Millennials Are Choosing This Beloved Steakhouse Chain Over Outback And Longhorn In 2026

When millennials (people aged 30 to 44) go out for a steak dinner in 2026, it's not to places like Longhorn or Outback. Instead, they've been overwhelmingly choosing a steakhouse known for its casual, lively atmosphere, hand-cut steaks, and fresh rolls. Texas Roadhouse is where millennials are heading, according to the research data and analytics company YouGov. The site has this generation ranking Texas Roadhouse at No. 5 on its list of most popular dining brands, with Longhorn Steakhouse and Outback Steakhouse — boomers' top pick for steaks — a distant 37 and 45, respectively.

The overall score is based on the brand's fame, i.e., recognizability, which earned a 95%, and its popularity, that is, people's positive opinion on Texas Roadhouse, which was pegged at 69%. By contrast, Longhorn scored 87% for fame and 59% for popularity, with Outback scoring even worse on the popularity scale with millennials at 57%. According to YouGov, these answers are based on 1,161 "nationally representative" interviews collected in the third quarter of 2026, that is, from July through September. What the data doesn't tell us is why millennials are choosing Texas Roadhouse, forcing us to look elsewhere for the answer.

One reason millennials may be choosing Texas Roadhouse over other chain steakhouses, besides line-dancing servers, could be tied to affordability. Beef prices are still rising, with ground beef up 7.4% and uncooked steaks up by 3.5% since last year, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is due to various factors, including U.S. cattle herds being at a historic low and droughts in cattle raising areas. Still, Texas Roadhouse has managed to keep its prices reasonable, even after raising prices by 1.9% this year. "We believe very firmly in our conservative approach to how we look at pricing," Texas Roadhouse CEO Gerald Morgan said during an earnings call in May (via Seeking Alpha). "But, I believe that we are a little lower than most of our steak competition from that standpoint."

Millennials, despite the perceived image boomers and the media have given them, are fiscally responsible, so value is top of mind with this generation. They've been choosing Texas Roadhouse over Outback since 2018, and obviously have continued to do so. They're not the only generation frequenting Texas Roadhouse, however. Gen Xers are also choosing this chain over Longhorn and Outback. This generation, aged around 46 to 61, also ranked Texas Roadhouse at No. 5 of Most Popular Dining Brands with Longhorn at No. 20 and Outback at No. 35. Whether millennials are choosing the Texas-themed steakhouse for value, atmosphere, or the brand's fresh rolls, we'll see whether the trend continues to hold true.