<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0000703351-05-000021
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20050131
<FILING-DATE>20050131
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20050131
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>OESTERREICHER JAMES E
<CIK>0001182043
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-10275
<FILM-NUMBER>05561381
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<PHONE>972-980-9917
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>C/O BRINKER INTERNATIONAL
<STREET2>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>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>primary_doc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-01-31</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001182043</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>OESTERREICHER JAMES E</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O BRINKER INTERNATIONAL</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>6820 LBJ FREEWAY</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>DALLAS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>75240</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-01-31</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>5302</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>16.9583</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>9084</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-01-31</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>5302</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>37.75</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>3782</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Stock Option Right-to-Buy</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>16.9583</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-01-31</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>5302</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>16.9583</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2000-12-28</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2008-12-28</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>5302</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>27265</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </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 James E. Oesterreicher</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-01-31</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

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