Being a server is no easy job. Alongside being on one’s feet all day, carrying heavy items, and cleaning, servers must also deal with a host of difficult customers—and, while tips can be substantial, the fact that they’re optional means that a server is frequently working without an idea of how much money they’ll be earning for their day’s efforts.
Given these issues and the job’s inconsistent pay, it’s no surprise that restaurants have had difficulties finding and maintaining staff. While the situation isn’t as dire as it was several years ago—restaurant jobs have largely recovered to pre-pandemic levels—no one is sure how stable the current market is, and many have theorized that there could soon be another labor shortage in the industry.
Regardless, customers still seem to love in-person dining, and restaurants are making efforts to keep them visiting. One of those efforts appears to be having their servers dance.
What’s going on at this Texas Roadhouse?
In a video with over 281,000 views, TikTok user Mairis (@mairissd) shows a group of servers at a Texas Roadhouse location. As country music plays, the servers engage in a dance, with some participating more enthusiastically than others.
“Asked for extra rolls and my server is out here dancing,” she writes in the text overlaying the video.
Seeing servers dance is a common experience at Texas Roadhouse and has been the case since the restaurant’s founding.
In general, servers say that participating in these dances is optional, though servers can occasionally be expected to join in.
“At the one I work at, all servers and hosts must do one line dance during validation, which the dances are taught at our weekly dance class,” explained a commenter on Reddit. “If we have a shop out, we dance every hour until all of the shops come in, but if they’re in then we chill and do maybe 3 a night.”
“I used to get griped at all the time for not dancing. F*** that s***,” added another. “Better to run my coworkers food, dying bar drinks, refill waters and sweet tea and all that.”
@mairissd #fyp#texasroadhouse ♬ original sound – M A I R I S 💕🌵
Commenters offer an explanation
In the comments section, users shared their thoughts on the dances as well as when and why the service staff might choose to do them.
“When I worked at roadhouse it was always to distract from the fact that the kitchen was too busy lol,” wrote a user. In response, Mairis said, “We did go on a Sunday afternoon.”
“I worked here for many years and was telling people how crazy it was having to do this when ur busy af,” added another.
That said, some claimed that such dancing was not present at their locations.
“I never knew they did this. I’ve been numerous times and have never seen this!” exclaimed a user.
“Thank the lord we don’t have to do it at our roadhouse! I’m like crap now I gotta drop a tray to drop it low. like come on,” stated a second.
The Daily Dot reached out to Texas Roadhouse via email.
Update 2:11pm ET Oct. 24: In an email to the Daily Dot, a Texas Roadhouse spokesperson shared the following: “Line dancing is a long standing tradition and is a deeply rooted part of the experience guests have at our restaurants. A typical line dance lasts no longer than 90 seconds and the Roadies that participate in the line dances spend very little time away from caring for our guests to provide this toe tapping entertainment.”
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