Texas Roadhouse has ascended to become the most popular casual dining chain in the United States, surpassing Olive Garden, which had held the top spot since 2018. Following Texas Roadhouse and Olive Garden in popularity are Chili’s, Applebee’s, and Buffalo Wild Wings. The rise in Texas Roadhouse’s popularity is attributed to a resurgence that has propelled the steakhouse’s status.
In the previous year, Texas Roadhouse experienced a 14.7% increase in sales, amounting to $5.5 billion, as reported by Restaurant Business, which referenced Technomic’s ranking of the largest 500 restaurant chains in the nation. Texas Roadhouse’s website states that there are 722 locations, likely including some outside the United States.
Olive Garden recorded a 0.8% growth in sales during 2024, totaling $5.2 billion across its more than 920 locations in the country. Despite reintroducing promotions like never-ending pasta, the Italian chain’s growth was only a fraction of the 8.8% increase seen in 2023.
Texas Roadhouse, Chili’s, and LongHorn Steakhouse all experienced significant sales increases, in spite of the industry’s overall challenges. Chili’s, ranked third, saw a 15% upswing in sales, whereas LongHorn Steakhouse, ranked sixth, reported a 7.2% climb. Conversely, Applebee’s, Outback Steakhouse, Red Lobster, and Red Robin saw a decline in sales, with Red Lobster experiencing the most substantial decrease at -22.7%, according to Restaurant Business.
During a time when many Americans were struggling financially, restaurants nationwide began offering promotions to attract patrons. This approach nearly resulted in a downfall for Red Lobster, as their “Endless Shrimp” promotion led to significant losses. Damola Adamolekun, Red Lobster’s new CEO, described the situation as creating “chaos” and “stress” for employees.
Fox Business has contacted both Texas Roadhouse and Olive Garden for their comments on the rankings.