Texas Roadhouse's Strict Temperature Rule For Prepping Beef

Texas Roadhouse is a great place to enjoy steak at an affordable price — but that doesn't mean the food there is low quality. The chain offers a variety of delicious sides (we ranked them all) and is revered for its iconic cinnamon butter that accompanies its fresh rolls. But for a restaurant with 44% of its menu dedicated to steak (per a fact sheet shared by Texas Roadhouse), you'll be happy to know the chain takes its meat very seriously. So seriously, in fact, that it hires a dedicated butcher for every location. All of the restaurant's steak is freshly sliced by either the butcher or a meat cutter in coolers that are strictly maintained at 34 degrees Fahrenheit.

Low-temperature environments are mandatory when working with meat to ensure food safety. Once temperatures fall between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, bacteria like E. coli and Salmonella can easily grow on food, which can result in food poisoning.

Keeping temperatures low is not only important for safety, but it's also how Texas Roadhouse upholds its "fresh never frozen" guarantee. Many other chain restaurants in a similar price range use frozen meat to save on production costs. Despite in-house butchers cutting an estimated $1 million worth of beef per store each year, the way Texas Roadhouse operates helps prevent food waste because butchers only cut what is needed for the day.

It's no surprise Texas Roadhouse steaks are so consistently good. The chain prides itself on making its food from scratch. That's why, in addition to an in-house butcher, the chain also employs an in-house baker to make its famous yeast dinner rolls, baked fresh every five minutes. Even lighter items like croutons, bacon bits, and salad dressings are made from scratch as well. The freshness is further highlighted by the fact that every meal is cooked to order.

Texas Roadhouse takes meat cutting so seriously that, according to one Reddit user, management requires all cuts to be sliced "within 0.4 [ounces of] accuracy." While this sounds extremely high-pressure, the restaurant makes it clear that its in-house meat cutters are the backbone of the business. So much so, that every year the company holds a National Meat Cutter Competition — a tournament that begins locally, progresses to the state level, and culminates in a national competition among the top 30 butchers.