A TikToker who claimed to “still have nightmares” about working at Texas Roadhouse created a viral video highlighting what surely had to be one of her worst moments at the chain restaurant.
The video featured the creator, @krispycrack, mouthing along to a popular TikTok soundbite: “Okay, you got me there, but that is not a crime.”
But the real story is in the onscreen caption, which read, “When my manager at Texas Roadhouse threatened my job because people don’t want to add fking onions and mushrooms on their steak or a flavored lemonade.”
Since posting the video to the platform on Feb. 8, the creator has drawn in more than 626,000 views and almost 60,000 likes.
@krispycrack I still have nightmares about working there #fyp ♬ you got me there – ifa ꨄ︎
According to the chain’s media kit, Texas Roadhouse launched in Clarksville, IN, in 1993, with founder Kent Taylor imagining “an affordable Texas-style restaurant with Hand-Cut Steaks, Fall-Off-The-Bone Ribs, and Ice-Cold Beer.”
But, as the creator and commenters discussed, the vision now seems to encompass upselling customers on accouterments to steaks.
“OMGGG,” noted one commenter who appears to also be a Texas Roadhouse alum. “We used to have whoever sold the most mush and onions would get free dinner and i would push it on everyone bc poor college student.”
Another commenter asked, “Do they really care about that? What if a table was all drinking and their tab was high, do mangers still care about onions and mushrooms?”
“Yup,” the creator replied.
“Omg, they make y’all push unwanted food on people?” another asked. “I hate mushrooms and onions; why does my server get punished for that?”
The creator simply responded, “Capitalism.”
Another posited, “That either means the mushrooms and onions are really good or really nasty cuz why else would Texas Roadhouse be shoving it down everyone’s throats.”
Again, citing money, the creator noted, “Because it costs an extra $3 lol.”
Commenters also discussed other hallmarks of Texas Roadhouse staff culture.
“And you better greet that table within thirty seconds of seating,” one viewer shared.
“Meanwhile I’ve been to other Roadhouses that literally took 10 minutes to greet me,” the creator responded, “and it wasn’t even busy lol.”
Another asked, “What happens if you don’t ask ‘Is this your first time dining with us?’”
“If it’s a shopper, we get penalized as servers,” the creator said, apparently referring to mystery shoppers posing as customers to covertly evaluate customer service, “even though it’s the hostesses’ job to ask that.”
Another person appearing to be a former employee shared, “No fr lol that job gave me ptsd.”
The creator agreed, writing, “I haven’t worked there in almost two years and STILL have nightmares about not greeting a table in time.”
The Daily Dot reached out to @krispycrack via TikTok comment and Texas Roadhouse via email.
