Texas Steakhouse Blog

Welcome to Talkin' Texas, the official blog of Texas Steakhouse and Saloon! Here you'll find all the real Texas news that's fit to print, including restaurant info and updates, plus notices of upcoming events and special promotions. Check back often as we'll be putting up new posts regularly.

Meet George Crane: Texas Steakhouse’s Speed Demon

September 9th, 2011

George Crane has a need for speed. As Senior Director of Operations at Texas Steakhouse, it is George’s duty to find ways to improve the overall guest experience, and he’s made increasing speed of service his top priority.

“Nothing spoils a good meal like slow service,” said George. “The food could be great, the atmosphere could be immaculate and the server could be friendly. But if you find yourself waiting too long for your food, for refills, for your check – it leaves a very bad impression, and it should never happen.”

With George leading the way, Texas Steakhouse has streamlined food prep procedures and server practices to maximize speed and efficiency, placing a special emphasis on the lunch crowd.

“Most folks get an hour for lunch,” said George, “and by the time they drive here, that’s ten minutes gone.”

“Once a guest arrives at Texas Steakhouse, our goal is to seat them, take their order, prepare their dish and serve them – all while leaving enough time to enjoy their meal and make it back to work on time – without compromising food quality.”

It appears to be paying off. George has gotten numerous compliments from guests who’ve noticed the faster service.

“Speed of service is a subject I’m very passionate about because it’s so important to the overall guest experience,” added George. “Our speed of service initiatives have made a big impact, and the guest response has been outstanding. I am really proud of how well our team is performing.”

Of course, for a speed demon like George, looking for ways to increase speed of service never ends. If you don’t believe it, just send him an email. At the bottom of his reply, you’ll find his now famous signature line:

“Sent while working on speed of service opportunities for Texas Steakhouse.”

speedofservice

Tags: customer, guest, service
Posted in Behind The Scenes | 2 Comments »

A Salute to the Heroes of 9/11

September 9th, 2011

Dear Friends,

This weekend, as our nation observes the tenth anniversary of the September 11th attacks, it offers a time for reflection. It’s a time to remember the innocent victims who perished that morning, the first responders who courageously gave their lives to save others, and the heroes who have since given the ultimate sacrifice in the ongoing fight to protect our freedom.

It’s hard to believe that an entire decade has passed since the attacks on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center, especially when the horrific images of that day still remain so fresh in our memories. But while we’ll never forget the tragedy committed against our nation, September 11th has come to mean something far different: It’s come to symbolize American bravery, resilience and our unshakable will to live as a free nation.

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As you spend time with your family looking back on the events of September 11th, I encourage you to keep in mind the welfare of those brave men and women who are still on the battlefield, fighting to prevent another such attack. Everyday they put themselves in harm’s way not for personal gain or glory, but for their immense love of country, liberty and family.

On behalf of our Texas Steakhouse family, I want to extend my sincere gratitude to all who’ve served and continue to serve our great nation. They are true heroes, and without their courage and sacrifice, we wouldn’t enjoy the freedom and security we have today. Thanks again, and God Bless America.

Sincerely,

Terry Smith, President

Texas Steakhouse & Saloon

Posted in Food | No Comments »

Meet the Posse: Q & A with Texas Steakhouse Prep Cook, Bob D.

August 31st, 2011

So Bob, how long have you been with Texas Steakhouse?

I’ve worked for Texas for almost ten years.

What do you enjoy most about being on the Texas team?

Mainly, it’s the people. I’ve been here a long time, and I’ve made a lot of great friends – coworkers and guests alike. It’s a real family atmosphere here, and we all enjoy what we do and being around each other.

What do you think sets Texas Steakhouse apart from other restaurants?

Well, I think the biggest difference is how much care we put into the food. A lot of places, they’re always looking for ways to cut corners. Maybe they’ll use frozen ground beef or serve precut steaks out of a cardboard box. Here, we only use fresh ground beef, and we hand cut our steaks every morning; we even bread our Chicken Tenders by hand. And instead of using Mesquite salt to fake the taste of a grilled steak, we use a real mesquite-wood fire.

It’s funny. Just the other day I saw a commercial for another place advertising their “new wood-fire grill.” They were making a big deal about it, talking about how great their steaks were gonna taste. This was a real popular place, too. Somewhere everybody’s heard of. Here, we’ve been cooking steaks over a real wood fire since day one. I thought to myself, “Maybe those guys stopped by a Texas Steakhouse and found out what a steak’s supposed to taste like.”

That is funny. For my last question, let me ask you this: If you were talking to someone who’d never been to a Texas Steakhouse, and you had to sum it up in just a couple of sentences, what would you say?

Well, I’d say that here, it’s all about the flavor. If we have to spend a little more to get the best ingredients, so be it. Whatever it takes to get the biggest flavors, that’s what we’ll do.

Thanks for your time, Bob.

My pleasure.

Posted in Behind The Scenes, Food, Fun | No Comments »

Tell Us What You Think – Win an iPad 2!

August 25th, 2011

Dear Texas Steakhouse Fans,

As many of you know, at Texas Steakhouse we believe our success depends on two things: serving great food at great values, and delivering the best family dining experience in the business. To accomplish this, we don’t hire “secret shoppers” who have a checklist to rate the experience, and who are often detected by the staff. Instead, we listen to the real experts – our guests.

Qore Analytics, our online survey system, makes it all possible. Each of our restaurants is measured using a daily Qore Score. And this feedback factors into every decision we make about that location. Qore is part of our DNA and it’s based on real guests giving us real feedback that we can act on.

On the bottom of every receipt, we print a survey code. When you arrive home from a meal at Texas Steakhouse, just enter this code at SteakhouseSurvey.com. The survey takes just under five minutes to complete, and it gives us invaluable information that helps us serve you better.

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And to show our appreciation, guests who complete our survey will be automatically entered to win a new iPad 2* each and every month! We’ve already chosen winners for May, June and July.

On behalf of all of us at Texas Steakhouse, I’d like to congratulate our winners and encourage all our guests to take a few minutes to let us know how we’re doing. Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Terry Smith, President

Texas Steakhouse &Saloon

*No purchase necessary. See complete rules and details at SteakhouseSurvey.com.

Tags: feedback, ipad2, survey
Posted in Behind The Scenes, Fun | 32 Comments »

Ask a Texpert

July 20th, 2011

Dear Texpert,

I’ve been a steak lover ever since I grew teeth, but I’m ashamed to say I’ve never really understood the differences between all the different cuts of beef. Could you help me out?

Sincerely,

Clueless in MacCorkle

–

Dear Clueless,

No need to be ashamed. I get this question a lot. At Texas Steakhouse, we grill four different cuts of beef: the sirloin, the ribeye, the New York Strip and the filet mignon.

Even though we prepare every cut over the same red-hot mesquite fire, they all have a distinct texture, tenderness and flavor. Here’s a rundown of the different types of beef cuts we serve and the characteristics of each:

Center-Cut Sirloin

Fresh Sirloin Steak

Lean, well-flavored and moderately tender, the center-cut sirloin is a very versatile, high quality cut. It’s ideal for grilling and it plays a starring role in our Iron Skillets and Black & Blue Sirloin Salad. If you’re looking for great flavor with a satisfying texture, the center-cut sirloin is hard to beat.

Ribeye

Ribeye

The ribeye is one of the most tender cuts of beef. Generously marbled and very juicy, it’s also the most flavorful. This steak is fantastic as-is, but its loose grain makes it especially good for seasoning. Our Marshal Dillon Ribeye, seasoned in a spicy citrus marinade, is a personal favorite.

New York Strip

Boneless New York Strip Steak

Very lean, tender and particularly flavorful, the New York Strip is a great, fast-grilling cut with a fine grain and sturdy texture. Also known as the Kansas City Strip, when you look at a T-Bone or a Porterhouse, the New York Strip is on the long side of the cut. For that classic beefy flavor, it doesn’t get much better.

Filet Mignon

filet

The most tender cut of all, the filet mignon is very lean with a buttery texture and subtle flavor. It’s usually cut from larger T-Bones or Porterhouse steaks where it’s found opposite the New York Strip. It comes from a small muscle that does little work, which explains its superior tenderness.

I hope this answers your question. Once you understand the qualities and characteristics of the various cuts of beef, you can enjoy them even more. Until we meet again…

See you in Texas!

Doug Sanderson, Resident Texpert
Texas Steakhouse

Posted in Food, Fun | 2 Comments »

Meet Our Brightest (and Lightest) Stars

July 13th, 2011

Everyone knows Texas Steakhouse serves up the most flavorful steaks, chicken and ribs this side of the Rio Grande, but our culinary Tex-pertise extends far beyond the flames of our mesquite-grill. We put the same quality ingredients and big-flavor philosophy into our lineup of garden fresh salads. Here are a few favorites.

Harvest Salad — Our signature salad. It’s a colossal collection of fresh summer flavors like mandarin oranges, pineapples, strawberries, raisins, craisins and honey-glazed pecans on a bed of mixed greens tossed in our Poppy Seed dressing.

Black and Blue Sirloin Salad — Succulent slices of mesquite-grilled Texas sirloin served warm on a bed of mixed greens with tomatoes, croutons, Blue Cheese crumbles, Blossom Petals and bacon bits with your choice of dressing.

Texas Chicken Tenders Salad — Our hand-breaded chicken tenders diced and served warm on a bed of mixed greens with tomatoes, red onions, bacon bits and mixed cheeses. Topped with garlic croutons and your choice of dressing.

So whenever you’re in the mood for something lighter but don’t want to sacrifice taste, set your sights on Texas Steakhouse — where even our salads have big Texas flavor!

Posted in Food, New Menu | 2 Comments »

A Message from Terry Smith, President of Texas Steakhouse

June 15th, 2011

Dear Real Texans,

On behalf of the entire Texas Steakhouse family, I’m very excited to unveil our brand new menu. In addition to all of your tried-and-true favorites, we’re introducing two new Texas-sized burgers, a homemade Chicken Salad Sandwich, two new salads, and a recipe that’s especially dear to my heart – my wife Marcia’s legendary Chuck Roast.

In these new dishes, we’ve created recipes that capture the authentic flavors you’ve come to expect from Texas Steakhouse. We’ve tested each at select Texas Steakhouse locations, and they’ve received glowing reviews. We couldn’t be prouder to add these dishes to our menu, and we know you’re going to fall in love with them.

Texas Chuck Roast

A staple at the Smith family dinner table, it’s a perfectly moist, tender oven-braised chuck roast served with mashed potatoes and homemade brown gravy.

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Swiss Mushroom Burger

This big, juicy 10-ounce open-faced burger is topped with sautéed onions and Swiss cheese and finished with gravy and button mushrooms.

Texas Chili Burger

A thick, mesquite-grilled 10-ounce open-faced burger smothered in spicy Texas Chili and melted American cheese. Topped off with a touch of sour cream.

LR Chili Burger

Texas Chicken Tender Salad

Our hand-breaded chicken tenders diced and served warm over a bed of mixed greens, fresh tomatoes and red onions with bacon bits and mixed cheeses. Topped with garlic croutons and your choice of dressing.

Chicken Salad Sandwich

Our homemade, chunky Chicken Salad with lettuce and tomato on a toasted diamond bun. Also available as a salad.

LR Chicken Salad Sandwich

So whether you’re in the mood for an old favorite or looking for a new one, I’d like to invite you to bring the family to enjoy dinner at Texas Steakhouse tonight. Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Terry Smith, President
Texas Steakhouse

Posted in Food | 10 Comments »

Ready for the Close-Up

May 25th, 2011

You see them whenever you flip through the pages of our menu, but have you ever wondered how we get those fantastic photos of our dishes?

We recently held a photo shoot for some new additions to our menu, and we wanted to share a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to get such beautiful menu shots.

First of all, we prepare each dish exactly like it’s made in the restaurant. No smoke and mirrors. No stunt buns. Just the same recipes, ingredients and cooking methods you’d see in any Texas Steakhouse kitchen.

From there, a team of professionals, including a food stylist, lighting specialist and photographer, combine talents to ensure each dish looks just as delicious on the menu as it does when it reaches your table. We take several shots from every angle, using different sets and lighting techniques – all in pursuit of that perfect, mouthwatering shot.

So the next time you’re flipping through the menu at Texas Steakhouse, take a moment to admire the photography. After all, a picture is worth a thousand flavors.

Tags: Behind The Scenes, New Menu
Posted in Behind The Scenes, Food, Fun, New Menu | No Comments »

You Had Me at the Queso

February 17th, 2011

Dear Texas,

I’m a big lover of Texas cuisine, so when I found out my husband and I would be moving from San Antonio to Rocky Mount, North Carolina, I immediately wondered, “What kind of food will they have there?”

We’d been settling in for a few days when a neighbor dropped by to welcome us. As we were chatting, I told her the thing I would miss most about Texas was the food. Then she told me about Texas Steakhouse.

My husband and I were skeptical about finding authentic Texas flavor in the middle of North Carolina, but that night we decided to give Texas Steakhouse a try.

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When we told our server that we we’d just moved from San Antonio, she smiled and recommended the mesquite-grilled steaks then emphatically added, “Try the queso!” We took her advice, ordering the queso and two ribeyes.

She brought out the white queso and freshly fried chips, and it was love at first taste. Warm and creamy with the perfect level of Tex-Mex kick, not only was it on par with the best San Antonio had to offer, it was (dare I say) even better.

My husband and I were more than impressed with the atmosphere, service and most importantly, the authentic flavors of Texas Steakhouse. It’s like having our own little corner of San Antonio right here in Rocky Mount, North Carolina.

Thanks Texas!

Susan C.

Posted in Food, Friends | No Comments »

Texas 2 for $20 a Hit

February 4th, 2011

Dear Texas,

My wife and I are big fans of Texas Steakhouse. I go for the mesquite-grilled steaks, and my wife, well, she usually gets anything from the Harvest Salad to the Chicken Fried Chicken.

We‘ve been coming to Texas for a long time, so we’re pretty used to getting great meals at great values. Last Friday evening though, we were both surprised when our server Melissa came up and told us about the new 2 for $20 special.

When she said we could get two 6-ounce ribeye steaks, four Side Kicks and a half order of Blossom Petals for just twenty dollars, I thought she was mistaken. I asked her to repeat it, and sure enough, she was right.

We placed our order, and before we knew it, our table was loaded with two ribeyes, two sweet potatoes, two side salads and a half order of Blossom Petals. I couldn’t believe we got it all for just twenty dollars.

Long story short, my wife and I enjoyed a wonderful meal together for price we couldn’t believe. Thanks Texas.

Sincerely,

James E.

Posted in Food | 4 Comments »