Why Texas Roadhouse Only Serves Lunch A Couple Days A Week

In the middle of a weekday, it sure would be nice to escape and enjoy an affordable steak and a basket of fresh-baked rolls for lunch. Unfortunately, aside from a few locations, Texas Roadhouse isn't the place to enjoy a meal before 3:00 pm, as it is not open for lunch on weekdays. There's a good reason for only serving dinner most days. In an interview with Forbes, Texas Roadhouse founder Kent Taylor stated that fewer shifts allow him to have his top workers focusing on making fresh food. "I get my A team working for dinner. I like that," elaborated Taylor. He also mentioned that most chain restaurants do only 30% of their normal business during lunch, making it a tough time to remain open. In fact, in the last couple of years, since Taylor gave this interview, fewer people are going out to lunch during the workday.

The tactic appears to be working. Started in 1993, the company now has 797 locations worldwide. The chain is known for affordable meals, especially if you take advantage of the best time to save money, which is during its early dine-in menu hours between 3 and 6 p.m. Think of it as a late lunch.

Thankfully, there are some restaurants to hold you over until you can get to Texas Roadhouse for dinner that have solid lunch deals. If you need that Texas steak for lunch, Longhorn Steakhouse serves the meal Monday to Saturday. Opened in 1981, 12 years before Texas Roadhouse, Longhorn's signature steaks are good. Make sure you try the Daily Meal's favorite cut of steak at Longhorn, the Flo's Filet.

However, if you want your steak in an Australian atmosphere instead of Texas, there's always the outback. Outback Steakhouse has deals like the Aussie Steak Sammie or a Center Cut Sirloin. And, of course, we can't forget the Bloomin' Onion. If you're not in it for the steak and just want the down-home atmosphere, Cracker Barrel may be right for you. You can find specials like its Pick 2 Country Combos, where you can choose two items out of a house salad, baked potato, and soup for $11.29. Hopefully, one of these three options satisfies your lunch needs. Enjoy!