Texas Roadhouse's Roots Aren't In Texas: The Southern State It Calls Home

Given how straightforward Texas Roadhouse's business model is, you'd be forgiven for assuming it started as the real deal on some dusty Texas country road. But this isn't the case. Such is the name of the game in the chain restaurant industry, where claims to "authenticity" quickly fall apart under scrutiny. This is especially true with popular chain steakhouses. Outback is quite obviously not Australian, and the first ever LongHorn Steakhouse location was founded far from cattle country in Atlanta. Likewise, Texas Roadhouse is Texan in spirit at best, originating in Clarksville, Indiana, and now headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky.

So, why the Texas name? Pretty much for exactly the reasons you would think. Texas Roadhouse was founded by Louisville resident Kent Taylor, an industry lifer, having bounded around working and managing at chains like Bennigan's, KFC, and Hooter's. But Taylor was a restless employee who was constantly looking to experiment and eventually started opening his own spots. After a few different concepts resulting in varying levels of success, he finally landed on the idea for Texas Roadhouse.

The inspiration was in the name, as Taylor wanted to recreate the feel of real roadhouses he had visited in the Lone Star State. It wasn't just the food, but also the fun atmosphere featuring drinks and music. And, of course, Texas' association with cattle — and reputation for high-quality steak — didn't hurt either.

In addition to not really being Texan, Texas Roadhouse has no real direct connections to the South. While it's based in Louisville now, the first location was in Clarksville, Indiana. Just across the Ohio River, the first Texas Roadhouse was a decidedly un-country-feeling location in a mall. But it didn't matter. Taylor's commitment was to the idea of an affordable place families could come and get a good steak, and Texas Roadhouse pulled that off with aplomb, either convincing folks it was really Texan — or being tasty enough that nobody cared to ask.

While the company isn't shy about where it was founded, with over 700 locations today carrying a heavy country and Texas theme, you wouldn't know Texas Roadhouse was born in suburban Indiana. Taylor just loved a geographic theme in general. Prior to Texas Roadhouse, he had opened a Florida-theme salad restaurant, and his first real success was a Colorado-themed concept called Buckhead Hickory Grill, which has since been renamed Buckhead Mountain Grill. At least in that case, Taylor has lived in Colorado and been inspired by the skiing culture of his temporary home.

The restaurant chain entrepreneur even revisited the idea by opening Aspen Creek Grill in 2009 as a more upscale alternative to Texas Roadhouse. Of course, nobody really expects authentic roots from the industry that gave us Olive Garden and P.F. Chang's. Most diners just want a good meal at a good price, no matter what the name is.