The Steakhouse Chain With The Hands-Down Best Family-Style Deal

"What's for dinner tonight, mom?" It's the age-old question that's passed down from generation to generation. If you're a preoccupied parent who hasn't planned ahead, you might find yourself resorting to a popular frozen dinner or the fast food chain down the street. But some other restaurant chains, including steakhouses, can help you out if you just have a little bit of foresight.

We researched and ranked 13 U.S. steakhouse chains to see which ones offer family-style meals — and, of the ones that do, which have the best deals on price and quality. In our opinion, Texas Roadhouse offers some of the best prices on its family-style meals, which serve three to four people. While Texas Roadhouse lacks in overall variety compared to some of the other chains, the chain definitely stands out in terms of price — with six different family-style options priced between $39.99 (Family-Sized BBQ Chicken meal) and $64.99 (Family-Sized Ribs).

All of Texas Roadhouse's family meals come with a family-sized salad, two shareable 16-ounce sides, and fresh-baked bread. Other than the barbecue chicken and ribs, the chain also offers Chicken Critters, pulled pork, four sirloin steaks, and a grilled chicken salad as family-sized options.

The other three steakhouse chains we found with quite a few family-sized meals include Outback, Logan's Roadhouse, and Saltgrass Steakhouse. By far the most expensive of the four chains is Saltgrass. Granted, its family meals serve five and the steakhouse has an expansive range of options, but it's pricey. Some examples include the Cheeseburger Pack ($78.99), the Ribs and Grilled Chicken Pack ($146.99), and the 6-Ounce Top Sirloin and Shrimp Pack ($141.99).

Logan's Roadhouse is the closest in price and variety to Texas Roadhouse – with prices that range between $50 to $55. The chain says its meals serve four to six, but just by appearance we'd suggest planning on the smaller end of that range. Examples include the Steak Dinner (with four 6-ounce sirloins), the Cajun Chicken and Sausage Alfredo Meal, and the Salmon and Shrimp meal (which has two 8-ounce salmon fillets and four shrimp skewers). Most of Logan's Roadhouse's family meals come with two family-sized sides.

Then there's Outback Steakhouse, with family meals that serve between four to six based on which one you choose. Prices aren't at Saltgrass Steakhouse's level, but — between $50 and $100 — they are pricier than Texas Roadhouse and Logan's. The options are fairly basic and include different variations of center-cut sirloin, grilled chicken, coconut shrimp, and grilled shrimp. Compared to all those restaurants, Texas Roadhouse is your best option if you're looking for a family meal at a fair price with a decent amount of options.