Texas Roadhouse is an ever-expanding chain of casual dining restaurants with a distinctive country western vibe. Before it grew to nearly 750 locations, back in 1993, it was a single restaurant at a mall in Clarksville, Indiana, a suburb of Louisville, Kentucky. While it already had its mascot, Andy Armadillo, and its much-loved free rolls baked fresh daily, a time traveler stopping by in the early 1990s would have noticed some clear differences. For instance, it briefly served Mexican food (for just two weeks) and even had live music.
That last detail led to one major visual difference in the chain’s original interior — the Clarksville location had a stage for live bands. Founder Kent Taylor eventually nixed the idea since bands often showed up late, played too loudly, or went on too long. As a result, the Clarksville restaurant remained the only Texas Roadhouse location ever to feature a stage.
Even the floors looked different back then. They were once routinely covered in peanut shells. Chowing down on free peanuts and tossing the shells on the floor was a long-standing tradition, but it was phased out around the pandemic. There are other visual differences between then and now, including one involving country legend Willie Nelson.
Green siding, no Willie’s corner, and lots of peanuts
The original design for Texas Roadhouse reportedly began as a sketch on a bar napkin after Kent Taylor convinced three Kentucky doctors to back his idea in the early 1990s. From those early days to now, the chain has gone through several visual changes, starting with its well-known exterior. Today, the restaurants feature a large neon sign and a Western lodge aesthetic with plenty of wood and stone. But back in the day, Texas Roadhouse had green metal siding and a much smaller sign. Even the logo looked different. While it still featured the outline of the state of Texas, as it does today, the cowboy hat perched on the corner hadn’t been added yet…