14 Texas Roadhouse Ordering Hacks You'll Wish You Knew Sooner

If you frequent Texas Roadhouse as part of your standard dining-out rotation, you're far from the only one. After all, the steakhouse just replaced Olive Garden as America's top casual restaurant chain. But, if you're like most people, you may not be making the most out of your visits unless you're using my personal favorite ordering hacks to expand your offerings, save money, and enhance your dining experience.

There's a lot to love about Texas Roadhouse, both culturally and food-wise. The founder has a lifelong friendship with the legendary country singer Willie Nelson and dedicates a corner of every restaurant to his dear friend. There are unique murals at every Texas Roadhouse location depicting fantastic scenes. Then, there's the food — steaks, burgers, cocktails, mouthwatering appetizers, and beyond. This steakhouse has it all. Visiting a location is an experience I personally believe everyone should have at least once, if not many times.

Whether you've been frequenting Texas Roadhouse for years or are about to make your first visit, there are some ordering hacks you'll wish you knew sooner. Ready to discover what they are? Let's get into it.

As America's most popular chain, Texas Roadhouse locations can get really busy, especially during peak times like weekends or dinner rushes. If you want to skip the line when you get to the restaurant, you can join the waitlist before you ever leave home. Just sign into the chain's website, find your location, and click "Join Waitlist."

Once you do, you'll be prompted to select how many people are in your party. Input some basic contact information and you're all set! Of course, I recommend using this hack for times when your local Texas Roadhouse is busy. Otherwise, your name might be called before you ever reach your destination.

Once you've input your party size, the online waitlist also tells you approximately how long the estimated current wait time is. Personally, this is my favorite feature and I never head to my local Texas Roadhouse without checking it — even if I don't add myself to the waitlist because there's a zero minute wait time.

Downloading the Texas Roadhouse App to your phone can help streamline your dining experience — and hey, you can join the waitlist from here, too! That's even more convenient than using your computer (especially if you live a little further away) because you can join the waitlist from your car on the drive over. But, that's far from the only thing you can do on the app.

If you're anything like me, I prefer to know my order before I ever head into the restaurant. You can do that by browsing the menu on the Texas Roadhouse app. Or, if you don't want to cook but don't feel like dining out, you can place a to-go order straight from your phone. Of course, you can also find nearby locations from the app, which I find especially helpful while I'm traveling and want to eat somewhere familiar. Long story short? The Texas Roadhouse App is definitely worth downloading.

The Texas Roadhouse VIP Club is the chain's rewards and loyalty program, and take it from me when I say you'll want to enroll. And, there are three convenient ways to do so. Personally, I find that signing up online is the easiest option, but you can also do it through the phone app. Alternatively, you can sign up through the pay-at-table tablet at select locations. It doesn't matter which way you choose and there's no benefit of using one over another.

Once you sign up, you'll receive a free appetizer. If you want to make sure you get the best Texas Roadhouse appetizer for free, my personal top three choices are the Cactus Blossom, Twisted Mozzarella, and Grilled Shrimp Appetizer. Oh, and you can also score free or discounted food on your birthday and VIP anniversary.

Finally, members of the VIP Club are the first to hear important announcements. So, if you want to stay up to date on new menu items, deals, specials, or general Texas Roadhouse news, signing up is a must.

Don't want to cook but still want to eat family style? There's a Texas Roadhouse hack for that! At select restaurants, you can order "family packs," which are meals meant for about three or four people. It includes a main course, shareable sides, and (of course) biscuits. The family pack options can vary from one restaurant to another, and the easiest way to check if your favorite location offers them is to look at their menu online or in the app.

One option at select Texas Roadhouse locations is the Family Sized Chicken Critters, which features 24 white meat chicken tenders, a family-sized salad, two large sides, and fresh baked bread. For this option, I personally think steak fries and corn are the perfect pairing.

Another option (and my personal favorite) is the Family Sized Sirloins, which features two 8-ounce sirloins, two 6-ounce sirloins, a family-sized salad, two large sides, and fresh baked bread. Mashed potatoes and green beans are always my side choices for this meal. You may also be able to find family sized meals featuring BBQ chicken, pulled pork, or ribs, among others.

One employee took to TikTok to let people know of an ordering hack that even this writer didn't know before testing it — if you don't want a traditional side, you can choose a half-sized appetizer instead. When I discovered this tip a while ago, I tried it for myself and can verify it works (at least for the cheese fries.)

The best part of this hack is that you could be hacking your way into a larger portion size for the same price in some instances. For example, opting for the cheese fries over standard fries gave me all the toppings in addition to the fries I would have gotten. This works out to be slightly bigger, and has more calories for those who are exceptionally hungry, trying to bulk up, or aiming to gain weight. At the very least, this fun hack gives you a wider variety of things to choose from next time you're picking what to eat with your steak.

Hack your way to cost savings by taking advantage of the early dine-in special at Texas Roadhouse, which is available Monday through Thursday from 3 pm to 5 pm at some locations. But the one catch is that you must dine-in, and you can't use it with to-go orders.

With the early dine-in special, you can choose from 11 entrees for only $12.99 each. I know not everyone can do this because of their work schedules, but I love to take advantage of this deal whenever I either get off work early or else take a PTO day.

Options include something for everyone. Of course, there's two steak options — a 6-ounce sirloin and a country fried sirloin. Other entrees included in this deal are grilled BBQ chicken, herb crusted chicken, country fried chicken, chicken critters, pulled pork, grilled pork chop, grilled chicken salad, chicken Caesar salad, and the chicken critter salad. Options are subject to change, and might vary based on your specific location, so feel free to call ahead if you want to be sure of your potential choices!

If you love Texas Roadhouse's famous honey cinnamon butter, you'll be happy to know you can buy extra with your dine-in or takeout meal. One employee told TikTok that most people don't know you can buy a large portion of this delicious butter for just $1.99. Based on my own experience, there's no minimum purchase amount either, so if you wanted to buy a few of these to keep at home, you could.

My favorite part about this hack is that you don't have to use the honey cinnamon butter on Texas Roadhouse's iconic rolls or your to-go meals alone. Instead, you can also use it in your own recipes! I personally love using it on my homemade bread or as a delicious, melty topping for my sweet potato casserole — I add it just before the marshmallows to give the base an enhanced taste profile. Oh, and it's also delicious when lightly spread on your steak after grilling or pan frying.

A secret menu contains items that aren't on a store's regular menu but can be made using various ingredients there, often pairing two or more dishes together. Unlock the Texas Roadhouse secret menu to open up the amount of delicious options you have access to.

Start by smothering your Cactus Blossom in pulled pork to turn this delectable side into a full-blown entree. Just ask to add the pork, which will come at an additional charge of about $8 to $10 (depending on your location). But, if you don't want to go all out, ask for your Cactus Blossom to be smothered in Jack Cheese instead. This adds a creamy layer to create textural and flavor complexity to your mildly sweet, richly umami fried onion.

Or, you could order your child a grilled cheese. While not on the menu, one TikTok user states it's on the screen for employees to send to the kitchen. If your picky eater only wants to eat one of their comfort favorites, just ask for the grilled cheese! Even better, pair this with the Sweet Loaded Applesauce. Just ask for a side of applesauce that's "sweet loaded" and it will come with marshmallows and caramel sauce on top.

If you're on a budget or just trying to spend as little as possible on your visit to Texas Roadhouse, you may wonder what the best steak deal is. Luckily for you, a former employee told TikTok all the details for hacking your way into a great bargain.

Instead of ordering the standard filet, order the filet medallions. You'll get three 3-ounce pieces that total 9 ounces of meat for $23.99. Included is a choice of either peppercorn sauce or portobello mushroom sauce, and the meal is served over a bed of seasoned rice. It also comes with one extra side.

The standard filet comes in an 8 ounce portion size for $27.99, which doesn't come with a sauce but does come with two sides. When you order the filet medallions instead, you're getting an extra ounce of meat while saving four dollars. Talk about a good deal!

Based on my own experience and knowledge, all steaks are finished off with a little butter. This helps deepen the umami profile of the meat, while adding a nice shine that's aesthetically pleasing. But, if you want to really elevate the taste profile of your steak, ask for it to be finished with garlic butter instead. This will add a deep garlicky tang to the already well-seasoned, nicely charred meat.

If you opt for garlic butter, my personal pairing suggestion is to go with the mashed potatoes and green beans. The mashed potatoes will add a nice creamy contrast to the rich steak, while the green beans are already seasoned with garlic — thus, making them the perfect side. When these are paired with Texas Roadhouse rolls smeared with honey cinnamon butter, you have a filling, awe-inspiring meal. It's amazing what a difference switching out the steak's finishing butter can make!

One of the best (and coolest) things you can do at Texas Roadhouse is get your steak hand cut just for you. But, do you ever wonder if it's actually freshly cut or they just say it is? No worries, because there's a hack to ensure your meat is always freshly cut just for you — and this specific hack comes straight from my insider knowledge of the food industry.

When ordering your hand-cut steak, ask for an uncommon number of ounces. By this, I mean ask for a number of ounces that aren't on the menu. For example, ask for a 7-ounce filet or an 18-ounce ribeye. To meet these requirements, the staff will have to freshly cut something new since they wouldn't have a cut of that size stored elsewhere.

Common cuts are generally 6-ounce, 8-ounce, and 11-ounce. However, it really depends on the cut of meat. Look at the menu and see what ounce options are available. Choose something an ounce smaller or larger than what you see on the menu for the specific cut you plan on ordering.

Hack your way to significant cost savings by splitting a meal with another person rather than ordering your own. This can be either a health-conscious option (since you get half the calories) or a budget-friendly option (because you're halving the costs).

My personal favorite items for splitting are the Texas Size Combos, which feature two small portions of entrees alongside two sides and, of course, buttered rolls. One example is the Grilled BBQ Chicken and Ribs, which starts at only $22.49 at my local chain, or a meager $11.24 per person. Another example is the Chicken Critters and Sirloin 6-ounce, which only costs $19.99, or a paltry $9.99 a person.

But, you don't have to stick to Texas Size Combos to take advantage of this hack. Order a full slab of ribs to ensure enough for two, and pay only $12.49 per person instead of the $18.99 you would for individual half slab meals. You could even cut the porterhouse T-bone or prime rib meals in half and spend less than $18 per person for high-quality, filling steak meals.

While this may not be considered a traditional type of hack, many people don't know that you can order an extra side to satisfy a bigger appetite. Adding that third side to your meal costs less than $5, and is an excellent hack to pair with the meal splitting option above if you or your dinner party have an exceptionally large appetite.

Splitting or not, an extra side also allows you a wider range of taste combinations for your meal. For example, when I order the sirloin, I like to opt for a loaded sweet potato, green beans, and sautéed mushrooms. But, when I choose BBQ chicken, my personal preference is mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, and steamed broccoli.

I find this option especially great when I'm extra hungry but nobody else at my table wants to order appetizers. I don't know about you, but I always feel a little weird being the only one getting an app — like I'm holding up the main meal for everybody else. Sure, it's silly, but if you feel this same way, opt for the extra side. Trust me.

If you're not feeling that hungry, one trick is to order takeout off the kid's menu instead of the standard menu. Each option comes with a smaller sized entree and only one side (plus rolls). Not only does this hack help you cut portion sizes, but also costs.

My personal favorite options off the kid's menu are the mini cheeseburgers for $7.49 or the Andy's Steak Ranger Meal for $11.99. The first comes with two small cheeseburger sliders, which I like to pair with fries. The other comes with a small-sized steak, which I personally think pairs best with either the mashed potatoes or the loaded sweet potato.

If you're feeling brave, you can try using this hack when dining in, too, but before you do, I offer a quick warning — not every location will allow adults to order off the kid's menu. It really depends on the location, which is why this hack is suggested for to-go orders only.