Texas Roadhouse

Texas Roadhouse is an American casual dining steakhouse chain recognized for its hand-cut steaks, made-from-scratch sides, and Western-themed atmosphere. Founded by W. Kent Taylor in 1993, the first location opened in Clarksville, Indiana, across the river from Louisville, Kentucky. Taylor, a Louisville native, had previously worked in nightclubs and restaurants in Colorado before returning to Kentucky, where he managed a Kentucky Fried Chicken and dreamed of opening a Colorado-style restaurant. Former Kentucky Governor John Y. Brown, Jr. provided $80,000 in seed money. Taylor first launched Buckhead Mountain Grill in 1991, but after partnership issues, he started fresh with Texas Roadhouse. The company went public in 2004 and trades on NASDAQ under the ticker TXRH.

As of November 2025, Texas Roadhouse operates 872 locations across 49 U.S. states and 70 international restaurants in 11 countries, including Saudi Arabia, the Philippines, and Mexico. The chain also owns Bubba's 33, a sports bar concept offering pizza and burgers, and Jaggers, a fast-casual chain. The brand's culture emphasizes a fun workplace with country music, sports on televisions, and unique birthday traditions such as saddle rides and yee-haws. Servers handle only three tables per guest, allowing more personal attention and higher sales of higher-margin items like drinks and cocktails. The signature warm honey cinnamon butter rolls, served with peanuts, are a hallmark of the experience.

Texas Roadhouse competes directly with Outback Steakhouse and LongHorn Steakhouse in the casual dining segment. The company reported revenue of nearly $5.9 billion in fiscal 2025, with a market capitalization of about $11.85 billion. Its financial performance has been driven by consistent same-store sales growth and new restaurant openings, with a 13.4% compound annual revenue growth rate over the past seven years. The brand differentiates itself through scratch preparation, value-oriented pricing, and a high-volume operational model. International expansion relies on franchising, while domestic locations are primarily company-owned. [edit]