9 Texas Roadhouse Rules You'll Want To Know Before Your Next Visit

Texas Roadhouse is well-known for its steaks, which is likely the reason most people choose to dine there. Many are drawn in by the restaurant's USDA Choice beef and freshly prepared, from-scratch food. As a steakhouse, first and foremost, the meat is pretty epic, but we have some rules you may want to consider prior to your next visit. With a deeper understanding of these unspoken rules, you will likely have your best Texas Roadhouse experience yet. 

We have insights into everything from the steaks and sides to other menu items, how to score the best deals, as well as hacks for enhancing your meal that you may never have thought of. From knowing when to arrive for early bird discounts to choosing the best margarita, these little details can make a big difference. It's time to discover everything that Texas Roadhouse restaurant-goers should know to make the most out of every visit. 

When you visit your average steak restaurant, the server will usually ask you how you'd like your meat cooked, but you don't normally get to hand-pick the steak yourself. This is one aspect that sets Texas Roadhouse apart, but it's not something every patron is aware of. 

If you venture into a Texas Roadhouse restaurant, you should spot a case with a selection of steaks on display. You might pass by and think of it as nothing more than a bunch of uncooked meat, but this is actually where you can pick the exact steak you'd like to eat. You can select the cut, weight, and fattiness of the steak rather than just having to sit and accept whatever the restaurant serves you, giving you much greater control over your meal. Choosing your own steak is not a requirement, of course, but it's definitely worth knowing that the option is available should you wish to take advantage of it.

Many steak restaurants offer just a handful of sides to pick from; however, this is another area where Texas Roadhouse excels. The side options are abundant at this eatery, with 17 different accompaniments available at the time of writing. You can bolster your steak dinner with a baked sweet potato or Texas chili if you're feeling extra hungry, or opt for a lighter side, like steamed broccoli or the house salad. Not only are there multiple choices, but many can be customized further. For example, you can swap out the tomatoes in your side salad for bacon bits and add crumbled blue cheese. If a plain potato doesn't cut it, you can request a dollop of sour cream and a handful of cheddar cheese. Talk about options.

This may seem overwhelming, but sides play an important role in your overall meal. Given that Texas Roadhouse dishes are usually meat-heavy, you'll want to consider your sides carefully. Most of the entrees come with two sides included in the price, whether you're opting for the grilled salmon or a classic hand-cut sirloin steak. The unspoken rule is to choose wisely for the best dining experience — your best bet is to consider the flavors and heaviness of the main dish and select sides that pair accordingly.

People often visit Texas Roadhouse right after it opens to snag something off the Early Dine menu. They wait outside until the staff unlocks the front doors, then head inside to get a bargain meal — who can blame them? The Early Dine menu features various discounted entrees, like the Pulled Pork Dinner or Country Fried Chicken Dinner. However, there are some rules concerning the Early Dine menu you should consider before planning your visit. 

First, prices will vary based on your location, and they seem to increase as the years pass, but it's still a fantastic deal. Second, not every Texas Roadhouse location has the same Early Dine hours. For example, one location might offer the menu Monday through Friday until 5 p.m., while another may end the deal at 4 p.m. on Fridays, or it might not offer the deal on Fridays at all. Don't walk in without a game plan, as the promotional period might not be available when you arrive – it's always worth calling ahead or checking the menu in person to be sure.

Another sneaky rule you should factor into your Texas Roadhouse dining extravaganza is that there's more to the menu than meets the eye. The chain steakhouse offers a selection of secret items you may find interesting, but the catch is that you need to know they exist first.

For example, you can ask for some sirloin seasoning on the side to dunk Texas Roadhouse's famously fresh, warm bread rolls into. Or, you could mix the seasoning with the brand's signature cinnamon butter to slather all over your steak. Ordering extra steak seasoning might not be an obvious decision, but it can thoroughly enhance the flavor of your meat in a way that regular steak sauce can't.

Another option is to load up your Cactus Blossom with pulled pork for the ultimate savory appetizer that's practically a meal in itself; the crispy onion bits and juicy pork create a winning combination. For something on the sweeter side, ask for caramel sauce and marshmallows to be added to your side of applesauce. These toppings are normally offered with the baked sweet potato side, but they make a stellar addition to the applesauce.

One Texas Roadhouse hack that people don't really talk about is the fact that you can order extra cinnamon butter to take home. While it's a great accompaniment to any leftover rolls in your doggy bag, the rich, flavorful butter works with all sorts of foods. You can place a pat on homemade pancakes or add it to vegetables, like roasted carrots or a baked potato. The options are endless as long as you have the butter on hand. This unspoken hack is pretty easy to achieve — just ask your server for a couple of those little plastic tubs to put the butter in. 

Don't feel bad about asking either. Sometimes you'll have several rolls left over and a half-eaten container of butter, so asking for extra is totally within reason — nobody would know whether it's for those rolls or not. Alternatively, you could inquire about taking home another type of Texas Roadhouse butter, like the garlic lemon pepper variety or the regular whipped kind. You can use both creatively as toppings or recipe ingredients.

Who doesn't love free food and discounts? Although the Texas Roadhouse VIP Club is advertised throughout the chain's restaurants, it's extremely easy to gloss over it while perusing the dining options or tucking into your meal. You've probably seen dozens of restaurants offering memberships, so it's something you may have tuned out. But that's why we want to draw attention to the VIP Club, because it has many benefits for diners who visit Texas Roadhouse frequently. 

As a member, you gain access to offers and updates that the average customer doesn't know about. For starters, you'll get a welcome gift within a couple of days of signing up, a discount on your birthday, and a discount on the anniversary of when you joined the club. If you're a regular customer, you'll also receive personalized deals and local offers. The overall savings are nothing to scoff at, so it's worth signing up to stay in the know.

Sometimes you might wake up with a craving for steak. You may not want a hunk of it for breakfast — although top sirloin is a prime choice for steak and eggs – but once lunchtime rolls around, you're ready to get stuck in. Be that as it may, don't head over to your local Texas Roadhouse hoping for a midday feed. You'll be pretty bummed to find out the place is usually closed until later in the afternoon. That's not to say that the hours won't differ at your location, but as a rule of thumb, Texas Roadhouse is only open for lunch on the weekends. 

If you're okay with having a late lunch — or very early dinner — then hop on over to Texas Roadhouse right as it opens. You'll also be able to take advantage of the Early Dine menu to fill your belly on a budget. However, don't be surprised if the place is busy, as it's not unusual to see people lined up outside waiting to get in to make the most of the discount period.

Now that we've gotten the steaks, sides, and secret menu items out of the way, you're going to need to wash them all down with something. Fortunately, Texas Roadhouse has some delectable and stunningly vibrant margaritas to choose from. The chain even beat Chili's by a landslide in our margarita head-to-head, in case you needed any more reason to order a cocktail to wash down your steak. However, they're not all a smash hit. 

In Tasting Table's Texas Roadhouse margarita rankings, our favorite was The Legend margarita, which truly lives up to its name. It was deemed the crème de la crème because it has all the makings of a classic marg but combines three different tequilas — Patrón Silver, Reposado, and Añejo — with premium Grand Marnier liqueur. The high-quality tequila makes The Legend Margarita  extremely smooth, while the citrus element is nice and bright. The striking Sangria Margarita was our second-place pick, ideal for when you want a more fruit-forward sipper that's similar to a frosé. However, you may want to skip the Hurricane Margarita and Jamaican Cowboy, which were deemed too sweet and fruity to be called true margaritas.

Some time ago, you used to be able to eat peanuts and toss the shells on the floor at Texas Roadhouse. It was part of the Texas Roadhouse dining experience — grab a handful of peanuts from a barrel, toss the empty shells on the floor without a care, and feel them crunch beneath your feet on the way to your table. But, alas, things have since changed, and the eatery has ditched its famous peanuts. It's possible this decision was partly due to legal issues, as the company has previously been sued after a customer was injured slipping on the slick layer of shells. There's also the growing risk of peanut allergies to consider, and it seems like COVID was the final nail in the coffin for the longtime gimmick. 

Nowadays, you'll usually find one small bag of peanuts on your table, although this may vary at each location. If the nuts are missing, you can ask your server for a bag. However, if you do end up ordering a coveted baggie of nuts, make sure you don't throw those empty shells on the floor. Those days are long gone, and now the practice is frowned upon. Be courteous if you open the peanuts in the restaurant and place the shells on a side plate or napkin instead.