Texas Roadhouse is a publicly traded chain restaurant on the NASDAQ (symbol TXRH) that specializes in steaks and promotes a western theme. Texas Roadhouse Corporation is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky. The first restaurant was opened in Clarksville, Indiana, in 1993 at the Green Tree Mall across the Ohio River from Louisville, Kentucky.

The chain operates about 320 (July, 2009) locations in 46 states. It is known for its free buckets of peanuts at each table. The company was founded on February 17, 1993, at the Green Tree Mall in Clarksville, Indiana, by Kent Taylor.Founder Kent Taylor is from Colorado and worked at nightclubs and restaurants there.

In 1990, Taylor divorced his wife and returned to his hometown of Louisville. He began work as a Kentucky Fried Chicken manager, and had dreams to open a Colorado-themed restaurant. Former Kentucky Governor John Y.

Brown, Jr. helped Taylor fulfill his dream by backing him with $80,000. Taylor opened Buckhead Hickory Grill in 1991 and began doing well.

The chain would eventually become Buckhead Mountain Grill. Brown invested more money and wanted to open a second store in Clarksville. Complications in the partnership caused it to fall apart as they were preparing to open the Clarksville location.

Taylor found new partners and was forced to use a new name, Texas Roadhouse. A year later he sold his shares in the Buckhead restaurant. The second Texas Roadhouse opened in Gainesville, Florida.

The restaurant chain struggled with its competition with Outback Steakhouse, Longhorn Steakhouse, Logan's Roadhouse, and Lone Star Steakhouse early on. However, Texas Roadhouse would expand rapidly in the late 1990s; and by the end of 1999, there were 67 restaurants. In 2004, the chain began public offerings.

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