Texas Roadhouse has taken the top spot in U.S. casual dining, ending Olive Garden’s six-year run at No. 1.
The popular steakhouse chain brought in $5.5 billion in systemwide sales last year, up nearly 15%, according to Technomic’s Top 500 data list. It also opened 26 new restaurants, bringing the total to 664.
Not much about this was subtle. Coming out of the pandemic, demand for steak stayed strong, and Texas Roadhouse capitalized on that demand by keeping prices stable despite rising inflation rates, putting money into operations and staffing, and not slowing down expansion.
Meanwhile, Olive Garden hit a wall. Sales were up just 0.8% in 2024, reaching $5.2 billion. The chain opened 15 new stores but, sadly, struggled to hold onto budget-conscious customers. Some returned after old promos like never-ending pasta made a comeback, but not enough to keep pace.
Chili’s made a significant move on the top list too. It jumped to No. 3 after a 15% sales gain, crossing $4.5 billion. Its new menu and value play seemed to land.
LongHorn Steakhouse climbed as well, overtaking Outback to claim sixth, following a 7.2% boost.
On the other end, Applebee’s slipped to fourth place, down nearly 6%. It closed 35 stores. Red Lobster saw the steepest drop, with sales falling 22.7%.
Looking back, it wasn’t such a great year for the category as a whole. Four of the top 10 brands saw sales decline. Average growth barely cleared half a percent, and consumers, squeezed by prices, kept shifting toward faster, cheaper options. That has left many casual dining chains scrambling to stay relevant. But Texas Roadhouse didn’t have that problem—it stayed loud, steady, and just kept growing.