Is Texas Roadhouse Actually From Texas?

Fans of Texas Roadhouse know the chain is famous for Texas-style ribs and steaks, plus the free peanuts and soft, buttery rolls guests get before their meal. According to The National Peanut Board, the chain purchases 10 million pounds of peanuts in just one year. Steak is Texas Roadhouse's bread and butter, consuming 44% of the menu, with the number one seller being the 6-ounce USDA Choice Sirloin (via Texas Roadhouse).

If you've ever been to a Texas Roadhouse location, you might have noticed the menu lists the steaks as "hand cut," and that's because there is actually a butcher employed at each location, reports Money Inc. Beef and butchery are huge industries in Texas so it makes sense that a restaurant chain with the Texas name would dedicate so much time and attention to the quality of the steaks it serves. With a Texas theme and Texas attitude towards steak, it's no wonder the chain is called Texas Roadhouse.

But did the chain actually originate in Texas? Surprisingly, the answer is no. The chain was founded in 1993 by a man named Kent Taylor in Indiana, reports Eat This, Not That, which is over 1,000 miles from Texas.

Okay, so the original location isn't in Texas, but surely the headquarters must be? Nope, again! The headquarters is surprisingly located in Louisville, Kentucky, according to Money Inc. 

In 1999 alone, Taylor attempted to open a whopping 30 locations, which led to a staggering $71 million in revenue from all locations by the end of the year, according to Funding Universe. Nearly 30 years after opening, Texas Roadhouse boasts 574 locations with 65 in the state of Texas, the most out of any state, with 5 of those being in the city of San Antonio alone (via Web Scraping). Restaurant Business reports that Texas Roadhouse is the largest steakhouse chain in America for 2020.