My first trip to Texas Roadhouse showed why the beloved chain is seeing sales continue to surge (2024)

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I went to Texas Roadhouse on a Thursday evening, thinking I would be able to walk in and be seated quickly enough.

I knew the chain was popular, but I was still surprised to find a packed parking lot at the Rochester, New York, location on a weekday evening.

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The window advised customers to call ahead to reserve a seat, which I regretted not doing.

Walking inside, I realized the restaurant was even more crowded than I'd anticipated from the parking lot.

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I put our name in at the hostess stand and was told it would be about a 10-minute wait.

I didn't mind the wait. I used the time to take in the ambiance, which was unlike that of any restaurant I'd been to before.

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The walls were decorated with jerseys and uniforms from the local high-school sports teams right above the hostess station.

A large moose head was mounted alongside the uniforms. I don't know what moose have to do with Texas, but it did add to a homey, country theme.

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Other walls were adorned with neon beer-brand signs, including Budweiser and Blue Moon.

Nearly all the walls in the massive restaurant were decked out in decor, like these caricatures of some classic country artists.

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I also got some time to check out the butcher station with hand-cut steaks, which is one of the signature features of the chain.

Above the steaks were the chain's iconic rolls, staying warm under a heating lamp.

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Another neon sign got at the heart of Texas Roadhouse: beer and beef.

Under the sign, wait staff ran in and out of the kitchen, ferrying rolls to the full restaurant.

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The restaurant posted frequent hiring advertisem*nts, most likely a symptom of the trouble restaurants across the US are having to attract workers during the pandemic.

The waitstaff even wore shirts saying "I <3 my job. Want to love your job too?"

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After a wait of probably closer to 25 minutes, I followed a waitress, holding the coveted rolls, to my table.

A menu advertised Texas Roadhouse's drinks, including margaritas that I'd heard I had to try.

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The restaurant is even bigger than it looks from the outside, and it seemed nearly full as I walked to my table.

As I walked through the rest of the interior, the decor was consistent throughout.

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What seemed like at least a dozen animal heads were mounted on the walls, including a classic Americana jackalope.

The decor is kitchsy in a way I found unexpectedly appealing.

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Cacti perched on booths and counters were reminders that the restaurant was supposed to be Southwest-themed.

I sat down and opened up a massive menu, which was overwhelming with all its choices.

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Back at the table, the waitress recommended this massive blue margarita, called Kenny's Cooler after Kenny Chesney.

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After we told the waitress we'd never been to Texas Roadhouse before, she brought us a sampler of some dishes to test: green beans in bacon grease, loaded mashed potatoes with cheese and bacon, pulled pork, and chili topped with cheese and red onions.

We ordered the combo appetizer to try out a few dishes, including boneless wings, potato skins, and rattlesnake bites, which were fried jalapeños and cheese.

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We went through the appetizers all too quickly — and all agreed that the dipping sauces and spreads were a highlight. From the horseradish sauce that came with the rattlesnake bites to the cinnamon butter for the rolls, they went perfectly on the dishes they came with.

Our entrées came, and the amount of food was staggering. I had no idea how we'd even start to finish it.

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I got the country-fried chicken, covered in a creamy white gravy. It was delicious, though I could hardly make a dent in it after the appetizers and rolls.

The entrée also came with two sides, which themselves were huge. I chose the mashed potatoes and green beans, which I knew I'd like from the sampler.

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I'm not a big fan of steak, so I wanted to bring along someone who could really evaluate Texas Roadhouse's signature steaks. My fiancé, Joe, ordered this giant steak, with perfect grill marks.

The steak was extra rare and smelled amazing.

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It was served smothered in mushrooms and onions, with a loaded baked potato as one of the sides.

My sister was also game to test out the food, so she got a burger and fries.

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The Smokehouse Burger — half a pound of beef with mushrooms, onions, barbecue sauce, and mounds of gooey cheese — was delicious, according to her.

The giant burger and fries were a huge amount of food for the $11.49 price.

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The 16-ounce ribeye, plus two sides, was $25.

My fried chicken was just $12.99, an even better deal considering I ate it for three meals.

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We finally gave up and conceded there was no way we'd finish this food in one sitting.

As we packed our food into takeout containers, our server even offered to bring us more rolls, with little covers so we could take the butter, too.

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I'm not the only one who has had a good experience at Texas Roadhouse. Sales are exploding at the chain.

Same-store sales for the first quarter of 2022 are up 16% at company-owned restaurants and 20.4% at franchise stores, compared to the same period last year. The company also reported that traffic increased by 16% and 9%, respectively, and average spending per visit grew 9% overall.

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The company's strong performance shows no signs of slowing. Average spend among customers during the first five weeks of the current quarter is already trending above the 9% growth seen in the previous quarter, CEO Jerry Morgan told investors.

Morgan said the company recently raised prices 3% due to inflation, and has yet to see any resulting negative impacts to customer demand.

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I can see why sales are booming. Good food in huge quantities, plus a sense of normality by returning to a well-known restaurant, are more appealing than ever in 2022.

Do you have a story to share about a retail or restaurant chain? Email this reporter atmmeisenzahl@businessinsider.com.