<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0000703351-04-000103
<TYPE>3
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20041207
<FILING-DATE>20041213
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20041213
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>Johnson Rebeca M
<CIK>0001310931
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>3
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-10275
<FILM-NUMBER>041198819
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<PHONE>972-980-9917
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>6820 LBJ FREEWAY
<CITY>DALLAS
<STATE>TX
<ZIP>75240
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>BRINKER INTERNATIONAL INC
<CIK>0000703351
<ASSIGNED-SIC>5812
<IRS-NUMBER>751914582
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>0630
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>6820 LBJ FREEWAY
<CITY>DALLAS
<STATE>TX
<ZIP>75240
<PHONE>9729809917
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>6820 LBJ FREEWAY
<CITY>DALLAS
<STATE>TX
<ZIP>75240
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>CHILIS INC
<DATE-CHANGED>19910528
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>3
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>primary_doc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>3</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-12-07</periodOfReport>

    <noSecuritiesOwned>0</noSecuritiesOwned>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000703351</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>BRINKER INTERNATIONAL INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>EAT</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001310931</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Johnson Rebeca M</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>6820 LBJ FREEWAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>DALLAS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>75240</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>SVP, Marketing and Brand Dev.</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>374</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Stock Option Right to Buy</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>33.89</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2006-11-04</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2014-11-04</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>18000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Stock Option Right-to-Buy</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>32.15</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2006-01-20</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2014-01-20</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>10000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Options vest in installments on and after date shown.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Jay L. Tobin, Attorney-in-Fact for Rebeca M. Johnson</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-12-13</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
