The Reason Texas Roadhouse Only Serves Lunch On The Weekends
Texas Roadhouse is one of the most popular steakhouses in America, known for its iconic Texan vibe (although its true origin might surprise you) — the wooden interior mixed with the cheerful and loud atmosphere, the free rolls with honey cinnamon butter, and the large meat-centered portions. But here is one of the most important things you should know about Texas Roadhouse: It is famously dinner-only during the week and opens its doors during lunch hours only on weekends. The popular restaurant chain decided to adopt this concept with the intention of giving its employees a better work-life balance and cutting some operational costs as well.
The restaurant industry has notoriously terrible working hours, with many people within the industry reporting experiencing burnout and struggling to find time for family life. Texas Roadhouse challenges this industry standard by prioritizing the welfare of their employees (who are affectionately referred to as "Roadies"). One of the restaurant's biggest selling points is the fact that everything on its menu is made from scratch, pointing to a significant amount of work for the employees who surely benefit from a lighter schedule during the week. The Roadies also have access to college tuition reimbursement and special financial aid should they find themselves in a tough spot. It now makes sense why Texas Roadhouse servers wear "I love my job" T-shirts.
Its dinner-only concept has not stopped Texas Roadhouse from being crowded during the week
Another reason why Texas Roadhouse has opted out of serving lunch during the week is the lower real estate costs. By keeping lunch service exclusive to weekends, the restaurants don't have to occupy high-traffic urban and commercial areas that inevitably come with higher rents and property prices. This is certainly an important aspect to consider for a restaurant chain with 580 locations across America (and an additional 22 locations internationally) — it may also be the reason why Texas Roadhouse can keep its prices so affordable.
The restaurant values consistency in its style of service and isn't looking to change its approach, but is that an issue with its customer influx? In short, no. Whether it's in spite of or because of it, the dinner-only model has clearly been working out for Texas Roadhouse. They serve around 300,000 meals per day to an average of 5,000 guests a week. Guests who spontaneously visit the Roadhouse sometimes can't even get a table because the restaurant is so full, so it's definitely a good idea to book ahead if you're set on eating its popular menu items for dinner.