Is Texas Roadhouse Beef Really Grass Fed? The Truth Revealed

Texas Roadhouse is one of America’s most beloved steakhouse chains with over 600 locations across the country. As a steak lover myself I’ve enjoyed many a delicious steak dinner at Texas Roadhouse over the years. But I’ve always wondered – is their beef really grass fed like they claim?

In this article, I’ll dig into the details of Texas Roadhouse’s beef sourcing and production to find out if their meat is truly grass fed or not. As a meat eater, I think it’s important we understand where our food comes from. So let’s get to the bottom of this beefy mystery!

An Overview of Texas Roadhouse’s Beef

First, what do we know about the type of beef Texas Roadhouse serves? According to their website they proudly serve up USDA Choice steaks.

USDA Choice is the middle tier of quality beef grades – above Select but below Prime. Choice grade beef has good marbling, which provides juiciness and flavor. But it has less marbling than Prime cuts.

According to the USDA, Choice roasts and steaks from the loin and rib will be very tender juicy, and flavorful. So Texas Roadhouse is serving up some tasty high-quality beef. No arguments there!

But the Choice grade doesn’t tell us whether the cattle are grass fed or conventionally grain finished. So let’s dig deeper.

The Confusion Around Grass Fed Claims

On their website, Texas Roadhouse states their beef suppliers are “leaders in sustainable beef production practices.” This seems to imply their beef could be grass fed, though they never directly make this claim.

The term “sustainable” is quite vague. Many conventional beef producers could argue they use sustainable practices. And grass fed farmers don’t have a monopoly on sustainability either.

Texas Roadhouse spends over $1 billion on beef annually, sourcing it from just three major suppliers. But they don’t disclose the geographic origin of their beef. So we don’t know for sure where these cattle are coming from and how they are raised.

The bottom line – Texas Roadhouse is being intentionally vague about their sourcing. They want to appeal to sustainably-minded customers while leaving wiggle room in their supply chain. Clever marketing perhaps, but not very transparent.

The Benefits of True Grass Fed Beef

Before we analyze Texas Roadhouse’s claims further, let’s talk about why grass fed beef has blown up in popularity recently. What’s driving the grass fed craze?

First, grass fed cattle are raised in a more ethical, humane manner. They are allowed to graze freely outdoors on pasture instead of being confined to crowded feedlots.

Grass fed beef is also praised for having a healthier nutritional profile. It has higher levels of heart-healthy omega-3 fats and antioxidants like vitamin E. And it has lower overall fat than conventional grain fed beef.

Finally, grass fed cattle farming has a lighter impact on the environment. It eliminates the need for resource-intensive grain farming to feed the cattle.

So in many ways, grass fed beef is considered the holy grail – better for you, better for the animals, and better for the planet. It’s easy to see why demand has soared recently.

Evaluating Texas Roadhouse’s “Sustainable” Claim

Given the environmental and ethical benefits, you can’t blame Texas Roadhouse for hinting their beef could be grass fed without directly saying so. But let’s scrutinize their “sustainable” claim more closely.

First, achieving the marbling in Choice beef typically requires intensive grain feeding in confined feedlots – not grazing on open pastures. While grains make the beef tastier, overfeeding leads to health issues for cattle. Hardly sustainable or ethical.

Secondly, Texas Roadhouse sources beef nationally but won’t disclose from where. Only certain regions have climates suitable for year-round grass feeding. Large grass fed beef suppliers are concentrated in states like Colorado and the Midwest. If Texas Roadhouse bought beef locally in each region, their supply chain would look very different.

Finally, grass fed beef still makes up less than 5% of U.S. beef production according to industry estimates. At Texas Roadhouse’s scale, securing genuine grass fed beef for 600+ locations would be incredibly challenging logistically. Feasible – but it raises more doubts.

The Role of Grain Finishing in Beef Production

Here’s the reality – almost all commercial U.S. beef producers, including Texas Roadhouse suppliers, use grain finishing.

Grain finishing refers to feeding cattle grains like corn, soy, and barley for months prior to slaughter. This rapidly packs weight onto the cattle and creates the fat marbling that Americans love.

According to beef industry research, grain finishing is more efficient. It uses fewer resources to produce greater beef yields in less time with less land compared to grass finishing.

There are absolutely sustainable ways to raise grain finished beef – avoiding hormones and antibiotics, using regenerative farming practices, etc. But typical grain finishing operations are far from sustainable.

While not impossible, sourcing enough genuinely grass finished beef for a huge chain like Texas Roadhouse seems highly improbable. Some grass fed beef might make its way into their supply chain. But the bulk of their beef is almost certainly conventionally grain finished.

Should You Avoid Texas Roadhouse?

Despite the likelihood their beef is grain finished, I don’t think meat lovers need to swear off Texas Roadhouse entirely. Their beef is still tasty, high-quality Choice grade.

And Texas Roadhouse does claim their suppliers use “sustainable” practices, though the definition is unclear. With public pressure on big chains to source responsibly, it’s reasonable to expect their practices are better than the bare minimum. Maybe their claims are just worded cleverly from a marketing angle?

For hardcore grass fed proponents, local grass finished farms are your best bet. For the rest of us, enjoying the occasional Texas Roadhouse splurge likely won’t compromise your values too much. But we should keep encouraging more transparency around beef sourcing.

The Bottom Line on Grass Fed Beef

Texas Roadhouse loves bragging about their dedication to quality, juicy, delicious steaks. But they tiptoe around directly addressing whether those steaks come from grass fed cattle.

Reading between the lines of clever marketing speak, the preponderance of evidence suggests their beef is grain finished, not grass fed. But their overall sourcing practices may still be moving in a more sustainable direction.

If deep green cred matters to you, spend your dollars supporting local grass finished ranchers. But for the odd Texas Roadhouse cheat meal, you can still relax and enjoy your steak without too much guilt! Like most things in life, moderation and balance is key.