9 Ways Texas Roadhouse Beats Outback And LongHorn

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With the national cost of living on the rise, more Americans are scrutinizing their purchases, including which restaurants they go to, and how often. When dining out is a special treat, nothing is more frustrating than getting a big bill for an underwhelming meal, especially if that meal is an all-American dish of steak and potatoes, available on menus across the country.

With so many similar restaurants fighting for our attention, it can be hard to know which is the best bet. But while grilling our own steaks at home is convenient and delicious, some casual chain steakhouses manage to lure us out of our kitchens. Three of those are Texas Roadhouse, Outback Steakhouse, and LongHorn Steakhouse. While each of those contenders offers plenty to love, we argue that Texas Roadhouse brings more to the table. If you're a diehard fan of Outback or LongHorn, and have a hankering for a juicy steak or other classic American comfort food, read on for nine reasons why you should visit Texas Roadhouse instead.

Don't worry — Texas Roadhouse, Outback, and LongHorn are all on our list of steakhouses that never use frozen steak. You can feel good about eating high-quality beef at all three of these restaurants, but Texas Roadhouse edges out the competition by employing its own butchers. 

Right when you walk into the restaurant, you'll see a counter filled with raw cuts of beef. Yes, this is the chain's brilliant way of showcasing its fresh ingredients, but it also allows diners to select their own cut of beef from the display. There's something special about having the chance to pick out the very best piece yourself. And on Reddit, a Texas Roadhouse employee confirmed that the in-house butchers do hand-cut almost every type of steak the chain serves. The only type that isn't prepared in-house is the porterhouse T-bone, simply because the restaurants don't have bone saws. For this reason, it isn't the employee's go-to order, but still a great pick if that's your preferred cut.

Texas Roadhouse also accepts custom orders, so if you have trust issues about receiving the same steak you selected at the counter, you can ask the butcher to prepare something else. The caveat here is that you need to choose a size larger than anything offered on the menu.

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Pricing is super important to casual diners, and in this category, Texas Roadhouse sweeps the board. Though its prices may vary a bit by state, you can always count on Texas Roadhouse to be the cheapest. The best part is that you don't even have to tolerate lower quality for these prices.

For the sake of easy comparison, let's look at an 8-oz. sirloin (served with two sides) from Texas Roadhouse, Outback Steakhouse, and LongHorn Steakhouse in Orlando, Florida. At Outback and LongHorn, those steaks will set you back $19.79 and $20.29, respectively. At Texas Roadhouse, however, you'll only have to pay $18.49. The same goes for everything else on the menu: Appetizers, drinks, entrées, side dishes, desserts, and more ring up cheaper at Texas Roadhouse. 

As if those basic savings aren't enough, this franchise also offers plenty of other specials. For example, if you don't mind eating early in the day, you can score early bird pricing until 5 p.m. For only $11.99, you can choose from 11 entrées, including a 6-oz. sirloin, country fried chicken, pulled pork, grilled BBQ chicken, and more. It's also worth calling your local Texas Roadhouse to ask about daily specials. Many locations advertise Wild West Wednesdays, when diners can order an 8-oz. sirloin meal (yes, with two sides) for only $14.99.

Even though they have the word right in their names, Outback Steakhouse and LongHorn Steakhouse can't keep up with Texas Roadhouse's steakhouse-style offerings. LongHorn and Outback each boast eight cuts of steak on the menu, while Texas Roadhouse has 10 different steak dishes to order. That may not seem like much of a difference, but the variety is nice, especially if you're one to enjoy a steak dinner on a regular basis. And don't forget, the in-house butcher at Texas Roadhouse will cut you a larger piece of beef than what's on the menu, if you'd like. The other chains don't do this.

Steak is already filling, but Texas Roadhouse offers combos that let diners add ribs or shrimp to their preferred cut of beef. This is a fabulous option for people with big appetites, and for those who want to have leftovers for lunch the next day.

In addition to classic cuts like ribeyes and New York strips, Texas Roadhouse has some unique options. Don't be dissuaded by the name of the Road Kill, the restaurant's take on chop steak, an old-fashioned comfort food dish that isn't as widely available as it used to be in restaurants. If you're in the mood to spice things up, you can instead try the Steak Kabob, which comes with onion, mushroom, tomato, red pepper, and green pepper. It's a yummy way to get your daily fix of veggies.

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Texas Roadhouse has long earned high marks for being among the best restaurant chains that serve free bread. One reason for the fandom is that the company dares to go down the sweet path, rather than the usual savory one. The famous honey cinnamon butter paired with plush rolls is a match made in heaven, and it's not uncommon for a table to request more than one free basket. In anticipation, employees at Texas Roadhouse pop fresh rolls into the oven every five minutes, so you never need to worry about running out, or getting stale bread. You also don't need to worry about splitting a loaf evenly among friends and family, fussing around with a large knife, and getting crumbs all over the table, as you do at Outback and LongHorn. Texas Roadhouse serves rolls instead of loaves.

Don't get it twisted: Outback and LongHorn both offer darn good bread for free, too. But it's not as iconic as Texas Roadhouse's recipe. All three chains have inspired copycat recipes, but only Texas Roadhouse has managed to start selling its bread in nationwide grocery stores, like Walmart and Target.

Texas Roadhouse's brand relies heavily on caring about its local communities. One of the many ways that this franchise gives back to its customers is by letting kids eat free. While each location may offer its own schedule, most run the deal on Mondays and Tuesdays. In addition, most Texas Roadhouse locations host Kids Night on Tuesdays, from 4 to 8 p.m. Not only can kids eat free then, but they can also enjoy kid-friendly activities and entertainment, like coloring, face painting, balloon animals, or crafts.

In a world where technology is always grabbing our attention, and families struggle to sit down together for meals, Texas Roadhouse does its part to make family meals fun and affordable. You won't have to worry about bringing an iPad to help little ones sit still during the meal, or about what to order your picky eater. The kids' menu at Texas Roadhouse has steak, chicken tenders, mac and cheese, hot dogs, and mini cheeseburgers. There are also Lil' Dillo steak bites, which are easier for kids to eat, and don't require as much help from parents to cut up. For a healthier option, there's also grilled chicken. (Note that each free kid's meal requires the purchase of an adult entrée, and that the free kid's meal deal does not apply to takeout orders.)

Outback Steakhouse used to stand out for its ambience, with lots of kitschy decor that transported diners to Australia. However, that personality has mostly been lost to what at least one Redditor unaffectionately calls "millennial minimalism." While some locations have so far avoided a renovation, you can no longer walk into an Outback expecting to be blown away by the environment.

LongHorn, meanwhile, still strives to make dining a memorable experience with Western decorations that create a cowboy theme. Longhorn sculptures, saddles, Western paintings, and more leave guests with a strong impression.

When it comes to interior decor, though, one steakhouse chain has always taken things to another level. While Texas Roadhouse no longer has giant barrels of peanuts to shell, with guests encouraged to dig in and throw those shells on the floor, you can still ask your server for a bag of peanuts to enjoy. And even if this unique tradition never makes a comeback, you can count on Texas Roadhouse to be a charming and entertaining spot. Inside each location, you'll find neon signs, cacti, moose or longhorn heads, Southern murals, and more. In addition, diners can enjoy an energetic line dance performed by the waitstaff every hour. Kids are welcome to join in.

Outback's Bloomin' Onion is so famous that other restaurants have made their own versions, and some of those versions are arguably better than the original. For proof, check out Texas Roadhouse's copycat, the Cactus Blossom. The concept is the exact same, but Texas Roadhouse is slinging its fried onions for $1 less than Outback. That difference may not be huge, but given that everything is cheaper at Texas Roadhouse, diners are essentially guaranteed to pay less for a high-quality meal.

If the Cactus Blossom isn't your jam, know that Texas Roadhouse has tons of other spectacular appetizers to choose from, including chili, which neither Outback nor LongHorn offers. Some fan favorites at Texas Roadhouse include the Tater Skins (fried potato skins drowning in cheese and bacon bits) and the Rattlesnake Bites (fried balls filled with cheese and jalapeño.) You also can't go wrong with fried pickles, boneless Buffalo wings, ribs, or grilled shrimp. For fans who can't decide on one appetizer, the franchise offers a combo plate that combines three.

When you're enjoying a nice steak dinner, a tall glass of cold beer or wine always hits the spot. But sometimes, it's fun to switch things up, and order a restaurant's specialty cocktail instead. LongHorn Steakhouse, Outback Steakhouse, and Texas Roadhouse all have solid drink menus. However, once again, Texas Roadhouse sparkles a little brighter by offering more variety.

LongHorn only sells five cocktails, five margaritas, five beer brands, and seven wines by the glass (white and red). At Outback, you can choose from eight cocktails, eight brands of beer, and three or four bottles of wine, depending on your location. Meanwhile, Texas Roadhouse sells 11 different cocktails, seven margaritas, 14 brands of beer, and nine types of wine (white and red). Needless to say, this chain takes its food and alcohol pairings seriously, and some of its cocktails combine four types of alcohol into one boozy drink. Whether you love a simple beer or a more festive beverage, you'll have no trouble finding something here to quench your thirst.

Usually, when a restaurant gives something away for free to celebrate a birthday, that freebie is some type of dessert. To add some pizzazz, perhaps the chef will write a birthday message in chocolate syrup, or include some other special garnish. Some establishments may even round up a few crew members to sing "Happy Birthday." That's all great; everyone can appreciate a free dessert. But Texas Roadhouse takes things to the next level, starting with a free birthday appetizer before moving on to the main event.

One of the most important rules for dining at Texas Roadhouse is to always let your server know when someone is there to celebrate a birthday. The crew will whip out its famous saddle stool, and make the lucky birthday boy or girl hop on. Employees will then yell some yeehaws, and sing a passionate rendition of "Happy Birthday" while the guest of honor basks in the attention (or is embarrassed by the huge spectacle.)

Texas Roadhouse makes sure that the entire restaurant knows when it's someone's birthday. Even for the shyest diners, this wholesome, silly experience is guaranteed to become a core memory. Take the antics in stride, and be rewarded with a delicious scoop of ice cream, a slice of cake, or something else from the dessert menu. With so much free food and entertainment available, it's no wonder that diners love spending their special day there.