The complimentary bread, experience, and prices gave Texas Roadhouse the upper hand.
Still, I felt both of my meals for one felt expensive, considering I was at casual dining chains.
I, like many others, spent many years assuming Texas Roadhouse and Outback Steakhouse were basically the same thing: a mid-grade American steakhouse commonly located off a freeway exit.
In actuality, the chains are more different than I realized. For one, Texas Roadhouse has been leading the casual-dining industry by sales in recent years, beating out steakhouses like Outback and even popular chains like Chili’s and Olive Garden.
Big-picture numbers and broad scale popularity aside, I was curious which chain truly offered the best bites and overall value.
To find out, I went to each chain in one Friday evening, visiting locations in a small Chicago suburb near my parents’ house. Conveniently, they were right across the street from each other.
I ordered the most comparable menu items: mozzarella sticks as an appetizer; 6-ounce sirloin steak as a main dish; mac and cheese and mashed potatoes as sides; and a brownie for dessert.
Here’s how the chains measured up across taste, price, value, and experience.
Texas Roadhouse was already lively at 4:30 p.m. on a Friday.
Savannah Born
Upon arrival, I walked past an impressive case of rib eye and sirloin steaks. The back half of the restaurant was already full (and there was a line of people out the door by the time I left about an hour later).
I also noticed that the chain wholeheartedly embraced its Southern theme, with country music playing on the speakers, peanuts available for snacking (with metal buckets for shells), and neon signs hanging on the walls.
At one point during my visit, unamused-looking staffers even line danced to upbeat country music (this routine apparently happens every hour or so at some locations).
The local Outback Steakhouse was much quieter at 5:45 p.m.
Savannah Born
Although it was dinner time on a Friday, this Outback appeared to be only half full. There weren’t any steaks on display when I walked in, either.
Aside from the sparse Australian-inspired wall decor and occasional clever menu name — like the Aussie Jawssie cocktail that comes topped with a toy shark — it didn’t feel super themed.
Texas Roadhouse started strong with complimentary fluffy rolls and cinnamon honey butter.
Savannah Born
After one bite, I understood why there were so many copycat recipes for these rolls online. They were chewy and pillowy-soft with a buttery finish, and I’d return to the chain again just to order them.
Texas Roadhouse served these with a whipped honey-cinnamon butter that balanced salty and sweet flavors. It paired beautifully with the fluffy rolls.
Outback also had complimentary bread, but I wasn’t a huge fan of it.
Savannah Born
When my server brought out a dark-brown log of bread on a knife, I didn’t know what to think.
Later, I learned, this brown bread has quite the cult following and its own slew of copycat recipes, many of which use molasses and honey.
Although warm and appealing to the eye, the bread was dense in some places and hollow in others. I found it a little dry and a lot bland. If it was meant to taste sweet, I missed the note entirely.
I enjoyed the soft butter more than the bread, though it, too, seemed quite plain and underwhelming.
The fried-mozzarella appetizer I got at Texas Roadhouse was just OK.
Savannah Born
Texas Roadhouse’s Twisted Mozarella starter was light, crispy, and a bit stingy on the cheese.
The pieces tasted subtly seasoned with Italian flavors, which felt like a nice touch, but they weren’t anything special. I mostly wished each twist contained more cheese.
The basket came with eight twists and a cup of marinara sauce for $8.99, which seemed like a solid value — until I went to Outback.
Outback’s Fried Mozzarella Boomerangs felt like a much better value.
Savannah Born
Although they were slightly pricier, Outback’s fried boomerang-shaped mozzarella bites (also served with a side of marinara) felt substantial enough to be a meal.
Coated in the chain’s iconic Bloomin’ Onion spices, the six bites had a unique flavor and a slight kick. Better yet, they were overflowing with cheese.
The cheese itself was thinner than the gooey goodness I hoped for, but for $9.99, I felt I got my money’s worth.
I didn’t expect anything fancy at Texas Roadhouse, but when my steak, mac and cheese, and mashed potatoes arrived in separate dishes, it reminded me of a meal I’d get at a campus dining hall.
The plastic container of sour cream and bowl of gravy (both included with my potatoes at no extra charge) didn’t help.
On the other hand, Outback’s presentation felt a little more upscale, thanks to my side of mac and cheese being served in a cast-iron skillet.
The 6-ounce sirloin steak was masterfully seasoned and actually cooked to medium, seemingly a major feat for such a thin piece of meat.
Equally surprising were the potatoes, which were creamy, delicious, and textured with bits of skin. They tasted stellar solo, but even better with the gravy.
Outback’s steak was exceptionally thick, and its mac and cheese might be my favorite ever.
My meal looked like a decent portion, especially after I cut and plated it.
Savannah Born
After my somewhat thin steak at Texas Roadhouse, I was shocked to see Outback’s take on a 6-ounce sirloin.
Thick and juicy, it looked higher quality than its price tag suggested. This steak was undeniably more tender than the one I got at Texas Roadhouse.
When it came to seasoning, however, the steak needed some serious A1. The mashed potatoes also didn’t have a ton of flavor, and they didn’t come with gravy or sour cream.
My favorite part of the meal was the steakhouse mac and cheese, which had soft twirly noodles, a rich cheesy sauce, and a crunchy breadcrumb topping. Outback’s version put boxed mac and cheese to shame.
Like at Texas Roadhouse, the sirloin steak came with two sides and an upcharge for mac and cheese. Unfortunately, upgrading to this cheesy side added a whopping $3.49 to my order.
I’d order Texas Roadhouse’s brownie again, but only to share.
Savannah Born
I finished my meal at Texas Roadhouse with the Big Ol’ Brownie for $8.99. It arrived with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of hot chocolate sauce.
The brownie’s texture reminded me of ones made from the Ghirardelli mix: crisp on the outside, soft on the inside, and dense yet cakey around the edges.
As much as I liked it, I wasn’t close to finishing it myself. My dad, who tagged along for the experience, was glad to help. The dessert seemed like plenty for two, just enough for three.
Outback’s pecan brownie was my least favorite dish of everything I tried.
Savannah Born
The chain’s signature dessert Chocolate Thunder from Down Under missed on multiple levels, including price. It cost me $11.29.
To its credit, the pecan brownie felt massive enough to feed a family of four; plus, it was topped with a heaping scoop of vanilla ice cream, chocolate shavings, warm chocolate sauce, and whipped cream.
It was beautiful, but that’s all it was, in my opinion. Neither firm nor spongy, the brownie had a wet, almost gummy texture that collapsed under my spoon. It seeemed way too moist, and not in a pleasantly gooey, almost underbaked way.
For me, two bites of this structureless dessert were more than enough.
Overall, both meals felt expensive for a casual restaurant.
Savannah Born
After a 20% tip, my meals at Texas Roadhouse and Outback worked out to $46.82 and $55.67, respectively. Considering I was at casual dining chains, these numbers felt high to me.
“Too much food” might sound like a silly issue, but if you can only finish half, is a dish really a good value? I’m all about leftovers, but soggy mozzarella sticks and ice-cream-soaked brownies aren’t too enticing the next day.
I wouldn’t order the appetizer or dessert solo again, but they make sense for sharing.
If I had to pick a winner, I’d choose Texas Roadhouse for the rolls, price, and experience.
Savannah Born
With the exception of the incredible mac and cheese, nothing I ordered at Outback felt worth going back for. And for $8.85 less, I’d rather go to Texas Roadhouse — even if my steak wasn’t as juicy there.
Texas Roadhouse had some of the best rolls I’ve ever had. Add in the well-seasoned steak, creamy potatoes, tasty brownie, and theme-forward experience, and it made sense that there was a line out the door on a Friday night.
Would I go out of my way to get dinner at either chain? No. However, being in Texas Roadhouse felt like having a whole experience, not just eat at a restaurant.
