I can it eat with beans or without.  Personally I make mine with beans and ground beef.  But I may start trying to make chili with the cubed or chopped beef soon.  I had the pleasure of judging a few chili competitions (nothing big, just a few school fundraisers) and I tended to like the chili(s) with different ingredients or flavors like pork, chicken, a hint of barbeque, etc.  
 
That being said, Skyline Chili must be served without beans 
