Texas Roadhouse is one of the go-to restaurants for great meals and a friendly atmosphere.

The steakhouse has a reputation for being casual and rustic.

It also has a reputation for big portions and decent prices to match.

Because of its popularity, you may wonder if the restaurant takes reservations.

To ensure you get a table, you might want to make a reservation if the restaurant allows it.

Here’s what you need to know about whether Texas Roadhouse offers reservations or not.

Does Texas Roadhouse Take Reservations?

No, Texas Roadhouse does not take reservations.

A reservation is the ability to book a table for yourself and some guests.

Most restaurants allow you to make a reservation either online or by calling the restaurant.

Making a reservation holds a table for your dining party at the specific time that you want it.

That way, when you arrive at the restaurant, you know that you have a table waiting for you.

Texas Roadhouse doesn’t offer this service.

Instead, they do something different.

What Is The Texas Roadhouse Waitlist?

In lieu of reservations, Texas Roadhouse uses a waitlist system.

The waitlist enables you to book a party of no greater than six at a table.

You don’t get to choose the specific table that you want, however.

Instead, it’s a way to ensure that the restaurant doesn’t give away a table that you might have had while you’re on the way there.

The waitlist will give you an estimated amount of time until a table is available, too.

When the table is available, it will go to the first person on the waitlist.

That waitlist also includes people who are at the restaurant and waiting for a table.

The ability to put your name on the waitlist before you arrive at the restaurant means that, by the time you arrive at Texas Roadhouse, you should only have to wait a limited amount of time.

This is versus not putting your name on the waitlist until you arrive at the restaurant.

By the time you arrive, there may have been five families who arrived before you and put their names on the waitlist.

By using the online waitlist, you can potentially get your name ahead of those five families.

How Do You Use The Texas Roadhouse Waitlist?

Adding your name to the waitlist is easy.

Follow these steps to use the Texas Roadhouse Waitlist service.

1. Find Your Local Texas Roadhouse

To add your name to the right waitlist, you first need to select the Texas Roadhouse location closest to you or the one that you want to dine out.

The waitlist is on the Texas Roadhouse website which you can find here.

Once you click on it, you’ll receive a prompt to type in your zip code.

You can also type in the city and state that you’re in if you’re unsure of your current zip code.

Finally, you can also enable the location settings on your device.

This will allow Google to automatically detect where you are and tell the website the closest restaurants to you.

2. Choose The Restaurant

Once you type in the required location information, the website will give you either a single restaurant or several restaurant choices.

It all depends on how many Texas Roadhouse restaurants there are around you.

You may need to use an app like Google Maps or MapQuest to find the restaurant that you usually like to eat at if you’re not familiar with its address off-hand.

Once you’re sure of the restaurant that you want to use, you’ll see a button on the right that says, “Join Waitlist.”

Click that and it will take you to the next screen.

3. Type In Diner Information

The next window will ask for a few details about who is coming to dine at Texas Roadhouse.

You’ll need to provide your first and last name.

This tells them which party is using what table.

When you come to the restaurant later, this is the name that you need to give them.

You’ll also need to give them your email for the restaurant to send a verification of your order.

This confirms whether you have officially joined the waitlist or not.

It also asks for your phone number.

If the restaurant needs to contact you to let you know of a problem or if they have a question about your guests, then they’ll contact you via the phone number you gave.

They’ll also ask whether you need a highchair or not.

If you do, then this tells them that they need to wait until there is both a table and a highchair available for your party.

The last crucial detail is the number of diners in your party.

You’re able to use the waitlist to book your party if you have a party no greater than six.

If you have more than six diners, then you’ll have to use an alternative means of joining the waitlist.

Bigger parties are harder to service since they have fewer tables for larger parties.

If you’re more concerned about getting food rather than keeping everyone together, then you might want to consider splitting the party.

Once you’ve given the site all the information it needs, you can click the “Let’s Go” button.

4. Check Dining Time

After you submit your party to the waitlist, you’ll receive an estimated wait time.

This is the time the restaurant expects it will have your table ready for you.

Keep in mind that this is just an estimation.

It all depends on how long diners inside the restaurant plan on staying.

Some diners like to extend their stay to catch up with friends.

Others eat quickly, then leave.

You should still plan on arriving at the restaurant within the estimated time that it gives you, however.

If you’re not there to claim the table within enough time, then it may go to someone else on the waitlist.

5. Receive Text For Check-In Instructions

The final step for using the Texas Roadhouse Waitlist service is to receive a text from the restaurant.

When it’s near your time to check in and receive your table, you’ll get a text on the phone that you told them to reach you by.

The text will give you instructions on how to check in.

This usually means that you’ll simply give the wait staff your name.

They’ll then take you to the table that they assigned to you.

However, your check-in instructions may differ from the norm.

Follow the instructions to ensure your dining party makes it to the table.

Besides that, you’ve successfully “reserved” a table at Texas Roadhouse.

How Do You Reserve A Table at Texas Roadhouse With More Than Six Diners?

The online waitlist system for Texas Roadhouse does not work if you have more than six guests.

If you’re planning a larger party to eat at the restaurant, then the staff encourages you to call the restaurant instead.

When filling out the diner information for the waitlist, you’ll see a warning about parties larger than six.

It will ask you to call the restaurant instead and give you the appropriate number to do so.

The number that you see is the one belonging to the restaurant that you chose earlier.

When you call the restaurant, you’ll need to tell them that you’re looking to join the waitlist with a party larger than six.

They’ll ask you a few questions about your party, such as whether you need a highchair or not.

This is also a great time to ask them about waiting for a booth or a table by the window if you have preferences.

Keep in mind that this might make your wait longer.

The staff will tell you your estimated time to wait until your large party can have a table.

They’ll also give you instructions on how to check in for your table.

Make sure you understand the instructions before ending the call.

Otherwise, you’ll do the same thing as the other guests.

When it comes close to the estimated time you need to wait, you should be at the restaurant and ready to give your name.

What Are The Benefits Of The Texas Roadhouse Waitlist?

Since Texas Roadhouse doesn’t use a reservation system, you may wonder if using their waitlist system is worth it.

Here are a few benefits you can experience by using their waitlist system.

1. Check The Status Of Each Restaurant In Your Area

No one likes to eat at an extremely busy restaurant.

It usually means that they’re not going to receive the kind of quality care that they might want from the staff.

Using the Texas Roadhouse waitlist can help to determine how busy each restaurant is around you.

Before you finalize your order, you’re able to see how long it’s going to be before your table is available.

If it’s only a few minutes, then you know that the restaurant isn’t that busy.

However, if you discover that there’s at least an hour wait, then the restaurant likely is busy.

This then allows you to cancel the waitlist order and try a different restaurant near you.

You can go through every restaurant and estimate how busy it is by looking at how long it’s going to take to grab a table.

This can help you avoid a few headaches and set yourself up for a pleasant dining experience.

2. Get Ahead Of The Line

Another great benefit of using the Texas Roadhouse waitlist system is that it can get you ahead of the line.

A great way to explain this is to look at an example.

Family A and Family B plan to eat at Texas Roadhouse.

Family A isn’t going to use the waitlist and instead plans on heading to the restaurant immediately.

When they arrive, they see that there are three other families ahead of them.

They put their name on the waitlist and wait for the three families ahead of them to get their tables first.

Family B plans on using the Texas Roadhouse waitlist.

While Family A is driving to the restaurant, Family B submits their order for a table.

While Family A may have arrived at the restaurant first, they’re stuck waiting behind three other families.

Family B, who used the waitlist, arrive a few minutes after Family A.

Because they put their names on the waitlist online, they actually beat out two of the families ahead of Family A.

They’re able to get their table well before Family A despite Family A arriving first.

By using the Texas Roadhouse waitlist, you can get ahead of many other diners who hadn’t thought to use it to secure a table.

3. Guaranteed Table

A final benefit of using the Texas Roadhouse waitlist is the fact that you’re guaranteed a table.

While mistakes can happen, in most cases, when you arrive at the restaurant within your estimated time of waiting, you will have a table ready for you.

It’s similar to having a reservation but not quite as secure.

You’re also guaranteed to have any extras that you need at the table like a highchair.

The restaurant already knows what you need and does the hard work of preparing for your arrival beforehand.

Does Texas Roadhouse Have A Call-Ahead Service?

Instead of their waitlist, you could also choose to use their call-ahead service.

Call-ahead service limits you to about an hour before you intend to dine.

You call the restaurant that you want to eat at and inform them about your party.

The restaurant will put down your name and party size.

Then they’ll set aside a table when it becomes available close to the time that you’re coming in.

If the restaurant is busy, then they can’t always guarantee a table at that time.

Calling ahead is basically like putting your name on the waitlist.

Instead of the added benefit of knowing how long it’s going to be before your table is ready, calling ahead gives the restaurant a little extra time to try and get a table ready for you.

Should You Arrive Early To Your Call-Ahead Or Waitlist Estimated Time?

Whether you call ahead or use their waitlist service online, you may wonder if you need to arrive early.

Texas Roadhouse expects you to arrive at least 10 minutes before your estimated time for a table.

This ensures that they can get you in early and flip the tables a bit more quickly.

If you’re late, then you might forfeit your table to another family who is there and waiting.

As with most things, it’s usually a better idea to arrive early and wait than to arrive late and miss out.

Conclusion

Texas Roadhouse does not use an official reservation system to book tables ahead of time.

They do use a call-ahead service and an online waitlist system that can put your name on a list.

This helps ensure your family gets a table as soon as possible.

The post Does Texas Roadhouse Take Reservations? (2022 Updated) appeared first on The Cold Wire.

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