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Any steak eats better when cut against the grain.  Even filet/tenderloin.

Was really surprised to hear on the radio the other night that Texas Roadhouse is now the number one casual dining chain in the US - from Restaurant Business Online: "Texas Roadhouse, the 664-unit steakhouse chain that has been growing rapidly for years, pushed past longtime leader Olive Garden and into the top spot in terms of systemwide sales. Texas Roadhouse’s U.S. systemwide sales surged 14.7% last year, to $5.5 billion...It also opened 26 new locations, a 4.1% change."

I was surprised because on one hand, it seems like there's a lot more Chilis, Dennys, Applebees, Cracker Barrels, etc. But on the other hand, whenever I pass by a TR, it's always packed. TR also does not have the type of aggressive advertising campaign that might give Applebee's and Chili's their larger awareness.

Without meaning to sound elitist, my first reaction to TR was how well it fit the expectations of "flyover country dining." Spending much of my growing up years in the Midwest, TR is exactly the style of cuisine that would be a hit. For whoever else has trekked through cities and towns like Peoria IL (& AZ?), Springfield MO (& IL & OH), St. Charles MO, Evansville IN, Columbus GA, and...I could go on, a new TR likely becomes the busiest joint in town overnight.


https://twitter.com/RB_magazine/status/1907820795168174552

There can be Number One in outlets, or in diners, or in revenue, TR is probably the latter.

They probably get quite a bit more revenue per table than say Applebies.

I've dined there or Longhorn a few times, total maybe ten?  They seem OK to me.  I don't really like steak places much.

I read somewhere Costco sells more wine than any retail outlet,but it's on a dollar basis, not bottle.

My parents really like Texas Roadhouse and are always buying us gift cards there.  I have to say, the steaks and other proteins  aren't bad. Their sides are pretty trash but the steaks are decent.  And when they're free, well, I'm okay with that.

When I first moved to Austin I was telling a friend back home that, oddly, I didn't see any Texas Roadhouses up north, at least not off the interstate where I'd expect to find them.  He joked that I was looking for the wrong signs, because when you're in Texas you don't have to signal it, so they're probably just called "Roadhouse."  

Ed Zachery why you don't move to Texas

Amen brutha.

Although that one took place in Florida I think.  And the original one was set in Missouri as I recall.

I either go to a high-end steakhouse and order steak, or...

...go to a low-end steakhouse (Outback, Texas Roadhouse) and...

...order a burger.

Burgers at the low-end steakhouses tend to be pretty decent.

I normally get the chopped steak at those places.