The Most Expensive Meal At Texas Roadhouse Vs The Cheapest: Are They Worth Ordering?

Texas Roadhouse wasn't born in Texas; the first location opened in Indiana back in 1993. However, the menu reflects Texas-style favorites like country-fried chicken, fall-off-the-bone ribs, and of course, plenty of steaks. When it comes to different menu items, however, how good of a value are they?

If you're looking for the most upscale dining experience at Texas Roadhouse, consider ordering the porterhouse T-bone steak. Not only is it the most expensive menu item, but it's also a pretty big portion, meaning there is plenty of room to share if you decide to order this. The steak runs about $34.99, but the actual price will vary depending on your location. If you want a quick bite at a low cost, then opt for the menu's classic all-American cheeseburger, which retails for $12.49, depending on where you live. This is the least expensive meal on the menu. There is a big price gap between both menu items, but are they actually worth ordering?

The chain restaurant's porterhouse T-bone is probably worth ordering, but on one condition: you split it with someone else. That's because this porterhouse weighs a whopping 23 ounces and consists of a filet and strip together, meaning if you share it, you're each getting nearly 12 ounces of good-quality steak for just over $17. If you ordered the eight-ounce filet and the 12-ounce New York strip from the restaurant instead, it would add up to more than $51. Plus, as far as a ranking of Texas Roadhouse steaks goes, we consider the porterhouse to be the best.

If you were to head to your local butcher and purchase an uncooked porterhouse, it would run you about $18 per pound, which means this steak would cost $26 if you purchased it uncooked. For the $9 upcharge, you get a perfectly cooked steak, plus two "legendary" sides like chili or mac and cheese. If you tried to recreate this dinner at home, you would spend more money because of the ingredients to make those extra sides. Plus, if you're not used to cooking steak, then a pricey porterhouse isn't the cut of meat you want to experiment with. The Texas Roadhouse deal doesn't sound so bad, right?

While there's nothing fancy about ordering a classic cheeseburger, it actually isn't such a bad financial decision. Plus, it lands in our top Texas Roadhouse menu items. Yes, you can make a cheeseburger at home, but the Texas Roadhouse all-American burger offers a seven-ounce patty topped with cheese, lettuce, tomato, and onion, and paired with a pickle spear plus one side of your choice. For $12.49, that's not a bad deal, considering how much fast-food prices have climbed in recent years. A McDonald's quarter-pounder meal actually costs around $1.40 more than the Texas Roadhouse burger, and while that does include a drink, the burger is made with a four-ounce patty and doesn't offer the sit-down dining experience.

In terms of cooking at home, it's not too hard or time-consuming to throw together a burger with a few toppings. However, price-wise, buying the ingredients will cost more than ordering them because ground beef is usually only available by the pound. If you want to prepare a side, too, factor that into the grocery costs. This happens to be the lowest-cost entrée on Texas Roadhouse's menu, so if you wanted an affordable meal for two for under $25 including sides, this isn't a bad option. While the steak and cheeseburger are priced differently, and offer different flavor profiles, you can't go wrong with picking either the most expensive, or most economical, item on Texas Roadhouse's menu.