Texas Roadhouse vs. LongHorn Steakhouse
The Short Version
Both are casual American steakhouse chains with hundreds of locations, and on paper the menus overlap a lot — hand-cut or fire-grilled steaks, ribs, chicken, and seafood in a similar price range. The real differences are ownership and atmosphere: Texas Roadhouse is an independent public company built around a loud, family-friendly roadhouse theme (free rolls, peanuts, line dancing), while LongHorn is a Darden brand with a somewhat quieter, ranch-style dining room. Neither this page nor this site is affiliated with either chain — it's an independent comparison.
| Texas Roadhouse | LongHorn Steakhouse | |
|---|---|---|
| Parent company | Texas Roadhouse, Inc. (Nasdaq: TXRH) | Darden Restaurants (also owns Olive Garden, Cheddar's, Yard House) |
| Founded | 1993, Clarksville, Indiana | 1981, Atlanta, Georgia |
| Theme | Loud, casual roadhouse — peanut shells on the floor, occasional line dancing | Western/ranch-inspired, generally a quieter dining room |
| Free starter | Warm yeast rolls with cinnamon honey butter, unlimited, at every table | Also serves a bread starter at most locations — check your local LongHorn for what's currently included |
| Signature steak cuts | Hand-cut in-house daily — Dallas Filet, Ft. Worth Ribeye, Fall-off-the-Bone Ribs | Fire-grilled steaks — Outlaw Ribeye, Flo's Filet, Porterhouse |
| Family packs / bulk takeout | Dedicated family packs (ribs, six-sirloin packs, pulled pork by the pound) | Individual entrees available for takeout and catering; not built around the same bulk-pack format |
Is Texas Roadhouse or LongHorn cheaper?
Texas Roadhouse is widely reported to run somewhat cheaper — a comparable 12 oz. New York strip tends to price a few dollars lower at Texas Roadhouse than the equivalent LongHorn cut, and a two-person dinner (before drinks and tip) commonly comes in lower overall. That's a general pattern reported across menus, not a guarantee for your specific location, since both chains set pricing locally. Compare current menus directly — our menu with prices page has Texas Roadhouse's full current pricing.
Does LongHorn have free rolls like Texas Roadhouse?
Texas Roadhouse's rolls and cinnamon butter are one of its most recognized features — unlimited, free, and brought to every table before you order. LongHorn also serves a bread starter at most locations, but it isn't as central to the brand's identity. Check with your local LongHorn for what's currently offered.
Are Texas Roadhouse and LongHorn owned by the same company?
No. Texas Roadhouse is its own publicly traded company (Nasdaq: TXRH). LongHorn Steakhouse is owned by Darden Restaurants, which also owns Olive Garden, Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen, and Yard House, among others.
Which has a bigger kids' menu, Texas Roadhouse or LongHorn?
Texas Roadhouse splits its kids' options into a standard kids' menu and a larger "Ranger Meals" tier for bigger appetites, and leans into the family/roadhouse theme more overtly (peanuts, occasional dancing). Both chains offer a kids' menu — if a livelier, more theatrical atmosphere matters for your group, that's generally the bigger differentiator than the menu itself.
See Texas Roadhouse's full current menu and prices.