I’m definitely not planning to go out of my way just for it, but since we’ll be passing through a few smaller towns, I thought it might be a fun stop if we happen to see one along the route.

I doubt you'll find them in "smaller towns". Of course you and I might have different definitions of smaller towns.

Might help if you tell us your route.

IME -- at least the ones I'm familiar with -- they are not in small towns. They are mostly in large suburbs/exurbs. Often near major shopping areas or malls.

I find this and other statements here about the ubiquity of this chain misleading. Certain parts of the country have a lot of Texas Roadhouses (Massachusetts, Colorado, Florida, Texas) but they can be pretty rare otherwise, particularly in the West and North.

My route isn’t completely fixed yet, but it’s likely going to run through Dallas → Oklahoma City → Kansas City → St. Louis, and then onward toward Nashville. Along the way, we’ll also be passing through some smaller stops in between, but those are the bigger cities on the plan.

Do you think Texas Roadhouse is more of a “big city suburb” kind of spot rather than something you’d come across in a smaller town along the route?

I'm going to guess you're more likely to find it in a city or suburb, but I'm not sure because I never seek it. I did a search and they have a few locations in the Dallas area. I found 3 locations in OKC, and one is very near I-35. If you google it for each city you visit, (for example, google "Texas Roadhouse Oklahoma City") you should be able to find the nearest one.

Do you think Texas Roadhouse is more of a “big city suburb” kind of spot rather than something you’d come across in a smaller town along the route?

Yes.

Thanks so much for checking that for me! That’s really helpful to know there are several in the bigger cities, especially right off the highway in OKC. Sounds like it might be more of a suburban/city chain than a small-town stop, so I’ll just plan to look it up as we go along and see if it lines up conveniently with our route. Appreciate the tip about googling per city—that makes it easy!

Searching in Google Maps shows both Dallas and KC are Roadhouse rich. There aren’t any in Nashville.

Exurban is the more likely location, then suburban, then not in the city limits really ever. Some small cities have them.

Note that the usage of “suburban” varies greatly, US and Australia for example have almost opposite usages.

Wait. You're driving through Kansas City and St. Louis, and are more interested in a chain restaurant than sampling the great local barbeque varieties?

And, wait, again. You're driving that route and aren't curious about Buc-ee's?

KC does have a reputation for great BBQ. I think OKC would be a good place for the Roadhouse.

I would love to hear back from the OP about this experience, good or bad. Of course, I hope it will be good.

Since the OP is not American, I would like to offer a word of unsolicited advice. When large parties are at a restaurant (often 5 or more people) the restaurant will usually add the gratuity to the check. Make sure and watch for that when the bill comes. If you a charge for "gratuity," it's really not necessary to tip any more unless you want to.

Since you are doing a road trip, I assume you’ll be driving along along many of the Interstate
Highways. If that’s the case you’ll likely find Texas Roadhouse restaurants (and just about every other American chain restaurants) at various exits along the way. The a great many will be at exits near major cities. These exits will also have their fair share of chain hotels and motels. There’s a good chance you could end up spending a night in a hotel or motel where there is a Texas Roadhouse just down the street ( maybe even within walking distance). HINT: Download the iExit App to your smartphone and you’ll be able to find out what facilities (i.e. restaurants, hotels, gas stations, fast food outlets, etc.) are at every Exit on whatever Interstate you are traveling on. It will also tell you the driving distance from your current location to that particular Exit

Definitely look up the barbecue spots in Kansas City!!

You’re right, we’ll be spending a lot of time on the Interstates, so it sounds like Texas Roadhouse might just naturally pop up along the way without us having to go too far out of our way. The iExit app tip is great too—I hadn’t heard of that before, but it sounds perfect for a road trip like this. I’ll definitely give it a try to keep track of food and lodging options as we go. Thanks again for the practical advice!

I’ve heard tipping in the U.S. can be a bit confusing for visitors, so I’ll definitely keep an eye out for that note on the bill if we’re in a bigger group. Good to know that it can sometimes already be included so we don’t end up double-tipping by mistake. Appreciate you pointing that out!

Thank you for your suggestion.

I’m not usually a fan of things Texas, but they have best barbecue in the country, it’s not saucy. KC has the sweet sauce kind, which I don’t care for.

You cannot get Texas style barbecue at Texas Roadhouse.

If you are into chain experiences, consider the all-you-can-eat-buffet at Pizza Ranch. They have them around Kansas City.

Good to know, thanks for clarifying! I was actually wondering if Texas Roadhouse served anything close to “authentic Texas BBQ,” so it helps to hear that it’s really more of a steakhouse chain than a true BBQ spot. Sounds like if I want to try proper Texas-style barbecue, I should be looking elsewhere along the route instead of counting on Roadhouse for that experience.

Applebee’s - don’t waste your time or calories