9 Insider Tips For Getting the Best Value at Texas Roadhouse
Dining out is supposed to be an enjoyable experience, but nowadays it’s more of a sticker shock than anything. With the cost of food skyrocketing, restaurant margins are tight so menu prices have increased. While it’s not as affordable to sit down at your favorite restaurant, there are still good deals out there and Texas Roadhouse is a chain where you can get a great meal without the hefty bill.
To stretch your dollar further, here are 9 tips to maximize your experience and get the best value.
Dine Out Early
For steak lovers on a budget, head to Texas Roadhouse early. Monday-Thursday from 3-5 there is an Early Dine menu with 11 items that are $12.99. Dishes include 6 oz. USDA Choice Sirloin Steak with two sides, Country Fried Sirloin, Country-fried chicken and more.
Pick Your Own Steak
When you walk into a Texas Roadhouse, you’ll see a display of fresh cuts of sirloin, prime rib and filet and you can choose which one you want. To make this happen, tell the person behind the steak counter which steak you’d like. You’re then given a ticket and once you’re seated you give that slip of paper to your server.
Boost Your Meal with Sidekicks
A sidekick is a premium enhancement to your meal like extra shrimp or a small piece of salmon for an additional price. If you’re feeling hungry and want a hearty meal, this is the way to go. But if you want to share your dish, add on a sidekick or two and it’s more than enough to share at an affordable price.
Add an Extra Patty to Your Burger
While Texas Roadhouse is known for their juicy steaks, their burgers are just as delicious and it doesn’t cost much to add an extra patty to double your burger, according to Reddit. One customer wrote, “I think they upped the price, but next time ask how much it is to add a patty. It used to be only $2 to make it a double and they’re 1/2 lb patties to begin with lol.”
Order the Chili
Texas Roadhouse doesn’t serve a basic bowl of chili. Theirs is made with the trimmings of hand-cuts from the steaks. Not only is it tastier, you’re getting more value out of your side dish. An ex employee revealed a few secrets of the steakhouse chain on Reddit and wrote, “Making this chili one of the most expensive chili you could make at home because it is ground Filet, ribeye, strip, and sirloin meat. I’m a big fan.’
Order Prime Rib When the Restaurant is Busy
Prime Rib is a popular dish, but the ex-employee explained why you’re better off ordering the entrée when the restaurant is slammed. “How fresh it is will depend on how busy your roadhouse is. The busier, the better because those prime ribs sit in dedicated warmer. This being said, I’ve eaten week old prime rib that we would absolutely not serve tocustomers and I’d purposefully and willingly do it again.” Another tip is to request the end cut. “A good roadhouse sets these aside in the warmer assuming someone will request it. No extra cost there,” the ex-employee shared.
Rethink the Porterhouse T-Bone
Texas Roadhouse hand cuts all their steaks with the exception of one–the Porterhouse T-bone. “They do not have a bone saw and so these are not usually the most fresh,” the ex-employee wrote. “Still fine and tasty, but not my go to choice for this reason.”
Request a Bigger Size Steak
For diners who want guaranteed freshness, here’s a trick. You can request a bigger steak. According to the former employee, “If you want to ensure your steak is cut to order (instead of precut that morning like many 6/8/11 oz Sir) you can always request a specific size as long as it is bigger than the largest size on the menu. For example, 16oz ribeye + 2oz for an small additional cost per oz that varies per restaurant/region and you will get an 18 oz that will be cut the moment that server puts in the order.”
Enhance Your Bread
A complimentary warm basket of fresh-baked rolls with honey cinnamon butter is served at every table, but you can also ask for a free small side of sirloin seasoning to dip your bread in. “It’s oddly really good,” the ex-employee wrote. Another tip for your bread is if you have any leftovers, take it home and make French toast. “It’s phenomenal,” the former employer shared.
