Texas Roadhouse Servers Have To Say These Key Words – Have You Noticed Them?

Casual dining steakhouse chain Texas Roadhouse is known for its affordable steaks, line dancing servers, made-from-scratch vittles, and thumping-loud country music. Something else you may have noticed is that T.R. waiters can sound a little scripted at times when conversing at your table. That's because they're required to drop certain keywords when addressing customers. When your server greets you with that basket of free, freshly-made bread and honey cinnamon butter, they also have to hit a quota of uttering certain phrases, like "legendary margaritas," "fall-off-the-bone ribs," "ice cold beers," "made-from-scratch sides," "fresh-baked bread," and "hand-cut steaks." Failure to do so can carry hefty consequences.

Various self-identified Texas Roadhouse employees state on Reddit that failing to follow the corporate script can get you demoted or even fired. The chain uses secret shoppers to make sure its workers are toeing the line and keeping to its strict requirements, which also reportedly include greeting diners with a cowboy-esque "howdy," checking whether it's a customer's first visit (mandating another scripted response if it is), and repeating orders back to patrons to ensure accuracy. Secret shoppers also assess things like food quality, bathroom cleanliness, and service speed to ensure an overall restaurant is adhering to high standards.

While they may seem over-the-top, the company's stringently enforced guidelines help ensure the Texas Roadhouse experience is consistent no matter what location you dine at. Customers are also better assured of receiving quality food and service when workers know they're being monitored. It's not all bad news for the employees, either. On the flipside of being disciplined for failure to stick to the script, those who ace their secret shopper assessments reportedly get rewarded with incentives like cash bonuses.

Scripted server responses aren't the only mandates Texas Roadhouse lays down for its employees and restaurants. The uber-loud music at the chain's locations isn't everybody's vibe — some customers love the lively tone it sets, while others complain that it ruins the entire experience. But, love it or hate it, it's a requirement. Franchise locations must play upbeat, recorded country music, which is blared out through jukeboxes installed in each restaurant.

Along with those loud Western tunes, employee line dancing is another T.R. tradition, though reportedly not all the restaurants do it. For the many that do, dancing typically takes place every hour or so, unless the restaurant is too busy to pull workers away from their duties. Otherwise, every front-of-house crew member that's free to do so needs to hit the floor and "Boot Scootin' Boogie" when signaled. Texas Roadhouse even hosts national line dancing competitions where restaurant dance teams compete.