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This Texas Roadhouse Meal-Prep Hack Is Cheaper Than Grocery Shopping

Skip the tedious meal prep and order from one of the nation's most popular restaurants instead.
FACT CHECKED BY Meaghan Cameron

Meal prepping is key for those busy weeks where cooking is the last thing you want to worry about, but preparing meals in advance can also be pretty tedious and expensive. After all, who wants to dedicate time on the weekend to plan a week's worth of meals, plus shop for all the ingredients, cook big batches of food, and then pack it all up into meal-sized containers?

Thankfully, a TikToker discovered a genius solution to these meal-prepping woes that will save you both money and time. The best part? It involves a super popular steakhouse chain: Texas Roadhouse.

 I Tried Every Steak at Texas Roadhouse & This One Blew Me Away

In a recent TikTok video that has garnered 1.6 million likes and 12.7 million views, @fatcharlidamelio explained that she didn't feel like meal-prepping or spending a lot of money, so she went to Texas Roadhouse.

For just around $30, the TikToker was able to get a salad massive enough to divide into four portions, a family-sized order of grilled chicken breasts, two sides, and two big bags of Texas Roadhouse's famous fresh rolls

"I don't have to cook, and this was still cheaper than going to the grocery store," she said.

Fellow TikTokers were amazed at the idea of using affordable catering from the beloved national chain to skip a week's worth of meal prep work.

"Thanks for sharing that is brilliant! That is going to be my meal prep next week," one commented.

"I've officially been influenced," another said.

In a follow-up video, @fatcharlidamelio explained that she opted for the $29.99 Family Value Grilled Chicken pack, which came with the salad, sides, and bread in the other video. Customers who spring for this deal, found under the "Legendary Features" section of the menu, can choose between a family-sized Caesar or house salad, as well as choose from a handful of sides.

The TikToker said that she got seven meals total out of the bundle, including four lunches and three dinners. This came out to about $4.20 per meal.

Availability and prices for the Family Value Grilled Chicken may vary depending on the location. Some TikTokers responded to the videos saying the bundle wasn't an option at their local restaurant, or it was priced at a higher $39.99. 

For any Texas Roadhouse customers who are interested in trying this meal-prep hack but aren't big on grilled chicken, the chain offers several other Family Value bundles with different proteins. The other options include pulled pork, ribeye steaks, ribs, sirloin steaks, and beef tips. The grilled chicken is one of the cheaper options out of all the bundles.

The viral TikTok seems to be sparking a Texas Roadhouse meal-prep trend, which could drive even more sales to a chain that is already seeing major popularity and growth in 2023. Texas Roadhouse reported record traffic in the first seven weeks of the year and was named the fastest-growing restaurant brand last month by a brand valuation consultancy.

Though Texas Roadhouse was ranked as the third-largest full-service restaurant chain by sales in 2022, an industry expert predicted that the brand could take the top spot in the next few years.

Zoe Strozewski
Zoe Strozewski is a News Writer for Eat This, Not That! A Chicago native who now lives in New Jersey, she graduated from Kean University in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. Read more about Zoe