America’s Biggest Casual Dining Chain Started in Indiana

There's a new top dog when it comes to America's biggest casual dining chain, and chances are, you have been there a time or two.

As you know, there are so many chain restaurants to choose from here in the United States. Of course, you have your fast food chains, but there are also a lot of casual dining chains throughout the country. A casual restaurant is an establishment that offers consumers a relaxed and comfortable dining experience. You know the ones that I am talking about, restaurants where you are seated at a table, a server takes your order and checks on you throughout your meal, and the menu itself can oftentimes be quite diverse.

When it comes to casual dining restaurants, there's a wide variety of them. Some are more popular than others. A new ranking, according to Restaurant Business, has found America's biggest casual dining restaurant, and for the first time since 2018, it isn't Olive Garden.

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America's Biggest Casual Dining Restaurant

The casual dining scene has a new top dog. For the first time, Texas Roadhouse is now the biggest casual dining restaurant in America. The Louisville-based company has over 600 locations across the United States, with 27 of those locations right here in Indiana.

According to Restaurant Business:

Texas Roadhouse’s U.S. systemwide sales surged 14.7% last year, to $5.5 billion, per Technomic. It also opened 26 new locations, a 4.1% change.

The Louisville, Kentucky-based chain has been growing quickly for years. It has benefited from consumer demand for steak coming out of the pandemic, but has helped its cause by investing in staffing and operations while keeping its prices lower than inflation. It has also ramped up new store development.

You have to believe that the quality of food is a major reason for the chain's popularity. We're talking about delicious steak, chicken, burgers, seafood, and of course, the famous rolls and cinnamon butter! You can't go wrong with the menu at Texas Roadhouse.

Here's something that I didn't realize. Texas Roadhouse didn't get its start in Texas, despite its name. The chain's late founder, W. Kent Taylor, started the business in 1993 with the opening of the first Texas Roadhouse in Clarksville, Indiana. So, in some way, you can thank the Hoosier State for this delicious restaurant.

From a single location in southern Indiana to being the biggest casual dining restaurant in the country, Texas Roadhouse is the true definition of a success story! Now, I really want to make a visit to my local Texas Roadhouse and devour one of those ribeyes!