Texas Roadhouse Vs Outback Vs LongHorn: Which Steakhouse Chain Is The Biggest?

Even though the restaurant industry as a whole may be struggling with growth, steakhouses are actually faring fairly well. While there are a number of spots in the USA where you can get good (and bad) steak, some of the most popular chains and recognizable names are Outback Steakhouse, LongHorn Steakhouse, and Texas Roadhouse.

Outback has been searing up steaks since 1988. While it's known for its beef, the Aussie-themed restaurant is arguably even more famous for the Bloomin' Onion on its appetizer menu (which is one of the largest of all chain steakhouses). Meanwhile, LongHorn has been in the grilling game a little longer, opening the doors to its first Texas-themed dining room in 1981. Its Ribeye is a top-notch option, and its signature add-on is a parmesan crust, which is also already incorporated into dishes like stuffed mushrooms and spinach dip. Finally, Texas Roadhouse is another establishment paying homage to the Lone Star State, though its first location was opened in Indiana. Founded in 1993, this one is the youngest of the three and boasts a made-from-scratch menu and ice-cold beer that's always kept at a precise temperature.

While each of these chains has its own unique character, the foundation of their offerings for guests is the same: multiple cuts of beef that are meant to be cooked to perfection. But where they differ is in the amount of growth they've made over the decades in terms of locations and sales, but Texas Roadhouse isn't just the most successful steakhouse; it's the biggest casual restaurant of all.

Outback Steakhouse's first location opened in Tampa, Florida, and it has since bloomed into an operation of 666 locations in 2026. While there is a large concentration of Outbacks in Florida and along the East Coast, there are also restaurants in 44 states and about 250 around the globe. Some of the restaurant's initial growth is attributed to changes that improved the customer experience, like call-ahead seating, curbside pick-up, and investing in ways to make parking lots and restaurants more accessible.

While the business was started by friends Chris Sullivan, Robert Basham, Tim Gannon, and Trudy Cooper, the parent company later became Bloomin' Brands, which expanded into the acquisition of other concepts, including Bonefish Grill, Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, and Roy's Restaurant. Outback had also previously acquired Carrabba's Italian Grill before the company's name change. While the company sold Roy's about a decade ago, the other restaurants remain in its portfolio.

The expansions and the growth in the number of restaurants are substantial, but more recent numbers tell a different story. In fact, over the past 10 years, about 84 locations have closed, and in the fourth quarter of 2025, the restaurant announced the closure of 21 more. Additionally, in 2025, Restaurant Business reported data from its sister company, Technomic's, annual "Top 500 Largest Restaurant Chains in the U.S." analysis, that Outback's 2024 sales, at $2.7 billon, were down 3.9%. This places it far behind Texas Roadhouse and LongHorn. It continued to not show quarterly growth until the beginning of 2026, seemingly spurred by late-2025 changes involving the quality of the beef.

LongHorn Steakhouse also got its start in the South. The first location — in Atlanta, Georgia — was set in a building that previously housed an adult bookstore that LongHorn founder George McKerrow personally transformed into the restaurant. In its infancy, it nearly became a failure until an out-of-the-ordinary snowstorm hit. Instead of closing the restaurant, McKerrow and his team welcomed stranded drivers who came in for meals and discounted drinks, which ultimately earned them customers and organic PR. After that location became successful, McKerrow grew the business under the brand RARE Hospitality International until his retirement in 2000. By the time RARE Hospitality International (which also owned The Capital Grille) was sold in 2007, it had expanded to 292 LongHorn Steakhouses. Since then, the buyer, Darden, Inc. — which also has chains like Bahama Breeze, Olive Garden, Red Lobster, and more in its portfolio — built it up to where it is today, with 608 locations.

LongHorn may have fewer restaurants than Outback, but its finances show its might. In 2020, Restaurant Business listed the chain's sales at $1.8 billion for 2019, but by 2025, Fox Business shared that LongHorn had elevated its sales to $3 billion dollars. That number represented an increase of more than 7% over the previous fiscal year, the third highest for casual dining chains in that year. In addition, FSR reported in March of 2026 that the restaurant was seeing boosts both in terms of the number of customers and the average total on checks, to the tune of 3.9%. Finally, Darden also previously announced that 25-30 new LongHorn steakhouses are slated to open in 2026.

Founded by W. Kent Taylor over three decades ago, Texas Roadhouse may be the newbie of this trio of steakhouses, but it has made significant strides since its start in the 1990s. Taylor grew the brand until his death in 2021. Now, it's owned by Texas Roadhouse, Inc., which boasts a nine-member Board of Directors, most of whom have experience with other large food industry or hospitality brands. In addition, the company also owns Bubba's 33 and Jaggers.

Clocking in at 744 locations, Texas Roadhouse is easily the biggest steakhouse chain of the three. In addition, it plans to open at least 20 (but likely more) new restaurants this year, and is also instituting major changes, particularly with technology that makes the experience seamless for diners and even more efficient in the kitchen.

But the sheer amount of restaurants isn't the only qualifier — it's also the largest, financially speaking. In 2024, Texas Roadhouse reported over $5.4 billion dollars in sales (per Nation's Restaurant News), approximately double Outback's sales, and around $2.4 billion dollars more than LongHorn, in the same year. Also, the 2024 numbers locked Texas Roadhouse in as the number one performer in the casual dining category, knocking Olive Garden into second place after a six-year run. Then, in 2025, the chain's sales soared to $5.9 billion, a 9.4% increase (per United States Securities and Exchange Commission). Overall, Texas Roadhouse is clearly the winner in the battle of the largest steakhouses, living up to its namesake state's popular saying that everything is bigger there.