The State That Loves Texas Roadhouse The Most Isn't Texas

There's no question that Texas Roadhouse is beloved all across America. The steakhouse chain has been steadily on the rise since opening its first location in 1993, and it recently dethroned Olive Garden as America's top casual dining chain. However, there's one state that stands out for its surprisingly strong devotion to Texas Roadhouse, and it's not the chain's namesake, Texas. Surprisingly, the state that searches for Texas Roadhouse on Google more than any other is Kentucky. 

Not only do Kentuckians search for Texas Roadhouse at record levels, they also eschew their own namesake restaurant chain and search for the steakhouse more than Kentucky Fried Chicken (Incidentally, KFC opened its first location in Utah, and Colonel Sanders himself was from Indiana). Kentucky's Texas Roadhouse obsession may seem random, but it's actually quite logical. Texas Roadhouse is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, and the chain's first location was just across the border in Clarksville, Indiana. 

If this is blowing your mind, it gets even better — the steakhouse's late founder, Kent Taylor, grew up in Louisville and called the Bluegrass State his home. The company was even founded with a $300,000 investment from three Kentucky doctors. That's right, Texas Roadhouse is about as Texan as Outback Steakhouse is Australian (in other words, really not at all).

You may be wondering, if Texas Roadhouse has no Texas connections, why do they break out in hourly line dances, have an adorable armadillo mascot, and serve rattlesnake bites (which are not made from reptiles)? In short, because it's fun, and people like it. According to FSR Magazine, the name of the steakhouse chain was inspired by Taylor's trips through Dallas, Texas, while working for a different restaurant, Bennigan's. It summons up a friendly, family-run vibe you associate with rural Texas — a warm atmosphere complete with jukeboxes playing country music, themed dishes like cactus blossoms, and even a corner dedicated to Willie Nelson.

As of July 2025, Texas Roadhouse operates over 700 locations across the U.S. and 10 countries. The Lone Star State is, fittingly, home to more Texas Roadhouses than any other state (everything's bigger in Texas). Despite Texas Roadhouse's rapid expansion, the company works hard to maintain a local, hometown atmosphere in each of its locations, complete with custom-painted murals highlighting local lore. As such, and despite how counterintuitive it sounds, it's only fitting that Texas Roadhouse remains so beloved in its home state — Kentucky.