A head to head clash between rolls, margaritas and of course, sweet juicy steak. Time to choose sides as we dive into which is better: LongHorn Steakhouse or Texas Roadhouse?
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00:00A head-to-head clash between rolls, margaritas, and, of course, sweet, juicy steak. Time to
00:07choose sides as we dive into which is better, Longhorn Steakhouse or Texas Roadhouse.
00:14You will immediately start to notice a difference between Longhorn Steakhouse and Texas Roadhouse
00:20the moment you step inside. Over at Longhorn, guests are greeted by more sophisticated dark
00:26colors and sleek vibe. The cowboy aesthetic seems to strike a balance between casual dining
00:32and something that's a step above your typical chain. Texas Roadhouse, on the other hand,
00:37has a more rowdy, rustic vibe. From birthday guests riding on top of saddles to country
00:43music playing and the floor scattered with peanut shells, Texas Roadhouse may give off
00:48more lively party vibes than candlelit romantic vibes. This may come down to your personal
00:56If you're looking for a more quiet atmosphere, then Longhorn may be the right choice. But
01:01if you're looking for a fun family outing or you prefer a more lively atmosphere, then
01:06Texas Roadhouse may be more up your alley.
01:10The complimentary bread you receive before your meal arrives plays an important role
01:14in steakhouses. Rather than just serve ordinary bread, both chains have committed to serving
01:20rolls that have a cult following in their own right. In fact, in a ranking of Texas
01:25Roadhouse's menu items, we put their rolls right at the top as the number one item to
01:30eat there, thanks in large part to their accompanying cinnamon butter.
01:34Insider also mentions that the rolls served at Texas Roadhouse are legendary with fans.
01:40Over at Longhorn Steakhouse, its dinner rolls are also adored by fans with copycat recipes
01:46highly sought after. The I'm Hungry For That blog mentions how the urge to recreate the
01:52rolls from Longhorn came the moment they tried them at the restaurant.
01:56They've got the best bread.
01:57And it's always warm, so the butter melts perfectly. And no matter what, it's always
01:58good and it's always hot.
01:59Always hot.
02:00Atmosphere and dinner rolls are one thing, but when it comes to steakhouses, if you cannot
02:10serve up a decent cut of beef, then it's game over. Thankfully, both Longhorn Steakhouse
02:16and Texas Roadhouse offer a variety of steaks, so you should be able to find a cut that
02:21you enjoy.
02:22All of the usual suspects appear on both menus, including filet steaks, ribeyes, and sirloins.
02:29The sizes of the two chain steaks are similar as well, with both restaurants offering 20-ounce
02:35ribeyes, as well as the option of ordering your filet steak at 6 or 9 ounces at Longhorn
02:40and choosing between 6 or 8 ounces at Texas Roadhouse.
02:45Both restaurants also serve ribs, though the ones at Texas Roadhouse have been known
02:49to disappoint. So when it comes to the kinds of steaks you can order, both restaurants
02:54are on relatively even footing. But the steaks actually arriving at your table is when customers
02:59seem to notice a big difference.
03:03Longhorn Steakhouse ranks pretty high on the list of current national steakhouse chains,
03:08largely due to the fact that, above all, it cooks a pretty darn good steak. That may be
03:13due to the fact that it does not use frozen steaks, and it may also be partially because
03:18it allows its cooks to aspire to the title of steak master.
03:22Our number one competitive advantage is grilling expertise. Perfectly grilling steaks is what
03:27we do."
03:28No matter what the tactics are, customers seem to be in agreement that the steaks served
03:33at Longhorn are worth the trip. Across the board, the cuts of steaks are elevated by
03:38Longhorn's seasoning blend. Flo's Filet, especially when paired with a lobster tail, is among
03:44one of the best things you can order off of the menu, and the T-bone, ribeye, and ribs
03:49also rank in our top 10 list. Ultimately, what brings customers back to a steakhouse
03:54will likely be its steaks, and fans are quick to praise the quality of Longhorn's time and
04:00time again.
04:02There are many loyal customers devoted to the steaks served at Texas Roadhouse. The
04:07ribeye is always a solid option, and the chicken fried steak is also a more unique
04:11standout if you are looking for something more than your typical cut of beef. Traditional
04:16steak dinners are also popular, with The Motley Fool reporting the most widely ordered item
04:22being the 6-ounce sirloin.
04:24What do fans enjoy so much about the steaks from Texas Roadhouse? The in-store butcher
04:29shop adds a personal touch that allows customers to see the steaks in the cooler before they
04:34find their way to the grill, promising an added level of freshness to your meal. Fans
04:39also enjoy the lower prices, which may allow the restaurant some leeway for not offering
04:45a steak perhaps as widely beloved as the steaks from Longhorn Steakhouse. It is worth pointing
04:50out that while Texas Roadhouse is not everyone's first choice of steakhouse, it certainly isn't
04:56last on the list either.
04:58In addition to beef, both restaurant chains have a wide array of menu items, including
05:03chicken and fish dishes and plenty of sides. Some of the best menu items at Texas Roadhouse
05:09are these more unique items, including the salmon. A large percentage of Texas Roadhouse
05:14regulars prefer the steak fries as their side dish of choice, and popular appetizer dishes
05:20include its fried pickles, a variety of salads, a cactus blossom which bears a striking resemblance
05:27to the blooming onion from Outback, and their jalapeno poppers, better known by their appetizing
05:32name of Rattlesnake Bites.
05:34Of course, Longhorn Steakhouse offers much more than just steak as well, with its menu
05:39including seafood, pork chop, and chicken options for entrees, though there seems to
05:44be more buzz for the accompanying menu items at Texas Roadhouse.
05:49You may fancy a nice glass of wine to pair with your steak, and in that situation, both
05:54Longhorn and Texas Roadhouse should suit you fine. But if you're looking for more variety
06:00or perhaps something with a little more flair, then Texas Roadhouse is where you'll want
06:04to dine. The steakhouse chain features a menu filled with up to 15 varieties of their signature
06:10margarita and mixed cocktails in addition to wine and beer.
06:14A Texas Roadhouse location in Tucson, Arizona shared on Facebook that its top three margarita
06:19flavors were the mango, strawberry, and Kenny's Cooler. According to FSR Magazine, the latter
06:26is a mixed drink concocted by Kenny Chesney, which is a mixture of coconut rum and peach
06:31schnapps, lemonade, sweet and sour, and blue Curaçao.
06:35I hope to see you at a Texas Roadhouse soon to have a Kenny's Cooler or a Coastal Key
06:40Line Margarita or whatever you want.
06:44Longhorn Steakhouse does sell different kinds of alcoholic beverages, including beer and
06:48margaritas, in addition to its wine menu. But when Texas Roadhouse advertises fishbowl-sized
06:54margaritas on its Facebook pages, there seems to be a clear choice when choosing which steakhouse
07:00to grab dinner at if you're looking to pair it with a fun drink.
07:04While both restaurants welcome families, the lively vibes at Texas Roadhouse might be a
07:09better choice if you are dining with kids, especially if someone in your party is celebrating
07:14a birthday. At Texas Roadhouse, the guest celebrating their birthday is invited to sit
07:20on a saddle that is brought to their table while the servers sing happy birthday. Sounds
07:25like a total nightmare scenario for some who would rather not draw attention to themselves,
07:30but it will sure make for a memorable experience, especially for the kids.
07:35Even if you are not celebrating a birthday, there will still be plenty of rowdy antics
07:39from the staff each night. According to Country Music Nation, around once per hour the servers
07:45gather around the restaurant for a line dance. The Texas Roadhouse in Bexar, Delaware celebrated
07:50its socially distanced return of the dance in 2020 on its Facebook account after a brief
07:56pause amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
08:00Both Longhorn Steakhouse and Texas Roadhouse are middle-of-the-road chains when it comes
08:04to steakhouses. They're not on the high end of the price range, but they're not the cheapest
08:09options you'll find either. That said, customers seem to agree that Texas Roadhouse offers
08:14a better value between the two, noting that the quality and the quantity of what you were
08:19served is not bad given the price.
08:21If you're ready for a good night of fun and partying, go to the Texas Roadhouse. They
08:26know how to do it right.
08:28According to a report from Harvard, despite the thin margins that may exist due to the
08:32lower menu prices, the high volume of foot traffic and strong advertising of its alcoholic
08:38drinks allow for Texas Roadhouse to continue to deliver food at a lower cost for the consumer.
08:45On the flip side, customers have pointed out that Longhorn Steakhouse is a tad on the high
08:49side given what you were being served. Despite the fact that diners seem to be in agreement
08:54that Longhorn serves a superior steak to Texas Roadhouse, reviewers on TripAdvisor say that
09:00the meals were a bit pricey.
09:02Looking at some of the steaks offered at each restaurant will also show the slight price
09:06advantage Texas Roadhouse has over Longhorn. A 12-ounce New York Strip costs $22.99 at
09:12Texas Roadhouse and $23.49 at Longhorn Steakhouse. An 8-ounce filet at Texas Roadhouse costs
09:20$26.49, while at Longhorn, a 9-ounce will cost you slightly more for that extra ounce
09:26at $28.29.
09:29Of course, the best value when it comes to a steak dinner is to cook it yourself at home.
09:34But steaks can be a tricky meat to perfect, especially if you want to recreate a restaurant-quality
09:40meal. Rather than keep the keys to the city all to themselves, Longhorn Steakhouse has
09:44been on a mission for years to help its customers become their own steak master. Back in 2013,
09:51the restaurant chain launched a Grill-Us Hotline in time for the 4th of July holiday. The hotline,
09:56which was supervised by Longhorn's own grillmasters, was rolled out to help home grillers with
10:02any questions they may have on how to prepare the perfect steak.
10:06According to PR Newswire, callers could inquire about any step in the process, from choosing
10:11the perfect steak in the store to how to reach the ideal grill temperature. The hotline grew
10:16in popularity over the years, and the Austin American-Statesman reports that Longhorn brought
10:22back the service for Memorial Day and Labor Day, in addition to Independence Day.
10:27By sharing its expertise with customers, Longhorn not only helps to recreate the restaurant
10:32experience at home, but also emphasizes the fact that it truly knows how to make the perfect
10:38steak.
10:40The dinner rush is often when you will find more families and couples looking for a good
10:44steak dinner at both Longhorn and Texas Roadhouse. But if you want lunch, then your options are
10:50more limited. Texas Roadhouse is widely known for only being open for dinner hours during
10:56the week, with the exception of a select few locations. If you want lunch, you will have
11:01to wait until the weekend. This is because the company decided to limit its weekday hours
11:06to offer more of a work-life balance for its employees.
11:10In an interview with Forbes, founder and then-CEO Kent Taylor noted that the decision to remain
11:16closed during lunch hours was beneficial for the company and for employees. Texas Roadhouse
11:21doubled down on the two-fold benefits, saying on its website that the managers have a more
11:26flexible lifestyle, and the business saves on expenses by not having to open locations
11:32in areas where businesses are looking for meals during their lunch breaks. So, if you
11:37were looking for lunch during the week, Longhorn Steakhouse will be your go-to option between
11:42the two chains.
11:43Ultimately, determining which chain is better will come down to your personal preference.
11:49However, when it comes to which chain prepares the better steaks, the evidence appears to
11:54be in favor of Longhorn Steakhouse. Keep in mind that while steak is a key piece of
11:59the puzzle, there are other factors to consider, like price, atmosphere, and other menu items
12:05that complement the steak.
12:07When looking at those metrics, the restaurants seem to be evenly matched. Texas Roadhouse
12:12is a fun environment for the whole family, with fair pricing and a variety of food and
12:17drink items. Longhorn Steakhouse, on the other hand, has quieter, more romantic vibes with
12:23great steaks.
12:24The court of public opinion seems divided. Both Longhorn and Texas Roadhouse ranked in
12:29our Top 10 National Steakhouse Chains, though Longhorn bested Texas Roadhouse by several
12:35spots on the list. You will likely have an enjoyable meal no matter which chain you choose.
12:41But if you had to pick based on steak alone, head on down to Longhorn Steakhouse first.