Despite Huge Success, Texas Roadhouse Still Makes Its Sides From Scratch
If you're paying top dollar for a luxury restaurant experience, you probably expect the very best when it comes to food quality. This isn't always the case, though, as even restaurants as prestigious as London's Restaurant Gordon Ramsay have been exposed for serving bagged food. According to Daily Mail, this particular instance occurred in 2009, when refrigerated vans arrived at the facility to drop off premade food. The "Hell's Kitchen" chef quickly explained that the food is still made from scratch, though sometimes at off-property kitchens rather than in-house.
With this in mind, you might be shocked to learn that a chain restaurant as big as Texas Roadhouse still whips up all its side dishes straight from scratch (per Money Inc.). In fact, the Southwestern-themed eatery produces all of its meals right in the kitchen, meaning nothing is bagged and reheated. So while it may be a chain, Texas Roadhouse has a few tips it can show even Gordan Ramsay. Most of the time, cooking from scratch significantly improves the taste of the dish.
According to Kitchen Buds, foods tossed in the microwave end up with damaged proteins, structures, and overall quality. Perhaps the most impressive part of this is that the eatery was founded in 1993 in Clarksville, Indiana, meaning it's stayed true to its roots for three decades. But quality and tradition aren't the only reasons to cook from scratch. There are numerous benefits to the method as well.
Made from scratch meals provide ingredient transparency
More than ever, consumers are seeking transparency on what is in their food. According to a U.K.-based study (Mills et al., 2017), restaurants, or even individuals, who cook from scratch have better control and awareness of what's in each dish. This can help eliminate any possible food allergen or excess sugar and salt, and most restaurants, including Texas Roadhouse, have their nutrition facts listed online.
Texas Roadhouse is seemingly proud of its cooking method, made evident by a Facebook post when the brand asked which made-from-scratch side paired best with steak. "I like a baked potato with butter and the salad as side dishes," one consumer wrote. Others shared their love of the salad, mainly praising the company's croutons. Runner-ups included the baked sweet potato and fresh vegetables.
If you're unsure if your favorite establishment is making its own, fresh meals, there are several signs that point to the possibility of premade restaurant foods. Some of the things to look out for include the speediness of service, the number of items on the menu, the popularity of the restaurant, and the texture, as it can change once foods are heated up (via McDonald's Paper Restaurant Supplies).