The Southern State That Loves Texas Roadhouse The Most Isn't Texas

Texas Roadhouse might have Texas right in the name, but it actually doesn't have much to do with the Lone Star State. The chain was first opened back in 1993 in Clarksville, Indiana — more than 800 miles from Dallas, the closest Texas city. And it turns out that Texas isn't even the state that loves this Southern steakhouse chain the most — that accolade goes to Kentucky.

According to Google Trends, no state has an interest in Texas Roadhouse the way Kentucky does. (Indiana ranks second when it comes to searching for the term "Texas Roadhouse;" Texas itself ranks number 16.) But there could be one big reason: the chain's headquarters is located in Louisville, and it's worth noting that the city is less than 10 minutes over the border from Clarksville. The headquarters' exterior is unassuming — a typical office building. But the chain's founder, Kent Taylor, is a Louisville native, and so it seemed a good fit for a home base. Taylor also approached various investors throughout Kentucky while establishing his idea (and even chased Larry Bird through Louisville's airport, asking him to invest — it didn't work). Taylor reportedly secured funding for that first Indiana restaurant from three Kentucky investors, so it made even more sense that Texas Roadhouse eventually called Louisville home.

In August 2025, Texas Roadhouse made the big decision to officially purchase the campus that it had been leasing for its headquarters. The decision, which was a reported $25 million investment, was the restaurant chain's way of showing its commitment to calling the Louisville area home.

Still, when it comes to branding, the chain is steadfast in representing itself as a Texas-style Southern eatery. None of its menu items reference its Kentucky roots, and it instead offers menu items like "Texas Size Combos" and a "Dallas Filet." But the branding has worked for the chain, which, over the last few years, has seen substantial growth. In 2025, it officially became the most popular casual dining restaurant chain in the United States, removing Olive Garden from the top spot thanks to its affordable steak menu and family-friendly atmosphere. While the Louisville area is where it got its start, Texas Roadhouse now has nearly 800 locations around the United States. You can even find Texas Roadhouse in a number of other countries.