The Appeal of Kent Taylor and Texas Roadhouse

"A boisterous, deliberately over-the-top recreation of Texas spread across more than 600 locations in 49 states and nearly a dozen countries (popular in places like Saudi Arabia and Qatar), this restaurant is defined as much by its atmosphere as by its menu: the steady clang of cutlery, peanut shells underfoot, neon signs and waving Texas flags, and the yee-haw birthday serenades delivered with patrons astride a leather saddle. The brand leans into regional kitsch — Willie’s Corner tributes, Shiner logos, and unique murals (in one outpost Andy the Armadillo is shown sightseeing at the Statue of Liberty) — while offering signature dishes such as the Ft. Worth Ribeye, never-ending baskets of steaming sourdough rolls that shine with cinnamon-butter (likened to Eggo waffles), and Rattlesnake Bites (fried jalapeño-and-Jack-cheese balls). During the pandemic the company leaned into its identity and scale, releasing a 729-song “Jukebox Jams” playlist and encouraging creative, community-minded responses from managers (from roadside $5 burgers to drive-through “COVID survival kits”), while the founder, Kent Taylor, forgave his own salary so frontline employees could be paid; his tenacity helped the chain become the No. 1 casual-dining restaurant in 15 states during 2020. The chain’s origin story is humble and driven — sketched on a napkin and launched in Clarksville, Indiana in 1993 with headquarters now in Louisville — and its excesses (from oversized margaritas to loud celebratory rituals) are embraced as part of its appeal." - Jenna Barnett