Mistakes You're Making At Texas Roadhouse, According To Employees

Texas Roadhouse is America's favorite casual dining chain, so chances are high you've eaten there once or more — and if you haven't yet had the opportunity, you definitely know someone who has. The restaurant is best known for its mouth-watering steaks and fresh rolls that come with the most amazing cinnamon honey butter. Previously, we at Daily Meal shared some Texas Roadhouse rules every diner should know, so that you could best be prepared for your first (or next) visit. But, we wanted to go a little deeper than that, so we set about uncovering some common dining mistakes straight from the source: the employees.

What we discovered is that whether you've eaten at Texas Roadhouse a hundred times or have only gone once, there are a few mistakes you're likely making. People claiming to be current or former employees on Reddit, TikTok, and other online sources have taken to sharing tips, tricks, and insider knowledge about the beloved chain that may change how you order moving forward. We've compiled this exclusive knowledge into one comprehensive article to help you get the most from your steakhouse visits moving forward.

Ready to discover the mistakes you've been unknowingly making at Texas Roadhouse? Here's what employees say you're doing wrong (and what you can do instead).

Texas Roadhouse is famous for cutting all of their steaks in-house. They even have a meat-cutting contest to celebrate this defining trait, where the winner receives a hefty prize. However, some employees have taken to Reddit to let us know that there's one big exception to this rule, and that's the porterhouse T-bone. As to why? According to a former employee, "They do not have a bone saw and so these are not usually the most fresh."

Apparently, Texas Roadhouse is well aware of the fact that the porterhouse T-bone isn't as fresh as every other cut of meat on their menu, at least according to a current employee who stated their manager tells them to avoid suggesting this cut of meat. According to them, "It's shipped in frozen, and it's generally considered our not so good steak." If you're going to Texas Roadhouse for their hand-cut, super fresh steaks, you'll want to avoid the porterhouse. If not, you may be in for a not-so-pleasant surprise about the quality of your steak.

However, if you do want to ensure the freshest steak possible, consider ordering a cut in ounces that aren't listed as standard on the menu. When you do this, the steak has to be specially cut right after you order it. Just be aware there's a small cost difference because you're ordering slightly more meat.

If a filet is your favorite cut of steak, you may have been missing out on a great deal by ordering the 8-ounce Filet. According to one former employee on Reddit, the Filet Medallions are a much better deal because you get more steak for less money. Plus, the medallions are served on a bed of rice and come with a sauce of your choosing in addition to one standard side.

While this sounds like a fantastic deal, we wanted to verify the prices and portions for ourselves to ensure accuracy. What we found is that the 8-ounce filet costs $28.49 at the Texas Roadhouse in Vineland, New Jersey, and comes with two standard sides at that price. However, the Filet Medallions add up to nine total ounces for $24.49, and it does come on a bed of rice. You get a choice between Peppercorn Sauce or Portobello Mushroom Sauce at no extra charge, and still receive one additional legendary side.

So is this really a great deal? Absolutely. If you choose the medallions over the standard filet, you'll receive one extra ounce of steak plus a sauce for four dollars less. Make sure to remember this on your next trip to Texas Roadhouse so you can get the most bang for your buck.

Sometimes, nothing quite hits the spot like a big bowl of steaming hot chili that warms you from the inside out. But, if you think all chili recipes are created equally, you'd be wrong. And if you thought that Texas Roadhouse chili was your standard chain recipe, you'd be wrong again. According to one former employee, the chili at America's favorite casual chain is a cut above the rest because it's created from steak trimmings that have been ground up. Another employee went into further detail on the process. "So, the meat is ground up bits cut off the meat they cut everyday. It's a rough ground, not fine as you probably can tell."

Most chili is made with standard ground beef. Despite being perfectly acceptable and delicious, this ground beef is still of a lower quality than the cuts made for steak. You can order your high-quality Texas Roadhouse chili with cheese or even use it as a topper for your French fries, if preferred. On its own, the chili is the perfect side for any steak lover!

It might seem weird to order a burger from a steakhouse since most people go there for, well, steak. However, some former employees claim that Texas Roadhouse has the best burgers around, and other customers concur with this opinion online. In fact, Daily Meal even did an ultimate ranking of Texas Roadhouse burgers and sandwiches — so, if you want to know which are the best ones to get, definitely check that out.

So, what burger and sandwich options await you on the Texas Roadhouse menu? There are three beef burgers you can choose from if you want to see what you've been missing out on. They include a standard cheeseburger, a bacon cheeseburger, and a smokehouse burger featuring mushrooms, onions, and barbecue sauce. Besides the standard burgers, there are two chicken sandwich options you'd be amiss to not try, including a barbecue option and a Mushroom Jack Chicken Sandwich. A final offering includes a generously-sized pulled pork sandwich.

If you're not really feeling the current side options, you may be in luck. One employee on TikTok says that you can choose a half appetizer instead of the standard side options. According to them, "This is not a secret, they just don't tell you." He also says that there's no upcharge or additional costs for this swap.

However, some other employees chimed in with a word of warning: This is only possible at select locations. So be sure to ask if this is an option at your specific location. But, if you're among the lucky ones, this fantastic hack can help you further customize your meal exactly to your preferences.

To get the most out of this hack, it helps to know which appetizers are most order-worthy. If you're not already sure of your favorites, discover which options come most recommended in our ranking of every Texas Roadhouse appetizer.

Is there anything more delicious than Texas Roadhouse honey cinnamon butter? It's so good that it's almost a crime to eat their made-from-scratch rolls without a healthy smear of the stuff. But, what many people don't know is that you can actually just order that delicious butter either in-store or to take home with you. One current employee took to TikTok to spill the beans, where she says you can purchase a container of the specialty butter for just $1.99.

Wish you could get that honey cinnamon butter but don't live conveniently close to a Texas Roadhouse location? There's a hack for that, too! At some select grocery stores across the nation, you can now buy a full tub of that delectable whipped butter to use at home. And, even better, you can get frozen Texas Roadhouse rolls to take home and heat up with it!

The Filet Medallions aren't the only way to get more by paying less. Another way you can work around the Texas Roadhouse menu is by ordering the shrimp smother instead of the sidekick of shrimp. The great thing about this employee-offered hack is that it works two ways.

First, you can order a single shrimp smother and pay just $3.99 for three shrimp. The sidekick contains five shrimp for $7.99, so with this first option, you pay less for a slightly smaller portion. This is perfect for those nights where you want shrimp but aren't super hungry.

The second option is to order a double shrimp smother, where you get more shrimp than the sidekick for less money. Basically, a double shrimp smother will give you six shrimp for only $7.98. That works out to receiving one additional shrimp for one penny less, making it an obvious choice for those nights where you're extra hungry.

Did you know that every steak that comes out of the Texas Roadhouse kitchen is brushed with butter to make it glisten? According to one former employee, "Every steak leaves the expo station butterbrushed to finish the steak and the lighting at the tables [is] set specifically to glisten off of this and the rolls (yes, really)." This makes a lot of sense if you've ever eaten at the steakhouse chain, since the food does seem to gleam appealingly when it's on the table.

But, that's not all the former employee offered. They also explained that there are three different types of butter used around the restaurant that you could ask to have on your steak instead. Typically, the steaks are finished with standard whipped butter. However, you could also choose from the famous honey cinnamon butter if you want some sweet notes on your steak, or you can opt for garlic butter for a little extra tang. Additionally, the employee says you can ask for extra butter on your steak if you really want it, so don't be afraid to ask!

The bark or skin of prime rib is the part that's heavily seasoned around the outside. You may also call it the skin or the crust, but whatever you call it, some people feel there simply isn't enough of it on a standard center cut of prime rib. If this sounds like you, you could ask for an end piece, which will have a lot more of that good stuff on it. According to one former employee, each store often places this special end piece off to the side in case somebody orders it.

There are a few other things to know about the prime rib, too. For example, employees claim that the prime rib is fresher on days where the restaurant is really busy — which would usually be weekends. It's also important to know that prime rib isn't always available because they don't make more once they run out of it for the day. If you're really craving this savory, hearty dish, make sure to call ahead to verify availability.