13 Things You Should Know About Logan's Roadhouse

Juicy cuts of meat, buzzy Long Island teas, and an outback aesthetic are three things that you'll find at Logan's Roadhouse. It isn't the highest ranked steakhouse chain, but with over 100 locations across America, it's pretty popular. Unlike its internationally known steak-serving doppelganger, Texas Roadhouse, locations are mostly in the Midwest, Southern states, and on the West Coast, with a few along the East Coast. Menu offerings, hours of operation, and a rotating door of owners also set the two chains apart. Tumultuous business dealings aside, Logan's Roadhouse still keeps steak lovers' stomachs satisfied.

From its early 90s beginnings and lightning-fast success to its iconic yeast rolls and famous Roadhouse tea, Logan's Roadhouse has managed to carve a delicious niche. If you love mesquite-grilled meats served with an ice-cold brew, while stepping on peanut shells in a lively setting, this steakhouse chain is right up your alley. Here are some things you should know about Logan's Roadhouse.

Logan's Roadhouse was one of several popular steakhouse chains that opened in the 1990s. Founded by Charles McWhorter and David Wachtel, the latter previously helmed Shoney's, a wildly popular restaurant chain during the 1980s and 1990s. The partners hoped to find similar success with Logan's Roadhouse, and equipped with extensive experience and a clear vision, succeeded in doing so. The first location was previously occupied by a Western Sizzlin' steakhouse, so it was presumably cheaper to transition it to a similar-style roadhouse restaurant.

Logan's Roadhouse first opened in Lexington, Kentucky, in 1991. The goal was to offer affordably priced quality food served in a spirited environment. Wachtel and McWhorter wanted to recreate the feel of 1940s and 1950s American roadhouses. Hand-painted murals, wood-laden walls and flooring, and a Wurlitzer jukebox helped bring their dream to life. In its early days, Logan's Roadhouse averaged around $50,000 in weekly sales and though it was unable to maintain its initial success, the original vision is still felt today.

The roadhouse aesthetic is similar to what's commonly referred to as Texas or outback-style. Rustic, honky-tonk, and wood-planked, Logan's Roadhouse keeps with the tradition of the original roadhouses that served hungry travelers in the mid-1900s. Even with today's contemporary updates, walking into Logan's Roadhouse feels like time-traveling. There are massive booths, patriotic colorways, and a 360-degree bar that's fully stocked and ready to serve signature cocktails. Walls are covered with pictures from American history, down home-style artwork (some locations feature a wall of beer cans made to resemble the American flag), and neon-light signs.

You're as likely to see American flag-wrapped life-sized bull statues as you are assorted license plates. And of course, what's a roadhouse without a jammin' jukebox and flat-screen TVs? You'll find all of that and then some at Logan's Roadhouse and it all adds to the experiential aspect. Trust, you can never go wrong with a side of music and entertainment with your sizzling steak.

According to the company's Facebook, "Our walls let ya know who we are." Visit any Logan's Roadhouse location and you're bound to see a massive hand-painted mural. They typically feature imagery related to the local setting that invokes American pride. The walls of its location in Huntsville, Alabama, for example, don a bar scene that features hootin'-and-hollerin' Alabama types, popular local activities, and sayings like "No Ugly Dates!" It definitely depicts the essence of Alabama life.

A mural at Logan's Roadhouse in Murfreesboro, TN, offers a similar look into local life, but in place of a bar, there's a lively outdoor scene. One humorous part features an angry wife chasing her husband with a rolling pin. In Germantown, TN, a suburb of Memphis, the mural is boisterous yet tame by comparison. It's a colorfully hip party scene with dancing patrons and a list of cheeky house rules. A local interior design firm appears to have made it and then transported it to the location. That may be how Logan's Roadhouse creates all of its murals, which contribute so much to the overall aesthetic.

Unlike Texas Roadhouse, a dinner-only concept, Logan's Roadhouse is open during lunch and dinner. According to Texas Roadhouse, the dinner-only approach helps support its management team, who routinely work long hours. Logan's Roadhouse hours of operation are actually pretty common in the restaurant industry, and for people who get midday sirloin cravings, it's better, too. Steak is not only reserved for dinner.

When the afternoon hunger pangs hit, the lunch combo is available Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and only costs $10.99. With it, you can pick any two of the restaurant's "classic menu items," which include a bowl of soup, house salad, house Caesar salad, baked potato, baked sweet potato, or veggie skewer. Or, swap one or more of the classic items for savory options like loaded potatoes, mac & cheese, brisket sliders, popcorn chicken, and others. The lunch combos can be customized however you like.

In true roadhouse form, Logan's menu features a veritable selection of filling comfort classics, and what's more, all of the meat is cooked fresh daily over a real mesquite-wood grill. The restaurant takes things further by offering separate menus for California and the Carolinas. Though both are mostly similar, there are a few differences. Out west, you can start with Enormous Nachos, while in the Carolinas, Smokin' Hot Grilled Wings might catch your eye, among other unique offerings. Many of the entrees and sides are different as well.

California's menu has exclusive sides like coleslaw, spicy fried green beans, onion petals, and others. Under the Mason Dixon, though, you can kick things off with Brewski onions, otherwise known as Logan's Sam Adams signature beer-braised onions. And no matter the location, beef lovers can get their fix of filet mignon, a New York strip, a porterhouse, and many more meat-tastic options. Logan's menu is no slouch when it comes to pork and seafood dishes as well. From steak burgers and roadhouse sandwiches to salads and desserts, it's a one-stop shop for comfort food lovers.

Customers can also have uncooked menu items delivered with the "Take & Bake" option. Uncooked foods include pork chops, yeast rolls, and cinnamon rolls, whereas ribs, meatloaf, and pulled pork come pre-cooked and only require reheating.

Following its initial success, Logan's Roadhouse was forced to navigate several new owners and bankruptcies. Despite the hurdles, it managed to expand beyond its humble Kentucky beginnings and now has 136 nationwide locations. The second location was opened in 1992 in Nashville, TN, the same year that Edwin (Ted) Moats Jr. was appointed new company president. Moats was already a successful restaurateur and previously worked in business development and commercial lending.

Coincidentally, Shoney's was one of his top accounts, which is where Wachtel had previously been the CEO — albeit at a later time. Moats' first foray into the restaurant industry was Captain D's and his subsequent success attracted Wachtel and McWhorter. He began as a consultant to Logan's, and after increasing weekly sales by 60 percent within months, was given the position of president. Logan's Roadhouse would open its first franchise locations in May and November of 1996. Since then, the restaurant has weathered five owners and two bankruptcies yet continues to offer scrumptious strips for reasonable prices.

Logan's Roadhouse has several signature dishes, chief among them is "The Logan." This savory sirloin is 11 ounces, cooked and flavored over mesquite wood, and can be ordered medium, well-done, or anywhere between. It's topped with melty garlic butter and served with your choice of tasty toppings like bleu cheese crumbles, crispy jalapeños, sautéed mushrooms, and more. They'll cost you a few extra bucks, but for the extra deliciousness, it's totally worth it. 

Amp up your meal with crave-worthy boosters like rice pilaf, French fries, or cinnamon apples, or spend a couple more dollars for loaded mac & cheese, a mushroom skewer, or Caesar salad. Need more convincing? You can elevate the experience even more with two flavoring styles: the Brewski Style (beer-braised onions) and The Logan Style, which comes with bleu cheese crumbles, mushrooms, and brewski onions. If tender sirloin whets your appetite, The Logan is a must-try menu item.

Another thing Logan's Roadhouse has in common with its Texan counterpart is the buttery dinner rolls. The yeast rolls at Logan's are one of the first things to arrive at your table, just like Texas Roadhouse's honey cinnamon rolls. Both are fresh-baked, served with buttery goodness, and demand indulgence. That is, however, where the two doughy treats diverge. It was the summer of 1991, shortly after the first location opened when a woman named Brenda cracked the recipe code on what would become one of Logan's famous offerings: yeast rolls.

According to the company, 98 million yeast rolls are sold each year — enough to satisfy even the most dedicated dough lover's needs. The internet is filled with countless attempts at recreating its soft, warm, and fluffy consistency from scratch. Speaking of filled, each roll contains 100 to 200 calories. The website doesn't say whether that includes the butter. If you have a hankering for some, you're in luck because Logan's sells a dozen online for $4.79. 

Cravable eats aren't the only signature items that Logan's Roadhouse has; a sip of Roadhouse Tea is sure to take you for a spin. Originally debuted in 1993, according to the company website, it's a "feisty" version of Long Island iced tea. It doesn't share the ingredients, but online sleuths have surmised that it contains rum, gin, triple sec, pure grain alcohol, a splash of coke, a lemon garnish, and can't forget to serve it in a Collins-style glass. The buzzy beverage is so popular that it's spawned a slew of flavor options. Along with the original, you can try Hawaiian, grape, watermelon, strawberry, tye dye, peach, bubble gum, and more.

If simple and strong Long Island iced teas aren't your favorite ticket to tipsy, Logan's Roadhouse has a fully loaded drink menu. The selection includes an array of Moscow mule styles, several refreshing margaritas, and an even bigger offering of cocktails.

If there is one thing that any road- or steakhouse takes seriously, it's the steak. Logan's only uses butcher-selected, grain-fed beef for its meaty menu offerings. There, everything gets the mesquite grill treatment, which goes for pork, chicken, and seafood, too. Slow-roasted tri-tip and brisket, prime rib, and filet mignon are just a few of the steaks that you can indulge in. The country-fried steak and 22-ounce porterhouse are also popular Logan's Roadhouse menu items. That said, if you're committed to the fan-favorite, elevate your "Logan" sirloin with a heaping helping of garlic butter and coconut shrimp.

Each mesquite-flavored steak comes with two side options. The price depends on the type of cut. From $19.99 (6 oz. Top-Sirloin) and $22.99 (Slow-Roasted Brisket) to pricier cuts like the 16 oz. Signature Ribeye ($36.99) and the 16 oz. Prime Rib (also $36.99). To make you really salivate, steaks can be made in the Brewski or Logan Style as well.

Logan's Roadhouse is the place to be if you enjoy loading your taters with tasty toppings. The loaded baked potato is 530 calories of sleep-inducing deliciousness. It comes with a healthy sprinkle of cheddar cheese, a cooling dollop of sour cream, melty butter, and smoky and crunchy bacon bits. For those with resistance to "itis" and a sweet tooth, swap regular baked potatoes for loaded sweet potatoes. Logan's serves it with a drizzle of warm caramel and a pile of chewy charred marshmallows. Logan's Roadhouse is definitely one of the best chain restaurants for loaded baked potatoes, and those are just two of the potato-based menu items that can get the loaded touch.

Take mashed potatoes to the next level with a load of cheddar cheese and bacon crumbles. Or, if you prefer potatoes as an appetizer rather than the main course, kick your meal off with loaded potato skins. Made from scratch, they come with a savory selection of add-ons that are sure to make your stomach smile. Pay a little more and you can "Get 'em Big-Tex Style," which comes with brisket or tri-tip, jalapeños, and Roadhouse Ranch. Along with these sleeper hits, add French fries and potato soup to the loaded list.

Success was hard won for Logan's Roadhouse. The company has faced multiple bankruptcies over the years that threatened to derail it. There are, in fact, many untold stories about Logan's Roadhouse. For instance, in 2016, money issues arose when sales began to decline, causing store traffic to plummet by over 8% and sales by 4%. The company was forced to file for bankruptcy, subsequently closing 18 restaurants that were underperforming. Logan's released a statement saying that it had planned to assist employees impacted by the closures. As a result, $25 million was spent to finance a restructuring plan, and the then-CEO was forced to step down. 

To make matters worse, the chain carried a staggering debt of $416 million that it owed to thousands of creditors. Half a million dollars was owed to National Retail Properties, the restaurant's biggest debt. Money issues didn't end there for Logan's Roadhouse; it filed for bankruptcy again in 2020. Under new ownership, the company was hit with Covid-19, and like many others, business was dealt a major blow. There was a noticeable decline by March, closures followed, and bankruptcy was filed all before the month ended. Things worsened, leading to 18,000 employees being laid off and all corporate-owned locations shuttered.

If bankruptcy wasn't troubling enough, wait until you find out how many different owners Logan's Roadhouse has had. Not even a decade into existence, it first switched hands. CBRL Group, the parent company of Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, acquired it for $179 million. The new owner planned to open an additional 25 locations, but the strategy proved unsuccessful, so it sold Logan's Roadhouse to private equity investment firm Bruckmann, Rosser, Sherrill & Co. Inc. (or BRS) in 2006.

Despite the sale, the company opened its 100th location in 2003. Its years-long debt woes, however, were far from over. Private equity firm Kelso was next in line to own the storied steakhouse. It managed to grow the brand to 250 nationwide locations but sadly lacked the necessary experience to turn the debt around. Kelso eventually filed for bankruptcy, then according to Nation's Restaurant News, Logan's Roadhouse was sold again in 2018, this time to CraftWorks Restaurants & Breweries. The new owner reduced Logan's 250 locations to 204.

Then the pandemic arrived on the scene, closures continued and employees were terminated. Unsurprisingly, CraftWorks Restaurants & Breweries decided to let the restaurant chain go. Fortress Investment Group and SPB Hospitality became the new owners in 2020, purchasing it for just $93 million.