Texas Roadhouse workers will sometimes hand out envelopes to customers. The envelopes hold a wide range of prizes. In the past, customers have won a 50-inch smart TV, free dinners, and free steak for a year.
It seems as if a lot of locations hand out the envelopes on various occasions, like their anniversaries and on guest appreciation week.
A trio of lucky—or unlucky?—customers received the Texas Roadhouse envelopes. They headed to Texas Roadhouse and created a TikTok to show off their prizes.
“This is me before opening my Texas Roadhouse envelope,” TikTok user Ashley (@ashley.millz) says, showing off her yellow Texas Roadhouse envelope sealed with a safety pin.
The camera then pans to her friend, who says the same thing. And then the next friend, who also says the same thing. The trio, who are in the parking lot, head inside the restaurant to open their envelopes.
“OK. Moment of truth. I got,” the content creator says, opening her envelope. “A free smother.” Her smile disappears as she shows the deal on a card with the QR code.
All three women received a “free smother.”
The women are all clearly disappointed but take the whole thing in stride. They are all laughing at the end of the video.
Ashley added in the caption, “@Texas Roadhouse how could you do this to us i just wanted a tshirt.”
@ashley.millz @Texas Roadhouse how could you do this to us 😭 i just wanted a tshirt #texasroadhouse ♬ original sound – ashley
What is a smother?
Viewers were confused as to what a “free smother” is.
In Texas Roadhouse terms, a smother is a topping that consists of sautéed mushrooms and onions. For a few extra bucks, customers have the option to get their chicken or steak “smothered.”
How Ashley and her friends got the envelopes in the first place
Ashley, who is based in Stow, Ohio, told the Daily Dot she and her friends were out dining at the establishment when a manager came over to them and handed them the envelopes.
She said the group had to return two weeks later to open their envelopes.
“The rule was you had to return during the specified dates, and you can only open it there,” she shared via TikTok direct message.
“Leading up to the day we literally felt like kids on Christmas eve. Of course, we were joking hoping for the grand prizes but all I wanted was a t shirt,” she shared. “But honestly even an appetizer would have [been] okay. The reactions in the video are totally authentic I was SO disappointed.”
To make matters worse, Ashley said she isn’t a “big meat eater” and never even eats steak.
“So my coupon definitely went unused,” she said.
Ashley’s underwhelming prize is not enough to put her off of Texas Roadhouse.
“I will be back,” she says. “The combo appetizer is too good to pass up on!”
Viewers reveal their prizes
Ashley’s video has been viewed over 599,000 times. Viewers shared what kind of prizes come in the envelopes. Some viewers who have received such envelopes were also underwhelmed by what they have received. “I got a freaking $5 off coupon,” one viewer wrote.
But some Texas Roadhouse fans have lucked out.
“We won 2 free dinners for a year once!” one user commented.
“Ours did this about 15-18 yrs ago when it opened. I won the grand prize a 32” tv, another recalled.
The Daily Dot reached out to Texas Roadhouse via press email.
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