Among Major Steakhouse Chains, This One Has The Absolute Cheapest New York Strip Steak

If there is a perfect test to evaluate a steakhouse chain, it's by considering the price and quality of its New York strip steak. Cut from the short loin area of the cow, a New York strip hits the perfect middle ground for both its taste and its price point. It has a good amount of marbling, although not as much as richer cuts like a ribeye, and it's decently tender, but still has some chew. On a steakhouse chain menu it's almost always going to fall in the middle of the price range among the different cuts of steak, being more expensive than a sirloin, yet cheaper than a ribeye or filet. So if you want to measure a steakhouse chain's overall affordability, check the New York strip, and you'll find that of the major chains, Texas Roadhouse has the cheapest one.

To check this we considered four major chains: Texas Roadhouse, LongHorn, Outback, and Logan's Roadhouse. These are the only four steakhouses with more than 100 locations nationwide, except for Ruth's Chris, which is far more expensive than the other options. At each chain we checked the price of the New York strip listed at multiple locations across several states with middle-of-the-road restaurant prices, and took an average. Unsurprisingly given its wallet-friendly reputation, Texas Roadhouse came out on top, although it was pretty close. We found the chain's average New York strip meal price (for a 12-ounce steak) to be $26.66. That was nearly two dollars cheaper than the second best steakhouse option. All chains considered also offered similar meals with two sides included in the price, so they were comparable choices for cost.

The other three steakhouse chains were quite close in price for a New York strip. Outback narrowly edged out LongHorn as the second most affordable, with an average price of $28.52. LongHorn instead came in at $28.76. 

It's important to note, however, that price averages may not always be representative of the steakhouse locations near you. In fact, Outback had the largest variance in cost across the chains examined. It actually had the second cheapest New York strip we found, at $26.79 in Florida, which was actually lower than the nearest Texas Roadhouse. Yet it also had the most expensive steak in Utah, at $31.99, despite the prices at another nearby Texas Roadhouse being much lower. Logan's Roadhouse, the smallest chain we checked, was both the most expensive and most consistent prices. Every location we reviewed had a 12-ounce New York strip steak priced at $29.89.

While the cost of beef has been soaring across the board, Texas Roadhouse has managed to keep its steaks affordable because its entire model is built around value. It doesn't spend money on advertising or developing new dishes, and it buys beef on long-term contracts that minimize price fluctuations. The chain also prices its steaks lower while relying more on charging extra for premium upgrades and drinks. With every aspect of the business geared towards efficiency, there is less pressure to raise prices to cover those higher beef costs. So next time you get a New York strip steak, remember the effort it takes to keep it so cheap.