A plate of steak, potatoes, and sides at Texas Roadhouse.

Faiza Rajiwate/Shutterstock

What makes Texas Roadhouse steak so good? There are a lot of factors at play here. The franchise makes everything from scratch and employs in-house butchers to ensure patrons enjoy the choicest pieces of meat. This is no easy job, as there are some stringent requirements for the people hired to slice your sirloin. Among them is a seemingly weird rule that these Texas Roadhouse employees must follow: The butchers are required to cut steaks in 34-degree Fahrenheit coolers.

Texas Roadhouse's rule is all about preserving the meat's quality. If the beef reaches temperatures above roughly 40 degrees Fahrenheit, a series of biblical mechanisms will quickly contribute to spoilage and negatively impact the food's flavor. Hence, consistent cooling is one of the keys to preparing the best possible steak. Keeping the meat in ideal conditions until it's ready to go on the grill might be one of the reasons this steakhouse chain has been dominating sales in America.

At Texas Roadhouse, meat cutting is a serious job

A chef cutting steak.

Alexeg84/Getty Images

Texas Roadhouse understands the value of a good butcher. They ensure better food and lower costs. In 2010, a kitchen manager for the chain told MLive that a restaurant could save $500 just by having a quality meat cutter. Each year, to honor these workers and showcase their talent, the franchise actually hosts competition.

The National Meat Cutting Challenge got its start in 2001. While the specifics vary from year to year, participants typically cut around 40 pounds of beef into multiple steaks over the course of about an hour. Judges rank contestants on their speed and output as well as the actual caliber of their final cuts. Sometimes, winners receive as much as $25,000 for their efforts.

Naturally, participants compete in the same icy temperatures they work in each day. The competition is typically held in an ice arena, with butchers working on mats to ensure there are no accidents. This way, Texas Roadhouse employees get to show off the skills they use at work to bring fresh, quality meat to your table.