labor shortages and increases in our labor costs, including as a result of changes in government regulation, such as the adoption of federal health care legislation;
food safety and food borne illness concerns;
increased competition in the restaurant industry and the segments in which we compete;
the impact of legislation and regulations regarding nutritional information, and new information or attitudes regarding diet and health or adverse opinions about the health of consuming our menu offerings;
the impact of federal, state and local beer, liquor and food service regulations;
the impact of litigation;
the success of our marketing programs;

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the impact of new restaurant openings, including the effect on our existing restaurants when opening new restaurants in the same markets and restaurant closures;
the loss of key members of our management team;
strain on our infrastructure and resources caused by our growth;
the inadequacy of our insurance coverage and fluctuating insurance requirements and costs;
the impact of our indebtedness on our ability to invest in the ongoing needs of our business;
our ability to obtain debt or other financing on favorable terms or at all;
the impact of impairment charges and costs related to closed restaurants in the future;
the impact of security breaches of confidential customer information in connection with our electronic processing of credit and debit card transactions; 
inadequate protection of our intellectual property;
the failure of our information technology system or the breach of our network security;
a major natural or man-made disaster;
our increased costs and obligations as a result of being a public company;
the failure of our internal control over financial reporting;
the impact of federal, state and local tax laws;
volatility in the price of our common stock;
the timing and amount of repurchases of our common stock, if any, will depend upon several factors, including market and business conditions, regulatory requirements and other corporate considerations, changes to the Company’s expected liquidity position and the possibility that the repurchase program may be suspended or discontinued;
the impact of future sales of our common stock and any additional capital raised by us through the sale of our common stock or grants of additional equity-based compensation;
the impact of a downgrade of our shares by securities analysts or industry analysts, the publication of negative research or reports, or lack of publication of reports about our business;
the effect of anti-takeover provisions in our charter documents and under Delaware law;
the effect of our decision to not pay dividends for the foreseeable future;
the effect of changes in accounting principles applicable to us;
our ability to raise capital in the future; and
other risks and uncertainties described from time to time in the Company's filings with the SEC.
Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable based on our current knowledge of our business and operations, we cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. The foregoing factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read together with other cautionary statements, including those made under the heading "Risk Factors" in Item 1A of our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, as such risk factors may be amended, supplemented or superseded from time to time by other reports we file with the SEC in the future, including subsequent Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. If one or more of these or other risks or uncertainties materialize, or if our underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect, actual results may differ materially from what we anticipate. Any forward-looking statements you read in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein or therein reflect our views as of their respective dates and are subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to our operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity.

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You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements and you should carefully consider all of the factors identified in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein or therein that could cause actual results to differ. We assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

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PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT SUMMARY
This summary highlights certain information about this offering and selected information contained elsewhere in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. This summary is not complete and does not contain all of the information that you should consider before deciding whether to invest in our shares of common stock. You should carefully read this entire prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus, including the information incorporated by reference herein and therein, including the “Risk Factors” section contained in this prospectus supplement and the other documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. Unless otherwise specified, or the context otherwise requires, the references to “Chuy’s,” “our company,” “the Company,” “us,” “we” and “our” refer to Chuy’s Holdings, Inc. together with its subsidiaries.
Overview
Chuy’s is a growing, full-service restaurant concept offering a distinct menu of authentic, freshly-prepared Mexican and Tex-Mex inspired food. We were founded in Austin, Texas in 1982. Our restaurants have a common décor, but we believe each location is unique in format, offering an “unchained” look and feel, as expressed by our motto “If you’ve seen one Chuy’s, you’ve seen one Chuy’s!” We believe our restaurants have an upbeat, funky, eclectic, somewhat irreverent atmosphere while still maintaining a family-friendly environment. We are committed to providing value to our customers through offering generous portions of made-from-scratch, flavorful Mexican and Tex-Mex inspired dishes. We believe our employees are a cornerstone of our culture and set the tone for a fun, family-friendly atmosphere with attentive service. We believe the Chuy’s culture is one of our most valuable assets, and we are committed to preserving and continually investing in our culture and our customers’ restaurant experience.
We were incorporated in Delaware in 2006. Our principal executive office is located at 1623 Toomey Road, Austin, Texas 78704 and our telephone number is 1-888-HEY-CHUY. Our website address is www.chuys.com. The information contained on, or that may be accessed through, our website is not part of, and is not incorporated into, this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus or any other report or document we file with or furnish to the SEC.
For additional information about us, please refer to other documents we have filed with the SEC and that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, as listed under the heading “Documents Incorporated by Reference.”
Recent Developments
Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on our Business and Operations
During March 2020, the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak to be a global pandemic and the United States declared a National Public Health Emergency. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted health and economic conditions throughout the United States. Federal, state and local governments took a variety of actions to contain the spread of COVID-19. Many jurisdictions where our restaurants are located required mandatory closures or imposed capacity limitations and other restrictions affecting our operations. As a result of these developments, as of the date of this prospectus supplement, we are experiencing a significant negative impact on our revenues, results of operations and cash flows which could negatively impact our ability to meet our obligations over the next twelve months.
In response to the business disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, as of the date of this prospectus supplement, we have taken the following actions, which management expects will enable us to meet our obligations over the next twelve months:
Transitioned our restaurants to an off-premise operating model starting the last week of March 2020 and temporarily closed nine locations. We started reopening some of our dining rooms during the week ending May 10, 2020. As of the date of this prospectus supplement, we have reopened the dining rooms at 87 restaurants at varying levels of capacity as allowed by federal, state and local governments with five restaurants continuing to operate with enhanced off-premise service only. For the second quarter through May 24, 2020, comparable restaurant sales decreased approximately 49.8% as compared to the same period last year. Selected weekly comparable restaurant sales and average sales per restaurant sales data for the second quarter through May 24, 2020 were as follows:

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--------------------------------------------------- 2Q 2020 -----------------------------------------------
 
Week Ending
 
4/5
4/12
4/19
4/26
5/3
5/10
5/17
5/24
Comparable Restaurant Sales
(60.8)%
(57.4)%
(50.2)%
(52.7)%
(61.0)%
(39.4)%
(45.4)%
(31.3)%
Average Sales per Restaurant
$33,873
$36,440
$42,660
$42,300
$40,200
$57,500
$48,500
$61,630
Number of Restaurants Open
92
92
92
92
92
92
92
92
Number of Opened Dining Rooms (1)
7
53
74
(1) Represents the dining rooms open as of the end of each week designated. On May 1st we tested reopening of one restaurant.
Canceled or delayed all non-essential planned capital expenditures for the remainder of 2020, which is expected to lower annual capital expenditures by approximately $15.0 million to $22.0 million.
Furloughed approximately 80% of hourly employees and approximately 40% of store management personnel, while enacting temporary salary reductions for remaining managers. In addition, we also furloughed certain corporate and administrative staff, temporarily reduced the pay of all remaining corporate and administrative staff by 25% to 50%, temporarily reduced senior management salaries by 50% to 75%, and temporarily suspended all board fees.
Suspended lease payments for the months of April through June 2020. We are currently negotiating rent concessions, abatements and deferrals with our landlords to reduce these lease payments. While some landlords have agreed to certain concessions, there can be no assurance that we will be successful in obtaining all of the relief we are seeking.
Temporarily suspended any further activity under our share repurchase program.
Fully drew down our $25.0 million revolving credit facility to preserve financial flexibility and liquidity. We also amended our revolving credit facility to extend its maturity to April 30, 2022 and relax the financial covenants through the new maturity date.
Engaged in, and are continuing to engage in, discussions with various parties to explore additional financing opportunities to enhance liquidity.
As of May 24, 2020, we had approximately $32 million of cash and cash equivalents as compared to approximately $28 million of cash and cash equivalents as of March 29, 2020. During the eight-week period ended May 24, 2020, we remained current with all of our vendors but deferred a majority of our lease obligations and as allowed under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act deferred the payment of our employer social security taxes. Had we fully paid these expenses during such period, we estimate that we would have had approximately $27 million of cash and cash equivalents as of May 24, 2020.
In response to the business disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, during the eight-week period ended May 24, 2020, we transitioned our restaurants to a more limited menu and a primarily off-premise operating model with reduced labor, operating expenses, marketing and corporate overhead expenses, along with the cancellation or postponement of all non-essential planned capital expenditures. At the end of the eight-week period ended May 24, 2020, we were operating 18 restaurants in to-go only format, 74 with limited dine-in seating and nine were temporarily closed. Based on our operations over this eight-week period, we estimate we achieve positive EBITDA (1) with average weekly sales above approximately $43,000 after taking into account all restaurant operating costs, including rent, and G&A expenses. As we expand our operations by increasing our dine-in capacity and reducing the off-premise operating model for our restaurants, we expect to incur additional restaurant operating expenses and G&A expenses. With the increased expenses resulting from such expanded operations, we estimate we achieve positive EBITDA (1) with average weekly sales above approximately $54,000. We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering for general corporate purposes, including, but not limited to, increasing our liquidity as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and for the potential repayment of debt.
We cannot predict how soon we will be able to reopen all of our restaurants at full capacity, and our ability to reopen will depend in part on the actions of a number of governmental bodies over which we have no control. Moreover, once restrictions are lifted, it is unclear how quickly customers will return to our restaurants, which may be a function of continued concerns over safety and/or depressed consumer sentiment due to adverse economic conditions, including job losses.
(1) 
We define EBITDA as earnings before interest expense, income tax provision, depreciation and amortization, and stock based compensation.

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THE OFFERING
Common stock offered by us
Shares of our common stock having an aggregate offering price of up to $50,000,000.
Common stock to be outstanding after this offering
Up to 19,771,366 shares of common stock, assuming sales of 3,126,954 shares of our common stock in this offering at an offering price of $15.99 per share, which was the last reported sale price of our common stock on Nasdaq on May 29, 2020 and 16,644,412 shares outstanding as of May 28, 2020. The actual number of shares issued will vary depending on the prices at which shares of common stock are sold in this offering.
Plan of Distribution
“At the market offering” that may be made from time to time through our sales agent, Jefferies. See the section entitled “Plan of Distribution” on page S-6 of this prospectus supplement.
Use of Proceeds
We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering for general corporate purposes, including, but not limited to, increasing our liquidity as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and for the potential repayment of debt. We retain broad discretion over the use of the net proceeds from the sale of shares of common stock offered hereby. See the section titled “Use of Proceeds” on page S-5 of this prospectus supplement.
Risk Factors
See “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-4 of this prospectus supplement, on page 5 of the accompanying prospectus and in the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein for a discussion of factors you should consider carefully before investing in our common stock.
Nasdaq symbol
“CHUY”


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RISK FACTORS
An investment in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. Prior to making a decision about investing in our common stock, you should carefully consider the risk factors described below and in the accompanying prospectus and the risk factors discussed in the sections entitled “Risk Factors” contained in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and our other filings with the SEC and incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, together with all of the other information contained in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us, or that we currently view as immaterial, may also impair our business. If any of these risks actually occur, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected. This could cause the trading price of our common stock to decline, resulting in a loss of all or part of your investment.
Risks Related to this Offering
We will have broad discretion in the use of the net proceeds from this offering and, despite our efforts, we may use the net proceeds in a manner that does not increase the value of your investment.
We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering for general corporate purposes, including, but not limited to, increasing our liquidity as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and for the potential repayment of debt. We retain broad discretion over the use of the net proceeds from the sale of shares of common stock (particularly due to the significant uncertainties we face as a result of COVID-19 and the related impacts on our business, results of operations and liquidity) and, accordingly, you will need to rely upon the judgment of our management with respect to the use of proceeds, potentially with only limited information concerning our specific intentions. These proceeds could be applied in ways that do not improve our operating results or increase the value of your investment.
The sale of our common stock in this offering and any future sales of our common stock may depress our stock price and our ability to raise funds in new stock offerings.
We may issue common stock from time to time in connection with this offering. This issuance from time to time of these new shares of our common stock, or our ability to issue these shares of common stock in this offering, could result in resales of our common stock by our current stockholders concerned about the potential dilution of their holdings. In addition, sales of our common stock in the public market following this offering could lower the market price of our common stock. Sales may also make it more difficult for us to sell equity securities or equity-related securities in the future at a time and price that our management deems acceptable, or at all. We cannot predict the number of these shares that might be resold or the effect that future sales of our shares of common stock would have on the market price of our shares of common stock.
We plan to sell shares of our common stock in “at-the-market offerings” and investors who buy shares of our common stock at different times will likely pay different prices.
Investors who purchase shares of our common stock in this offering at different times will likely pay different prices and may experience different outcomes in their investment results. We will have discretion, subject to the effect of market conditions, to vary the timing, prices, and numbers of shares sold in this offering. Investors may experience a decline in the value of their shares of our common stock. The trading price of our common stock has been volatile and subject to wide fluctuations. Many factors could have an impact on the market price of our common stock, including the factors described above and in the accompanying prospectus and those incorporated by reference herein and therein.
Since we do not expect to pay dividends for the foreseeable future, investors may be forced to sell their stock in order to realize a return on their investment.
Since we do not expect to pay any dividends for the foreseeable future, investors may be forced to sell their shares in order to realize a return on their investment. Other than a special dividend paid in 2011, we have not declared or paid any dividends on our common stock. We do not anticipate that we will pay any dividends to holders of our common stock for the foreseeable future. Any payment of cash dividends will be at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend on our financial condition, capital requirements, legal requirements, earnings and other factors. Our ability to pay dividends is restricted by the terms of our revolving credit facility and might be restricted by the terms of any indebtedness that we incur in the future. Consequently, you should not rely on dividends in order to receive a return on your investment.

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USE OF PROCEEDS
We may issue and sell shares of our common stock having aggregate gross sales proceeds of up to $50,000,000 from time to time. Because there is no minimum offering amount required as a condition to close this offering, the actual total public offering amount, commissions and proceeds to us, if any, are not determinable at this time.
We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering for general corporate purposes, including, but not limited to, increasing our liquidity as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and for the potential repayment of debt. We retain broad discretion over the use of the net proceeds from the sale of the shares of common stock offered hereby.
The precise amount and timing of the application of such proceeds will depend upon our liquidity needs and the availability and cost of other capital. As of the date of this prospectus supplement, we cannot specify with certainty the particular uses for the net proceeds that we will have from the sale of the shares of our common stock. See “Risk Factors— We will have broad discretion in the use of the net proceeds from this offering and, despite our efforts, we may use the net proceeds in a manner that does not increase the value of your investment.” Pending the use of the net proceeds from this offering, if any, we may invest the net proceeds in investment grade, short-term interest-bearing obligations, such as money-market funds, certificates of deposit, or direct or guaranteed obligations of the United States government, or hold the net proceeds as cash.

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
We have entered into a Sales Agreement with Jefferies, under which we may offer and sell up to $50,000,000 of our shares of common stock from time to time through Jefferies acting as our sales agent. Sales of our shares of common stock, if any, under this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus will be made by any method that is deemed to be an “at the market offering” as defined in Rule 415(a)(4) under the Securities Act.
Each time we wish to issue and sell shares of common stock under the Sales Agreement, we will notify Jefferies of the number of shares to be issued, the dates on which such sales are anticipated to be made, any limitation on the number of shares to be sold in any one day and any minimum price below which sales may not be made. Once we have so instructed Jefferies, unless Jefferies declines to accept the terms of such notice, Jefferies has agreed to use its commercially reasonable efforts consistent with its normal trading and sales practices to sell such shares up to the amount specified on such terms. The obligations of Jefferies under the Sales Agreement to sell our shares of common stock are subject to a number of conditions that we must meet.
The settlement of sales of shares between us and Jefferies is generally anticipated to occur on the second trading day following the date on which the sale was made. Sales of our shares of common stock as contemplated in this prospectus supplement will be settled through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company or by such other means as we and Jefferies may agree upon. There is no arrangement for funds to be received in an escrow, trust or similar arrangement.
We will pay Jefferies a commission equal to 3.0% of the aggregate gross proceeds we receive from each sale of our shares of common stock. Because there is no minimum offering amount required as a condition to close this offering, the actual total public offering amount, commissions and proceeds to us, if any, are not determinable at this time. In addition, we have agreed to reimburse Jefferies for the fees and disbursements of its counsel in an amount not to exceed $50,000, in addition to certain ongoing disbursements of its legal counsel. We estimate that the total expenses for the offering, excluding any commissions or expense reimbursement payable to Jefferies under the terms of the Sales Agreement, will be approximately $300,000. The remaining sale proceeds, after deducting any other transaction fees, will equal our net proceeds from the sale of such shares.
Jefferies will provide written confirmation to us before the open on Nasdaq on the day following each day on which shares of common stock are sold under the Sales Agreement. Each confirmation will include the number of shares sold on that day, the aggregate gross proceeds of such sales and the proceeds to us.
In connection with the sale of our shares of common stock on our behalf, Jefferies will be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act, and the compensation of Jefferies will be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts. We have agreed to indemnify Jefferies against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. We have also agreed to contribute to payments Jefferies may be required to make in respect of such liabilities.
The offering of our shares of common stock pursuant to the Sales Agreement will terminate upon the earlier of (i) the sale of all shares of common stock subject to the Sales Agreement and (ii) the termination of the Sales Agreement as permitted therein. We and Jefferies may each terminate the Sales Agreement at any time upon ten days’ prior notice.
This summary of the material provisions of the Sales Agreement does not purport to be a complete statement of its terms and conditions. A copy of the Sales Agreement is filed as an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement.
Jefferies and its affiliates may in the future provide various investment banking, commercial banking, financial advisory and other financial services for us and our affiliates, for which services they may in the future receive customary fees. In the course of its business, Jefferies may actively trade our securities for its own account or for the accounts of customers, and, accordingly, Jefferies may at any time hold long or short positions in such securities.
A prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus in electronic format may be made available on a website maintained by Jefferies, and Jefferies may distribute the prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus electronically.

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LEGAL MATTERS
The validity of the issuance of the common stock offered by this prospectus supplement will be passed upon for us by Winston & Strawn LLP, Dallas, Texas. Jefferies is being represented in connection with this offering by Latham & Watkins LLP, New York, New York.
EXPERTS
The consolidated financial statements of Chuy’s Holdings, Inc. and subsidiaries as of December 29, 2019 and December 30, 2018 and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 29, 2019 and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2019 incorporated in this Prospectus Supplement by reference from the Chuy’s Holdings, Inc. and subsidiaries Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 29, 2019 have been audited by RSM US LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their reports thereon which report expresses an unqualified opinion and includes an explanatory paragraph relating to the adoption of Accounting Standards Codification Topic 842, Leases, incorporated herein by reference, and have been incorporated in this Prospectus Supplement in reliance upon such reports and upon the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
Chuy’s Holdings, Inc. files annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. The SEC maintains an internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers, including Chuy’s, that file electronically with the SEC. The public can obtain any document that Chuy’s files electronically with the SEC at www.sec.gov.
Our website address is located at www.chuys.com. We make available free of charge our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, any amendments to those reports and other information filed with, or furnished to, the SEC pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act. Such material is made available through our website as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file the information with, or furnish it to, the SEC. Except for the documents incorporated by reference as described under "Documents Incorporated by Reference," the information contained on or that can be accessed through our website does not constitute part of this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus or the documents incorporated by reference herein or therein.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
The SEC allows us to incorporate by reference information in this document. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to another document filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this document, except for any information that is superseded by information that is included directly in this document.
We are incorporating by reference the filings listed below and any additional documents that we may file with the SEC pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act on or after the date of this prospectus supplement until the termination of the offering of the securities covered by this prospectus supplement, except we are not incorporating by reference any information furnished (but not filed) under Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of any Current Report on Form 8-K and corresponding information furnished under Item 9.01 as an exhibit thereto, unless specifically referenced below.
Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 29, 2019, filed with the SEC on March 10, 2020;
Our Amendment No. 1 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 29, 2019, filed with the SEC on April 27, 2020;
Our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 29, 2020, filed with the SEC on May 22, 2020;
Our Current Reports on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on May 8, 2020 and May 26, 2020; and
The description of our shares of common stock contained in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A, as filed with the SEC on July 17, 2012, including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description.

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You should rely only on the information contained in this document or that information to which this prospectus supplement has referred you. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with any additional information. We do not take responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any information that others may give you. We are not making an offer to sell or seeking an offer to buy shares of our common stock in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus, any free writing prospectus that we authorize or any document incorporated by reference is accurate as of any date other than the date of the applicable document.
Any statement contained in this prospectus supplement, or in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein, shall be deemed to be modified or superseded to the extent that a statement contained herein, or in any subsequently filed document that also is incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein, modifies or supersedes such statement. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus supplement.
We will provide to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus is delivered a copy of any or all of the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus (including any exhibits that are specifically incorporated by reference in those documents) at no cost upon written or oral request. Any such request can be made by writing or telephoning us at the following address and telephone number:

Chuy’s Holdings, Inc.
1623 Toomey Road
Austin, Texas 78704
Attn: Secretary
(512) 473-2783

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PROSPECTUS
$100,000,000
chuyslogojpga12.jpg
CHUY’S HOLDINGS, INC.
Common Stock
Preferred Stock
Debt Securities
Warrants
We may offer and sell, at any time and from time to time, in one or more offerings, any of the following securities:
common stock;
preferred stock;
debt securities; and
warrants.
When we use the term “securities” in this prospectus, we mean any of the securities we may offer with this prospectus, unless we say otherwise.
This prospectus describes some of the general terms that may apply to these securities and the general manner in which they may be offered. The specific terms of any securities to be offered, and the specific manner in which they may be offered, will be described in a supplement to this prospectus or incorporated into this prospectus by reference. You should read this prospectus and any supplement carefully before you invest.
When we issue new securities, we may offer them for sale to or through underwriters, dealers and agents or directly to purchasers, on a continuous or delayed basis. The applicable prospectus supplement for each offering of securities will describe in detail the plan of distribution for that offering, including any required information about the firms we use and the discounts or commissions we may pay them for their services.
 
Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol “CHUY.” On May 21, 2020, the last reported sales price of our common stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market was $16.20 per share. As of the date of this prospectus, other than our common stock, none of the securities that we may offer by this prospectus are listed on any national securities exchange or automated quotation system.
Our principal executive office is located at 1623 Toomey Road, Austin, Texas 78704, telephone number: (512) 473-2783.
 
Investing in our securities involves risks. You should carefully read and consider the risk factors included in our periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, in any applicable prospectus supplement relating to a specific offering of securities and in any other documents we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. See the section entitled “Risk Factors” beginning on page 5 of this prospectus, in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and in any applicable prospectus supplement to read about factors you should consider before buying our securities.
 
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
 
The date of this prospectus is May 28, 2020.


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You should rely only on the information contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus or any prospectus supplement, and in other offering material, including free writing prospectuses, if any, or information contained in documents which you are referred to by this prospectus or any prospectus supplement, or in other offering material, if any. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information. We are not offering to sell any securities in any jurisdiction where such offer and sale are not permitted. The information contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus or any prospectus supplement, free writing prospectus or other offering material is accurate only as of the date of those documents or information, regardless of the time of delivery of the documents or information or the time of any sale of the securities. Neither the delivery of this prospectus or any applicable prospectus supplement nor any distribution of securities pursuant to such documents shall, under any circumstances, create any implication that there has been no change in the information set forth in this prospectus or any applicable prospectus supplement or in our affairs since the date of this prospectus or any applicable prospectus supplement.



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ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS
This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) using a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf process, we may sell in one or more offerings from time to time any combination of securities described in this prospectus up to a maximum aggregate offering price of $100,000,000.
This prospectus provides you with only a general description of the securities we may offer. It is not meant to be a complete description of any security. Each time we sell securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering, including the specific amounts, prices and terms of the securities offered. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus or in the documents we have incorporated by reference into this prospectus. You should read this prospectus, any prospectus supplement, the documents incorporated by reference herein or therein, and any other offering material (including any free writing prospectus) prepared by or on our behalf for a specific offering of securities, together with the additional information described in the section entitled “Where You Can Find More Information.” If there is any inconsistency between this prospectus and the information contained in a prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in the prospectus supplement.
Unless otherwise specified, or the context otherwise requires, the references to “Chuy’s,” “our company,” “the Company,” “us,” “we” and “our” refer to Chuy’s Holdings, Inc. together with its subsidiaries. When we refer to “you” in this section, we mean all purchasers of the securities being offered by this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement, whether they are the holders or only indirect owners of those securities.

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CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements reflect the current views of our senior management with respect to future events and our financial performance. These statements include forward-looking statements with respect to our business and industry in general. Statements that include the words “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “project,” “forecast,” “estimate,” “may,” “should,” “anticipate” and similar statements of a future or forward-looking nature identify forward-looking statements for purposes of the federal securities laws or otherwise.
Forward-looking statements address matters that involve risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those indicated in these statements. We believe that these factors include, but are not limited to, the following:
the ultimate geographic spread, duration and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the effectiveness of actions taken, or actions that may be taken, by governmental authorities to contain the outbreak or treat its impact;
the success of our existing and new restaurants;
our ability to identify appropriate sites and develop and expand our operations;
our ability to manage our growth effectively;
we operate most of our restaurants under long-term leases which we would be obligated to perform even if we closed our restaurants;
we may not be able to renew leases;
changes in economic conditions;
damage to our reputation or lack of acceptance of our brand in existing or new markets;
our expansion into markets that we are unfamiliar with;
economic and other trends and developments, including adverse weather conditions, in the local or regional areas in which our restaurants are located and specifically in Texas where a large percentage of our restaurants are located;
acts of violence at or threatened against our restaurants or centers in which they are located;
the impact of negative economic factors, including the availability of credit, on our landlords and surrounding tenants;
changes in food availability and costs;
labor shortages and increases in our labor costs, including as a result of changes in government regulation, such as the adoption of federal health care legislation;
food safety and food borne illness concerns;
increased competition in the restaurant industry and the segments in which we compete;
the impact of legislation and regulations regarding nutritional information, and new information or attitudes regarding diet and health or adverse opinions about the health of consuming our menu offerings;
the impact of federal, state and local beer, liquor and food service regulations;
the impact of litigation;
the success of our marketing programs;
the impact of new restaurant openings, including the effect on our existing restaurants when opening new restaurants in the same markets and restaurant closures;
the loss of key members of our management team;

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strain on our infrastructure and resources caused by our growth;
the inadequacy of our insurance coverage and fluctuating insurance requirements and costs;
the impact of our indebtedness on our ability to invest in the ongoing needs of our business;
our ability to obtain debt or other financing on favorable terms or at all;
the impact of impairment charges and costs related to closed restaurants in the future;
the impact of security breaches of confidential customer information in connection with our electronic processing of credit and debit card transactions; 
inadequate protection of our intellectual property;
the failure of our information technology system or the breach of our network security;
a major natural or man-made disaster;
our increased costs and obligations as a result of being a public company;
the failure of our internal control over financial reporting;
the impact of federal, state and local tax laws;
volatility in the price of our common stock;
the timing and amount of repurchases of our common stock, if any, will depend upon several factors, including market and business conditions, regulatory requirements and other corporate considerations, changes to the Company’s expected liquidity position and the possibility that the repurchase program may be suspended or discontinued;
the impact of future sales of our common stock and any additional capital raised by us through the sale of our common stock or grants of additional equity-based compensation;
the impact of a downgrade of our shares by securities analysts or industry analysts, the publication of negative research or reports, or lack of publication of reports about our business;
the effect of anti-takeover provisions in our charter documents and under Delaware law;
the effect of our decision to not pay dividends for the foreseeable future;
the effect of changes in accounting principles applicable to us;
our ability to raise capital in the future; and
other risks and uncertainties described from time to time in the Company’s filings with the SEC.
Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable based on our current knowledge of our business and operations, we cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. The foregoing factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read together with other cautionary statements, including those made under the heading “Risk Factors” in Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 29, 2019, as such risk factors may be amended, supplemented or superseded from time to time by other reports we file with the SEC in the future, including subsequent Annual Reports on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and in any prospectus supplement. If one or more of these or other risks or uncertainties materialize, or if our underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect, actual results may differ materially from what we anticipate. Any forward-looking statements you read in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and the documents incorporated herein and therein by reference reflect our views as of their respective dates and are subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to our operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements and you should carefully consider all of the factors identified in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and the documents incorporated herein and therein by reference that could cause actual results to differ. We assume no obligation to update these forward looking statements, except as required by law.


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CHUY’S HOLDINGS, INC.
Chuy’s is a growing, full-service restaurant concept offering a distinct menu of authentic, freshly-prepared Mexican and Tex-Mex inspired food. We were founded in Austin, Texas in 1982. Our restaurants have a common décor, but we believe each location is unique in format, offering an “unchained” look and feel, as expressed by our motto “If you’ve seen one Chuy’s, you’ve seen one Chuy’s!” We believe our restaurants have an upbeat, funky, eclectic, somewhat irreverent atmosphere while still maintaining a family-friendly environment. We are committed to providing value to our customers through offering generous portions of made-from-scratch, flavorful Mexican and Tex-Mex inspired dishes. We believe our employees are a cornerstone of our culture and set the tone for a fun, family-friendly atmosphere with attentive service. We believe the Chuy’s culture is one of our most valuable assets, and we are committed to preserving and continually investing in our culture and our customers’ restaurant experience.
Our core menu was established using recipes from family and friends of our founders, and has remained relatively unchanged over the years. We offer the same menu during lunch and dinner, which includes enchiladas, fajitas, rellenos, tacos, burritos, combination platters and daily specials, complemented by a variety of appetizers, soups and salads. Each of our restaurants also offers a variety of homemade sauces, including our signature Hatch Green Chile, Boom-Boom and Creamy Jalapeño sauces, all of which we make from scratch daily in each restaurant. These sauces are a key element of our offering and provide our customers with an added ability to customize their orders. Our menu offers considerable value to our customers, with an average check price that we believe is on the lower end of our casual dining peer group. We also offer a full-service bar in all of our restaurants providing our customers a wide variety of beverage offerings, featuring a selection of specialty cocktails including our signature on-the-rocks margaritas made with fresh, hand-squeezed lime juice and the King’s Punch, a made-to-order, hand-shaken rum cocktail served in our signature shaker. The bar represents an important aspect of our concept, where customers frequently gather prior to being seated.
We strive to create a unique and memorable customer experience at each of our locations. While the layout in each of our restaurants varies, we maintain distinguishable elements across our locations, including hand-carved, hand-painted wooden fish imported from Mexico, a variety of vibrant Mexican folk art, a “Nacho Car” that provides complimentary chips, salsa and chile con queso in the trunk of a classic car, vintage hubcaps hanging from the ceiling, colorful hand-made floor and wall tile and festive metal palm trees. Including patio space, our restaurants range in size from 5,300 to 12,200 square feet, with seating for approximately 200 to 400 customers. Nearly all of our restaurants feature outdoor patios. We design our restaurants to have flexible seating arrangements that allow us to cater to families and parties of all sizes. Our brand strategy of having an “unchained” look and feel allows our restaurants to establish their own identity and provides us with a flexible real estate model. Our site selection process is focused on conversions of existing restaurants as well as new ground-up prototypes in select locations.
We were incorporated in Delaware in 2006. Our principal executive office is located at 1623 Toomey Road, Austin, Texas 78704 and our telephone number is 1-888-HEY-CHUY. Our website address is www.chuys.com. The information contained on, or that may be accessed through, our website is not part of, and is not incorporated into, this prospectus or the registration statement of which it forms a part.

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RISK FACTORS
Investing in our securities involves risks. Before you make a decision to buy our securities, in addition to the risks and uncertainties discussed under “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements,” you should carefully consider the specific risks set forth under the caption “Risk Factors” in any applicable prospectus supplement, as well as in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequently filed Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and our Current Reports on Form 8-K (other than, in each case, information furnished rather than filed), which are incorporated herein by reference. If any of these risks actually occur, it may materially harm our business, financial condition, liquidity and results of operations. As a result, the market price of our securities could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment. Additionally, the risks and uncertainties described in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or in any document incorporated by reference herein or therein are not the only risks and uncertainties that we face. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently believe to be immaterial may also adversely affect our business.

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USE OF PROCEEDS
We intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of any securities offered by us under this prospectus as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

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DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK
The following summary of the material terms of our capital stock is not intended to be a complete summary of the rights and preferences of such securities. We urge you to read our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and bylaws in their entirety for a complete description of the rights and preferences of our capital stock, copies of which have been filed with the SEC. These documents are also incorporated by reference into the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.
General
Our authorized capital stock consists of 60,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of which 16,643,660 shares are issued and outstanding as of May 18, 2020 and 15,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share, none of which are issued and outstanding as of May 18, 2020. We have approximately five holders of record of our common stock. The number of holders of record is based upon the actual number of holders registered at such date and does not include holders of shares in “street name” or persons, partnerships, associates, corporations, or the entities in security position listings maintained by depositories.
Common Stock
Voting Rights
The holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote per share on any matter to be voted upon by stockholders. Our certificate of incorporation provides for the classification of the board into three classes, with each class to hold a term of three years. Our certificate of incorporation does not provide for cumulative voting in connection with the election of directors. Accordingly, holders of more than 50% of our common stock will be able to elect all of the directors standing for election. The holders of a majority of the shares of common stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote thereat, present in person or represented by proxy, constitute a quorum at all meetings of the shareholders for the transaction of business.
Dividends
The holders of our common stock are entitled to dividends our board of directors may declare, from time to time, from funds legally available therefore, subject to the preferential rights of the holders of our preferred stock, if any, and any contractual limitations on our ability to declare and pay dividends.
Other Rights
Our common stock does not have any conversion rights and is not subject to any redemption provisions. No holder of shares of our common stock has any right, pre-emptive or other, to subscribe for or to purchase from us any shares of our common stock hereafter issued or sold.
No shares of our common stock are subject to any sinking fund provisions.
Upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, or winding up of our affairs, the holders of our common stock are entitled to share ratably in all assets remaining after payment of creditors and subject to prior distribution rights of our preferred stock, if any.
Preferred Stock
Our certificate of incorporation provides that shares of preferred stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series. Our board is authorized to issue such shares of preferred stock in such series and to fix from time to time before issuance the number of shares to be included in any such series and the designation, relative powers, preferences, rights and qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such series. The authority of the board with respect to each such series includes, without limitation, the determination of any or all of the following:
the number of shares of any series and the designation to distinguish the shares of such series from the shares of all other series;
the voting powers, if any, and whether such voting powers are full or limited in such series;
the redemption provisions, if any, applicable to such series, including the redemption price or prices to be paid;

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whether dividends, if any, will be cumulative or noncumulative, the dividend rate of such series, and the dates, conditions and preferences of dividends on such series;
the rights of such series upon the voluntary or involuntary dissolution of, or upon any distribution of the assets of, the Company;
the provisions, if any, pursuant to which the shares of such series are convertible into, or exchangeable for, shares of any other class or classes or any other series of the same or any other class or classes of stock of the Company, at such price or prices or at such rate or rates of exchange and with such adjustments applicable thereto;
the right, if any, to subscribe for or to purchase any securities of the Company;
the provisions, if any, of a sinking fund applicable to such series; and
any other designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights, and qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof.
Our board is able, without stockholder approval, to issue preferred stock with voting and other rights that could adversely affect the voting power and other rights of the holders of our common stock and could have anti-takeover effects. The ability of our board to issue preferred stock without stockholder approval could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change of control of us or the removal of existing management.
Anti-Takeover Provisions
Delaware Anti-Takeover Law
We are subject to Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. Section 203 generally prohibits a public Delaware corporation from engaging in a “business combination” with an “interested stockholder” for a period of three years after the date of the transaction in which the person became an interested stockholder, unless:
prior to the date of the transaction, the board of directors of the corporation approved either the business combination or the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder;
the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock of the corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding for purposes of determining the number of voting stock outstanding (a) shares owned by persons who are directors and also officers and (b) shares owned by employee stock plans in which employee participants do not have the right to determine confidentially whether shares held subject to the plan will be tendered in a tender or exchange offer; or
on or subsequent to the date of the transaction, the business combination is approved by the board of directors of the corporation and authorized at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, and not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of at least 66 2/3% of the outstanding voting stock which is not owned by the interested stockholder.
Section 203 defines a business combination to include:
any merger or consolidation involving the corporation and the interested stockholder;
any sale, transfer, pledge or other disposition involving the interested stockholder of 10% or more of the assets of the corporation;
subject to exceptions, any transaction that results in the issuance or transfer by the corporation of any stock of the corporation to the interested stockholder;
any transaction involving the corporation that has the effect of increasing the proportionate share of the stock of any class or series of the corporation beneficially owned by the interested stockholder; and
the receipt by the interested stockholder of the benefit of any loans, advances, guarantees, pledges or other financial benefits provided by or through the corporation.
In general, Section 203 defines an interested stockholder as any entity or person beneficially owning 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the corporation at any time within three years immediately prior to the date of determination and any entity or person affiliated with or controlling or controlled by the entity or person.

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Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaw Provisions
Provisions of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws may delay or discourage transactions involving an actual or potential change in our control or change in our management, including transactions in which stockholders might otherwise receive a premium for their shares, or transactions that our stockholders might otherwise deem to be in their best interest. Among other things, our certificate of incorporation and bylaws:
provide that the authorized number of directors may be changed only by resolution of the board of directors;
provide that all vacancies, including newly created directorships, may, except as otherwise required by law, only be filled by the affirmative vote of a majority of directors then in office, even if less than a quorum;
provide that stockholders seeking to present proposals before a meeting of stockholders or to nominate candidates for election as directors at a meeting of stockholders must provide notice in writing in a timely manner, and also specify requirements as to the form and content of a stockholder’s notice;
do not provide for cumulative voting rights (therefore allowing the holders of a majority of the shares of common stock entitled to vote in any election of directors to elect all of the directors standing for election, if they should so choose);
provide that the directors will be classified into three classes, as nearly equal in number as possible, holding office for a term expiring at the annual meeting of stockholders held in the third year following the year of their election;
provide that special meetings of our stockholders may be called only by the chairman of the board, our chief executive officer, or by written request of a majority of our board of directors; and
require the approval of our board of directors or the holders of a supermajority of our outstanding shares of common stock to amend our bylaws and certain provisions of our certificate of incorporation, including, among others, (1) the annual and special meeting and no action by written consent of stockholders provisions in our certificate of incorporation and (2) the provisions in our certificate of incorporation relating to directors.
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC.
Listing
Our shares of common stock are listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (“Nasdaq”) under the symbol “CHUY.”

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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES
The following description, together with the additional information we may include in any applicable prospectus supplements and in any related free writing prospectuses, summarizes the material terms and provisions of the debt securities that we may offer under this prospectus. While the terms summarized below will apply generally to any debt securities that we may offer, we will describe the particular terms of any debt securities in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement. The terms of any debt securities offered under a prospectus supplement may differ from the terms described below.
We may issue debt securities from time to time in one or more distinct series. The debt securities will be senior debt securities and will be issued under an indenture between us and a trustee. If we issue debt securities pursuant to an indenture, in the applicable prospectus supplement we will specify the trustee under such indenture. We will include in a supplement to this prospectus the specific terms of debt securities being offered, including the terms, if any, on which debt securities may be convertible into or exchangeable for common stock, preferred stock or other debt securities. The statements and descriptions in this prospectus or in any prospectus supplement regarding provisions of debt securities and any indentures are summaries of these provisions and are subject to, and are qualified in their entirety by reference to, all of the provisions of the debt securities and the indentures (including any amendments or supplements we may enter into from time to time which are permitted under the debt securities or any indenture).
Unless otherwise specified in a prospectus supplement, the debt securities will be direct unsecured obligations of the Company and will rank equally with any of our other senior and unsubordinated debt.
The applicable prospectus supplement will set forth the terms of the debt securities or any series thereof, including, if applicable:
the title of the debt securities;
any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the debt securities;
the date or dates on which the principal amount of the debt securities will mature;
if the debt securities bear interest, the rate or rates at which the debt securities bear interest and the date or dates from which interest will accrue;
if the debt securities bear interest, the dates on which interest will be payable and the regular record dates for interest payments;
the place or places where the payment of principal, any premium and interest will be made, where the debt securities may be surrendered for transfer or exchange and where notices or demands to or upon us may be served;
the price at which we originally issue the debt security, expressed as a percentage of the principal amount, and the original issue date;
any optional redemption provisions, which would allow us to redeem the debt securities in whole or in part;
any sinking fund or other provisions that would obligate us to redeem, repay or purchase the debt securities;
if the currency in which the debt securities will be issuable is U.S. dollars, the denominations in which any registered securities will be issuable, if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof;
if other than the entire principal amount, the portion of the principal amount of debt securities which will be payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the maturity of the debt securities;
the events of default and covenants relevant to the debt securities, including the inapplicability of any event of default or covenant set forth in the indenture relating to the debt securities, or the applicability of any other events of default or covenants in addition to the events of default or covenants set forth in the indenture relating to the debt securities;
the name and location of the corporate trust office of the applicable trustee under the indenture for such series of notes;
if other than U.S. dollars, the currency in which the debt securities will be paid or denominated;

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if the debt securities are to be payable, at our election or the election of a holder of the debt securities, in a currency other than that in which the debt securities are denominated or stated to be payable, the terms and conditions upon which that election may be made, and the time and manner of determining the exchange rate between the currency in which the debt securities are denominated or stated to be payable and the currency in which the debt securities are to be so payable;
the designation of the original currency determination agent, if any;
if the debt securities do not bear interest, the dates on which we will furnish to the applicable trustee the names and addresses of the holders of the debt securities;
if the debt security is also an original issue discount debt security, the yield to maturity;
if other than as set forth in an indenture, provisions for the satisfaction and discharge or defeasance or covenant defeasance of that indenture with respect to the debt securities issued under that indenture;
the date as of which any global security will be dated if other than the date of original issuance of the first debt security of a particular series to be issued;
whether and under what circumstances we will pay additional amounts to non-U.S. holders in respect of any tax assessment or government charge;
whether the debt securities will be issued in whole or in part in the form of a global security or securities and, in that case, any depositary and global exchange agent for the global security or securities, whether the global form shall be permanent or temporary and, if applicable, the exchange date;
if debt securities are to be issuable initially in the form of a temporary global security, the circumstances under which the temporary global security can be exchanged for definitive debt securities and whether the definitive debt securities will be registered securities or will be in global form and provisions relating to the payment of interest in respect of any portion of a global security payable in respect of an interest payment date prior to the exchange date;
the assets, if any, that will be pledged as security for the payment of the debt security;
the forms of the debt securities; and
any other terms of the debt securities, which terms shall not be inconsistent with the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.
In addition, any debt securities offered hereby may be convertible into or exchangeable for common stock, preferred stock or other debt securities. The applicable prospectus supplement will set forth the terms and conditions of such conversion or exchange, including, if applicable:
the conversion or exchange price;
the conversion or exchange period;
provisions regarding our ability or that of the holder to convert or exchange the debt securities;
events requiring adjustment to the conversion or exchange price; and
provisions affecting conversion or exchange in the event of our redemption of such debt securities.
This prospectus is part of a registration statement that provides that we may issue debt securities from time to time in one or more series under one or more indentures, in each case with the same or various maturities, at par or at a discount. Unless indicated in a prospectus supplement, we may issue additional debt securities of a particular series without the consent of the holders of the debt securities of such series outstanding at the time of the issuance. Any such additional debt securities, together with all other outstanding debt securities of that series, will constitute a single series of debt securities under the applicable indenture.
We intend to disclose any restrictive covenants for any issuance or series of debt securities in the applicable prospectus supplement.

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DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS
We expect the following provisions will generally apply to warrants we may offer, unless we specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement.
We may issue warrants for the purchase of common stock, preferred stock or debt securities (collectively “warrants”). Warrants may be issued independently or together with common stock, preferred stock or debt securities and may be attached to or separate from any offered securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under a separate warrant agreement (a “warrant agreement”) to be entered into between us and a bank or trust company, as warrant agent (the “warrant agent”). The warrant agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the warrants and will not have any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders or beneficial owners of warrants. The statements and descriptions in this prospectus or in any prospectus supplement regarding provisions of the warrants are subject to, and are qualified in their entirety by reference to, the provisions of the warrant agreement.
General
If we offer warrants to purchase common stock, preferred stock or debt securities, the related prospectus supplement will describe the terms of the warrants, including, if applicable:
the title of the warrants;
the offering price, if any;
the aggregate number of warrants;
the designation, terms and principal amount of the common stock, preferred stock or debt securities purchasable upon exercise of the warrants and the initial price at which such securities may be purchased upon exercise;
the exercise price of the warrants;
the date on which the right to exercise the warrants shall commence and the date on which such right shall expire;
if applicable, the designation and terms of the securities that the warrants are issued with and the number of warrants issued with each security;
if applicable, the date from and after which the warrants and any securities issued with the warrants will be separately transferable;
if applicable, the minimum or maximum amount of the warrants that may be exercised at any one time;
a discussion of certain federal income tax considerations, if applicable;
the redemption or call provisions, if any;
the currency, currencies or currency units in which the offering price, if any, and exercise price are payable;
the antidilution provisions of the warrants;
any other terms of the warrants, including terms, procedures, and limitations relating to the exchange and exercise of the warrants; and
any other material terms of the warrants.
The shares of common stock or preferred stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants will, when issued in accordance with the warrant agreement, be fully paid and non-assessable.
No Rights
Holders of warrants will not be entitled, by virtue of being such holders, to any rights of holders of the underlying securities. For example, holders of warrants will have no rights to:
vote or consent;

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receive dividends;
payments of principal of and interest, if any, on the securities;
receive notice as stockholders with respect to any meeting of stockholders for the election of our directors or any other matter; or
exercise any rights whatsoever as our stockholders.

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION
We may sell the securities offered by this prospectus in any one or more of the following ways from time to time:
directly to investors, including through a specific bidding, auction or other process;
to investors through agents;
directly to agents;
to or through brokers or dealers;
to the public through underwriting syndicates led by one or more managing underwriters;
to one or more underwriters acting alone for resale to investors or to the public;
through a combination of any such methods of sale; or
any other method permitted pursuant to applicable law.
We may also sell the securities offered by this prospectus in “at the market offerings” within the meaning of Rule 415(a)(4) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), to or through a market maker or into an existing trading market, on an exchange or otherwise.
The accompanying prospectus supplement will set forth the terms of the offering and the method of distribution and will identify any firms acting as underwriters, dealers or agents in connection with the offering, including:
the name or names of any underwriters, dealers or agents;
the purchase price of the securities and the proceeds to us from the sale;
any over-allotment options under which the underwriters may purchase additional securities from us;
any underwriting discounts and other items constituting compensation to underwriters, dealers or agents;
any public offering price;
any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers; or
any securities exchange or market on which the securities offered in the prospectus supplement may be listed.
Only those underwriters identified in such prospectus supplement are deemed to be underwriters in connection with the securities offered in the prospectus supplement. Any underwritten offering may be on a best efforts or a firm commitment basis.
The distribution of the securities may be effected from time to time in one or more transactions at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed, at varying prices determined at the time of sale, or at prices determined as the applicable prospectus supplement specifies. The securities may be sold through a rights offering, forward contracts or similar arrangements.
In connection with the sale of the securities, underwriters, dealers or agents may be deemed to have received compensation from us in the form of underwriting discounts or commissions and also may receive commissions from securities purchasers for whom they may act as agent. Underwriters may sell the securities to or through dealers, and the dealers may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the underwriters or commissions from the purchasers for whom they may act as agent.
We will provide in the applicable prospectus supplement information regarding any underwriting discounts or other compensation paid to underwriters or agents in connection with the securities offering, and any discounts, concessions or commissions which underwriters allow to dealers. Underwriters, dealers and agents participating in the securities distribution may be deemed to be underwriters, and any discounts and commissions they receive and any profit they realize on the resale of the securities may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions under the Securities Act. Underwriters and their controlling persons, dealers and agents may be entitled, under agreements entered into with us, to indemnification against and contribution toward specific civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.

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Any common stock sold pursuant to a prospectus supplement will be listed on the Nasdaq, subject to official notice of issuance. We may elect to list any other securities on an exchange, but we are not obligated to do so. It is possible that one or more underwriters may make a market in the securities, but such underwriters will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. No assurance can be given as to the liquidity of, or the trading market for, any offered securities.
In connection with an offering, the underwriters may purchase and sell securities in the open market. These transactions may include short sales, stabilizing transactions and purchases to cover positions created by short sales. Short sales involve the sale by the underwriters of a greater number of securities than they are required to purchase in an offering. Stabilizing transactions consist of bids or purchases made for the purpose of preventing a decline in the market price of the securities while an offering is in progress. The underwriters also may impose a penalty bid. This occurs when a particular underwriter repays to the underwriters a portion of the underwriting discount received by it because the underwriters have repurchased securities sold by or for the account of that underwriter in stabilizing or short-covering transactions. These activities by the underwriters may stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the market price of the securities. As a result, the price of the securities may be higher than the price that otherwise might exist in the open market. If these activities are commenced, they may be discontinued by the underwriters at any time. Underwriters may engage in over-allotment. If any underwriters create a short position in the securities in an offering in which they sell more securities than are set forth on the cover page of the applicable prospectus supplement, the underwriters may reduce that short position by purchasing the securities in the open market.
Underwriters, dealers or agents that participate in the offer of securities, or their affiliates or associates, may have engaged or engage in transactions with and perform services for, us or our affiliates in the ordinary course of business for which they may have received or receive customary fees and reimbursement of expenses.

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EXPERTS
The consolidated financial statements of Chuy’s Holdings, Inc. and subsidiaries as of December 29, 2019 and December 30, 2018 and for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 29, 2019 and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2019 incorporated in this Prospectus by reference from the Chuy’s Holdings, Inc. and subsidiaries, Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 29, 2019 have been audited by RSM US LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their reports thereon which report expresses an unqualified opinion and includes an explanatory paragraph relating to the adoption of Accounting Standards Codification Topic 842, Leases, incorporated herein by reference, and have been incorporated in this Prospectus and Registration Statement in reliance upon such reports and upon the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
LEGAL MATTERS
The validity of the securities offered hereby will be passed upon for us by Winston & Strawn LLP, Dallas, Texas. Certain legal matters may be passed upon for any agents or underwriters by counsel for such agents or underwriters identified in the applicable prospectus supplement.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
Chuy’s Holdings, Inc. files annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. The SEC maintains an internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers, including Chuy’s, that file electronically with the SEC. The public can obtain any document that Chuy’s files electronically with the SEC at www.sec.gov.
Our website address is located at www.chuys.com. We make available free of charge our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, any amendments to those reports and other information filed with, or furnished to, the SEC pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). Such material is made available through our website as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file the information with, or furnish it to, the SEC. The information contained on or that can be accessed through our website does not constitute part of this prospectus.
We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-3 relating to the securities covered by this prospectus. This prospectus does not contain all the information set forth in the registration statement, parts of which are omitted in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC. You will find additional information about us in the registration statement. Any statement made in this prospectus concerning a contract or other document of ours is not necessarily complete and you should read the documents that are filed as exhibits to the registration statement or otherwise filed with the SEC for a more complete understanding of the document or matter. Each such statement is qualified in all respects by reference to the document to which it refers. The full registration statement, including exhibits thereto, may be obtained from the SEC or us as indicated above.
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
The SEC allows us to incorporate by reference information in this document. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to another document filed separately with the SEC. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this document, except for any information that is superseded by information that is included directly in this document.
We are incorporating by reference the filings listed below and any additional documents that we may file with the SEC pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act on or after the date of this prospectus until the termination of any offering and on or after the date of the initial registration statement and prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, except we are not incorporating by reference any information furnished (but not filed) under Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of any Current Report on Form 8-K and corresponding information furnished under Item 9.01 as an exhibit thereto, unless specifically referenced below.
Our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 29, 2019, filed with the SEC on March 10, 2020;
Our Amendment No. 1 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 29, 2019, filed with the SEC on April 27, 2020;

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Our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 29, 2020, filed with the SEC on May 22, 2020;
Our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on May 8, 2020; and
The description of our shares of common stock contained in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A, as filed with the SEC on July 17, 2012, including any amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description.
Any statement contained in this prospectus, or in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein, shall be deemed to be modified or superseded to the extent that a statement contained herein, or in any subsequently filed document that also is incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein, modifies or supersedes such statement. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this prospectus.
We will provide to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom a prospectus is delivered a copy of any or all of the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus (including any exhibits that are specifically incorporated by reference in those documents) at no cost upon written or oral request. Any such request can be made by writing or telephoning us at the following address and telephone number:
Chuy’s Holdings, Inc.
1623 Toomey Road
Austin, Texas 78704
Attn: Secretary
(512) 473-2783

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Up to $50,000,000

Common Stock

PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

Jefferies
    
June 1, 2020