The Best Hacks For Eating At Texas Roadhouse On A Budget

Since Texas Roadhouse is America's favorite casual dining chain, chances are high many people have eaten there at least once. After all, there's nothing quite like a juicy, delicious steak served alongside the chain's famous rolls and honey cinnamon butter. However, as restaurant prices now exceed grocery costs and most everyday items have become more expensive, it can be challenging to budget for nights out or find tricks to save money. Those looking to save some dollars have come to the right place.

When compared to options like Outback Steakhouse and Longhorn Steakhouse, Texas Roadhouse is a budget-friendly steakhouse. That said, a meal at any steakhouse can run significantly more than cooking at home or grabbing fast food. Thankfully, there's no reason to give up nice steak meals, as there are plenty of ways to cut costs at this particular chain. Without further ado, here are the best hacks for eating at Texas Roadhouse on a budget.

Texas Size Combos are special plates from Texas Roadhouse that include two proteins; offering different combinations of grilled BBQ chicken, ribs, sirloin steak, and others. In addition to the proteins, each combo arrives with a choice of two sides to create a truly "Texas sized" meal. If eating out with a friend or family member, these combos can provide significant savings.

Each Texas Size Combo ranges from $20 to $30, depending on the protein selection and the restaurant's location. If splitting this big meal with a friend, each person can end up paying as little as $10 to $15 per diner (plus drinks). This can be a small savings when compared to the 6-ounce hand-cut sirloin, which costs $15 by itself. Or, the savings could be massive when compared to the 6-ounce Dallas Filet, which costs around $25. Save even further by skipping out on soda or cocktails and opting for water instead.

If you're looking to get more meat for less money, then this budget hack is for you. There are two primary filet options available on the Texas Roadhouse menu. The first and most common option is the standard Dallas Filet, which comes in either 6 or 8 ounce servings. As an example, the 8-ounce serving size costs $28.49 at the Texas Roadhouse in Vineland, New Jersey. However, a second option are the Filet Medallions. This plate include three filets weighing 3 ounces each, coming out to a total of 9 ounces of steak. Despite providing one more ounce of meat, these Filet Medallions only cost $24.49 — which is $4 less.

The value doesn't stop at the extra ounce of meat. When choosing the Filet Medallions, customers also get a choice of either peppercorn or Portobello mushroom sauce. A former employee of Texas Roadhouse endorsed the peppercorn sauce on Reddit, stating, "I get the peppercorn sauce on the side and I personally love it for a nice dip on each bite."

With more meat for less cost, you can stretch your budget even further by splitting the meal. Eat half at dinner and take the other half home for lunch the following day, which brings total cost per meal down to about $12.

If you're not that hungry and would prefer to save a few bucks over having leftovers, consider ordering a kid's meal for takeout. The portion size will be smaller, but for much less money. Some restaurant venues will allow adults to order off the kid's menu for dine-in service, but not all. It often depends on the server, which is why this option is recommended for takeout.

There are plenty of meals available for various preferences. Selections include mini cheeseburgers, chicken tenders, steak bites, and more. For those who want something just a little more filling, opt for a Ranger Meal. These are meals sized for children who aren't quite ready for adult meals but are still hungry when finishing a kid's meal. Ranger Meal options include chicken tenders, sirloin steak, and barbecue ribs. Standard kid's meals options cost less than $10, while the larger Ranger Meals average between $11 and $13.

Joining the VIP Club is a Texas Roadhouse ordering hack you'll wish you knew sooner. By enrolling in what is essentially the chain's loyalty program, diners can save big throughout the course of a year. For starters, you'll receive a free appetizer coupon when signing up — and those who want the best option should check out our ultimate ranking of Texas Roadhouse appetizers. However, the goodies don't stop there.

Members also receive special birthday gifts, which may include a free appetizer or side. You'll also receive special offers throughout the year, such as freebies, deals, and insider news about Texas Roadhouse. When used strategically, these perks can easily help cut dining budgets without needing to drastically alter favorite orders. Those interested in signing up for the VIP Club will need to fill out a brief form online, through the Texas Roadhouse app, or on a tablet in-house.

The early bird special at Texas Roadhouse is a great way to save money when dining in. Most locations open around 3 pm, with a few select venues opening at 4 pm. From open until 5 pm Monday through Thursday at most Texas Roadhouses, customers can purchase select entrees for only $10.99 (plus the cost of a drink). This price may differ slightly based on geographic location, but either way this special is a steal that can save as much as $7 per person on certain dishes.

There are 11 entrees to choose from as part of this deal. They include a 6-ounce sirloin steak, grilled BBQ chicken, pulled pork, chicken Caesar salad, and more. For those who haven't had the opportunity to try the many chicken meals featured during this special, make sure to check out our ultimate ranking of Texas Roadhouse chicken dinners to see which offer the best value.

Texas Roadhouse's "Kids Eat Free" special varies from one location to the next, and may not be available at every venue. However, many locations offer a specific night with free kids' meals as long as the table has ordered at least one adult entrée of regular cost. This is an excellent hack for families looking to eat out on a budget, especially since a young family of four could dine for the price of two adult meals. The catch? Kids must be age 12 or under, and the promotion runs only on specific days at specific times.

The day and time can change, so call your local preferred restaurant to learn about specifics. According to an Instagram post, the deal is typically offered on Monday or Tuesday nights, and includes a free drink and side with the kids' entrée. Based on the average price of kids' meals, utilizing this offer could save up to $10 per child.

When eating at Texas Roadhouse, there are two items included for free. First: A bag or bucket of roasted peanuts to stave off appetites while waiting for food. And yes — despite rumors to the contrary – Texas Roadhouse still offers their peanuts. Second, there's the basket of freshly-baked rolls complete with a side of mouthwatering honey cinnamon butter. If the table runs out of these freebies, a waiter is usually able to bring more. In most cases they'll happily oblige, although locations might limit on the amount of free baskets or buckets available for each party.

For those looking to eat out on a budget, the free rolls and peanuts can help fill out a meal. Obviously, ordering entrées is still required, but an order might be something smaller or cheaper when the table is already full up on bread. Cost-conscious diners can even share a standard meal with a friend to keep the bill as low as possible.

Here's another excellent budget hack for those looking to get the most possible food for the least total cost: Increase entrée portions with "sidekicks," which are smaller, protein-central add-ons to the main meal. A former employee shared on Reddit that it's "very uncommon that these get talked about, but can be great if you're thinking of splitting a meal or want to have just the right amount of leftovers to make everyone at the office jealous the next day." Whether opting to share or have leftovers, sidekicks can help halve costs per meal.

The Reddit user claims that sidekicks can be almost anything on the menu, but the Texas Roadhouse in Vineland, New Jersey, only offers two sidekick options — grilled shrimp or ribs. The grilled shrimp sidekick costs $7.99, while adding the ribs costs $9.99. If two diners choose to split an 8-ounce hand-cut sirloin with a sidekick of shrimp and two sides, they'd end up paying only a little more than $12 per person. We don't know about you, but that sounds like a steal to us.