Affordable luxury: Price-conscious Americans are turning to cheaper steakhouses

“God I love Texas Roadhouse,” began one thread on Reddit, with over 1,000 upvotes. “Texas Roadhouse never disappoints,” began another, with over 5,000 votes. A third touted the “incredible value.”

“God I love Texas Roadhouse,” began one thread on Reddit, with over 1,000 upvotes. “Texas Roadhouse never disappoints,” began another, with over 5,000 votes. A third touted the “incredible value.” If there’s anything Americans love, it’s cheap meat. So business is booming at Texas Roadhouse and LongHorn Steakhouse, even as Americans pull back elsewhere. In the quarter ending on March 26, sales at company-owned Texas Roadhouse locations open at least 18 months jumped 8.4% compared to the year before. And in the three months through May 26, sales at Longhorn Steakhouse locations open at least 16 months rose 4%. Longhorn, which is owned by Darden Restaurants, outperformed the other chains in Darden’s portfolio, including Olive Garden. That’s all happening as Americans curtail retail spending and plan to shell out less for vacations this summer. Most restaurant chains are feeling the heat, with even McDonald’s reporting that lower-income consumers are pulling back. The two eateries have a history of performing well during periods of economic uncertainty — a few years ago, the pair were standouts as inflation-weary Americans began to pull back on spending. It may seem counterintuitive for sales at steakhouses to rise when people feel short on cash. But both Texas Roadhouse and Longhorn Steakhouse seem to have done what every restaurant wishes it could: Make people feel like they’re getting a good deal when they need it most.