Texas Roadhouse Sees Major Success With Its Bubba's 33 Concept

If you haven't heard the name "Bubba's 33" — Texas Roadhouse's spinoff sports bar chain — there's probably a good chance that you're about to soon. The steakhouse franchise has enjoyed positive performance, with increasing traffic and steady margin growth this year, and its apple hasn't fallen far from the tree. In fiscal Q1, Bubba's 33 raked in weekly sales of more than $120,000, per Nation's Restaurant News — a particularly impressive figure for a chain with fewer than 50 locations.

Bubba's 33 is a U.S. burger joint with a special concentration in the South, Southwest, and Midwest, with the largest state presence in Texas. Bubba's 33 first opened its doors in 2013 as a sports bar concept with a fun, high-energy vibe — an atmosphere largely to thank for the chain's solidified and growing presence as the food service industry at large has wavered. In the 11 years since its debut, Bubba's has maximized efficiency and tailored its menu to cater to fans' appetites. Its appetizer combo deal has proved particularly successful, allowing fans to pair baskets of garlic knots, onion rings, fried cheese, fried pickles, cheese fries, chorizo queso, loaded nachos, and breaded shrimp. 

Texas Roadhouse has demonstrated a keen business sense in recent fiscal quarters, employing savvy revenue-drawing strategies like increasing menu prices three times in less than one year. This industry know-how has likely informed the come-up of Bubba's 33, which has enjoyed comparative success against competitors. Throughout 2023, the sports bar chain saw an uptick in traffic and four consecutive positive fiscal quarters, defying the full-service restaurant sector's shakiness. Bubba's expansion is in line with parent chain Texas Roadhouse's current trajectory, aiming to grow its already massive 654-store U.S. presence to 900 stores nationwide. Bubba's had 16 units in 2016 and has been opening three to five new stores each year since — a rate the chain plans to increase to 10 or more new stores annually. 

The Bubba's 33 name is playful and exciting — family-friendly with a little edge. Fans know they can grab a barstool, a cold beer, and a burger, but the menu also includes bar food faves from sandwiches to entrees, pasta, pizzas, salads, wings, and more, which can be washed down with beer, wine, and a sprawling, impressive cocktail menu. As CEO Jerry Morgan noted during the company's earnings call, via Nation's Restaurant News: "As I look at the first quarter in Bubba's 33, it tells me we're in the right business. Burgers and pizzas and cold beer and rock and roll. We're going to be just fine."