Nation’s Restaurant News (NRN), the premier publication serving the entire foodservice industry, announced that it has named Texas Roadhouse as the 2024 Brand Icon award winner.
The Brand Icon award, powered by The Coca-Cola Company, is given each year to one chain restaurant that exemplifies a spirit of innovation while also honoring its heritage.
“Texas Roadhouse is the most exciting story in casual-dining restaurants today,” said Sam Oches, editor in chief of NRN. “Despite so many headwinds, this brand has surged the past few years and is on the cusp of becoming the largest casual-dining chain in the nation. That’s largely thanks to Texas Roadhouse’s ability to balance operational innovation — particularly in off-premises dining and ordering tools — with consistency and stability in the communities it serves.”
Texas Roadhouse surpassed Applebee’s in 2023 to become the second-largest casual chain in the U.S., behind only Olive Garden. It enjoyed 13.8% sales growth in 2023, according to the Technomic Top 500, closing the year with $4.78 billion in sales.
The Brand Icon award will be presented at CREATE: The Event for Emerging Restaurateurs this Oct. 10 in Nashville. Texas Roadhouse CEO Jerry Morgan will join Oches for a one-on-one conversation on the CREATE main stage to discuss how the brand has evolved while also staying true to the roots planted by late founder Kent Taylor in 1993.
In addition, a full multimedia report on Texas Roadhouse and why it deserved the Brand Icon award will be presented in NRN’s November issue.
“Congratulations to Texas Roadhouse on being honored as the Nation's Restaurant News Brand Icon award winner!” said Heather Trotter, senior vice president, East region, for The Coca-Cola Company North America. “This recognition is a testament to your dedication to legendary service, quality, and the unforgettable experiences you provide to your guests. Your commitment to excellence continues to set the standard in the industry and The Coca-Cola Company is proud to celebrate your well-deserved recognition at the CREATE conference in Nashville!"
In 2022, White Castle was named the inaugural Brand Icon winner. The 2023 award went to Taco Bell, whose CEO, Sean Tresvant, spoke about that company’s spirit of “restless creativity” at the CREATE event.
“CREATE is an event for founders, entrepreneurs, and brand leaders to get access to education and inspiration on their growth journey,” Oches said. “Texas Roadhouse is the kind of brand that every leader wants to emulate, and we’re thrilled to share their story from the stage in Nashville this October.”
CREATE will be hosted at the Omni Nashville hotel this Oct. 9-11. Restaurant leaders can register for CREATE for free by clicking here.
