The First Texas Roadhouse Had A Rowdy Feature That Didn't Last

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Texas Roadhouse is known for its lively Western atmosphere. Here, country music blares, the decor is Texas-themed, and if it's your birthday, you might be asked to hop on a saddle. Customers are as familiar with this rowdy ambience as they are with the delicious Texas Roadhouse rolls, hand-cut steaks, and made-from-scratch sides. There are, however, some parts of the restaurant's history that aren't widely known. For instance, the initial Roadhouse had a fun, but unsuccessful feature: live music.

In the restaurant's late founder Kent Taylor's book, "Made from Scratch: The Legendary Success Story of Texas Roadhouse," the former CEO revealed, "My initial thought regarding Texas Roadhouse was to combine a rough and somewhat rowdy live music joint with a reasonably priced restaurant featuring steak and ribs." Taylor and his managing partner, Brian Judd, had a stage built above the bar in the original restaurant, opened in 1993 in Clarksville, Indiana. 

The dream was to allow customers to experience live country music while eating good food and sipping drinks, similar to what you would encounter at a traditional roadhouse. "I had anticipated that we would have country music groups perform every night, staying true to the image of a rowdy roadhouse out in the hill country of Texas," Taylor divulged in his memoir. That dream didn't last long.

Managing the logistics of live music in a family-friendly, sit-down restaurant was more than Texas Roadhouse founder Kent Taylor and managing partner Brian Judd bargained for. "After I'd dealt with bands showing up late, playing too loud, or going too long (you can't turn tables when the band won't stop jamming), store two in Gainesville, Florida, and every location thereafter, would have no stage and no bands." Taylor wrote in "Made from Scratch."

There are no longer live bands at the restaurant, but the Country Western music theme wasn't thrown out the window. It's not unusual to see servers line-dancing every hour or so at some Texas Roadhouse locations. According to "Made from Scratch," this tradition was started by manager Nick Niklaus at the Ashland, Kentucky, Roadhouse in 1998, whose employees would perform the "Boot Scootin' Boogie" line dance every hour. 

There's also the beloved "Willie's Corner" at every Texas Roadhouse. Willie's Corner is a dedicated booth or corner in each restaurant featuring memorabilia that celebrates the famous country singer Willie Nelson. At some restaurants, you might even find servers wearing Nelson's signature pigtail braids hairstyle. Taylor met Nelson at a Farm Aid benefit concert and developed a friendship with the singer, which included frequently playing poker together.