The Silly Birthday Tradition (And Free Food) You Can Expect At Texas Roadhouse

No matter where you land on the scale of "Birthdays don't matter" to "Birthday diva," one of life's simple pleasures is getting free stuff for the yearly occasion. A lot of restaurants, especially fast-casual, family-friendly chains, will sing a song and dole out some freebies for your special day. If you live near a Texas Roadhouse and happen to mention it's your birthday, you're in for a lot more than just some free food — you're in for a whole show where you're the unwitting star. The chain is not shy when it comes to making a jubilant scene (employees even have to follow some odd dancing rules). 

Regardless of what age you're turning — though this tradition seems more popular with kids — Texas Roadhouse is equipped with something called a "birthday saddle" to help you celebrate in style. Not to dim the magic of the whole experience, but it's just a leather saddle on a wooden sawhorse (not a real one, shucks). As you sit on it, a waiter demands that anyone within earshot give you a loud and proud "YEEHAW" while you swing a napkin over your head like a lasso. This birthday ruckus is typically accompanied by a free birthday ice cream scoop or slice of chocolate cake, and some Texas Roadhouse restaurants even let you pick whatever you want from the dessert menu. 

The birthday saddle is definitely the most unique and iconic of the Texas Roadhouse birthday offerings, but the internet is divided on whether or not this tradition is fun and lighthearted or an effective humiliation tactic for shy family members. Either way, servers have made it clear that they'll try to avoid embarrassing people who are not so into having a restaurant full of people staring at them while they sit on a horseless saddle.

If you love Texas Roadhouse, want some birthday perks for you or family members, but don't want all the hullabaloo, chances are you can still have a subtler celebration. Participating Texas Roadhouses offer things like free appetizers, drinks, and sometimes even a few special decorations for people celebrating their birthdays, especially if they are Texas Roadhouse VIP members. So if you're planning on celebrating at the Southwestern steak house chain, give them a call ahead of time to see what accommodations you can set up.