How To Get Texas Roadhouse's Birthday Deal On Your Special Day

Most people know about "the saddle" at Texas Roadhouse. You sit on it, the staff cheers, a friend or family member probably takes an embarrassing photo. But if that's all you get for your birthday at Texas Roadhouse, you're missing out.

Here's what you need to actually do: Sign up for the Texas Roadhouse VIP club. The club is free to join on its website, and it only requires your name, email, phone number, and birthday. You can expect a coupon to pop up in your inbox during your birthday month. That coupon is good for a free appetizer or a sidekick of ribs with any purchase of an entree. That's a free order of fan favorites like the Cactus Blossom, Rattlesnake Bites, fried pickles, or boneless Buffalo wings. The coupon is valid from five days before your birthday to nine days after, which is a decent window of time to use it.

On top of the VIP coupon, many Texas Roadhouse locations will also bring you a free dessert for telling your server it's your birthday. Then, of course, the saddle ride and slightly embarrassing birthday song is a part of this, too. Some locations may also ask for ID, so it's worth having it on hand. One other thing to note is that the birthday offers do require you to purchase at least one entrée. The free appetizer or rib sidekick coupon and dessert aren't a walk-in-and-get-free-food sort of deal.

Texas Roadhouse's VIP club is worth joining beyond your birthday treat because it doesn't cost you a thing. There is no membership fee, no minimum spend requirement, and no tracking of points. All you need to do is fill out the sign-up once, and they'll send benefits directly to your email inbox.

Upon submitting the form, you'll get a coupon for a free appetizer within 48 hours. After that, you can expect periodic emails throughout the year with deals, seasonal promotions, early access to menu updates, and another free appetizer or similar discount on your VIP anniversary. Coupons are usually only valid for a few weeks, so you need to stay on top of your inbox.

Plus, there's a semi-secret deal you may not know about. It's the two for $20 meal deal, but it isn't always available. Call ahead to check or ask your server. If you're not sure what to order, check out our best Texas Roadhouse menu items.

Who might the VIP club not be for? If you're someone who tends to over-order when there's a deal involved, joining a restaurant club might be a mild hazard. Loyalty programs are designed to bring in guests more often and make them feel good about spending, meaning you could rack up a higher tab than if you weren't receiving coupons or promotions. But for most people, a free appetizer at sign-up and a solid birthday deal for the price of one entree is simply a straightforward win.