Walk into a Texas Roadhouse and you’ll likely still see that familiar bag of roasted peanuts waiting at the table, because, no, Texas Roadhouse did not get rid of its iconic peanuts — but the tradition isn’t quite what it used to be. For decades, the brand leaned on those in-shell peanuts as a calling card, part appetizer, part atmosphere, and part spectacle as customers crunched shells underfoot. It was one of those quirks you couldn’t imagine disappearing — the kind of thing you’d tell a friend about if they were eating at Texas Roadhouse for the very first time.
But that floor-scattering ritual wasn’t just messy fun. It carried its share of headaches — the constant cleanup, the hazard of slips and falls, and the growing concern over peanut allergies. By the time the pandemic hit, the signature snack that once defined the roadhouse vibe was suddenly tangled up in bigger questions about safety and liability.
That doesn’t mean peanuts have vanished; they’re still on the menu, but the way they’re served has shifted. Some locations keep the buckets flowing, while others stick to sealed bags or offer them only by request. The Western-style welcome may still be there, but the carefree crunch that once set the tone for dinner has become a much trickier tradition to manage.
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The hazards that cracked the tradition
A bunch of salted peanuts are on a wooden straw plate. – Keith Homan/Shutterstock
What started as a playful quirk — cracking shells and letting the floor take the hit — slowly turned into a liability. Former staffers have said the aftermath looked like a small-scale disaster, with peanut debris scattered no matter how many containers were set out for shells. Sweeping between tables was constant, and by closing time, the floors still bore the crunch of the day’s mess. It wasn’t just untidy, either — it could be hazardous.
Over the years, the chain has been taken to court more than once after customers slipped on shells, including one case where a Texas diner broke her kneecap and received a $43,000 payout. In another case, an Iowa man suffered a similar injury, and a 2013 claim alleged damages of around $1 million before ending in a confidential settlement. Allergy concerns have only added to the caution. Nearly 3% of American adults have a peanut allergy, according to the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, and reactions can be life-threatening. By the time the pandemic hit, the shift from open buckets to sealed bags felt inevitable, fitting neatly with tightened cleaning and sanitation standards.
Still, peanuts aren’t extinct at the chain. While some locations only offer them if you ask, others keep the buckets flowing like old times. For a brand built on a laid-back, come-as-you-are appeal — the same one that’s made its burgers and sandwiches fan favorites in our rankings — it’s one of the few instances where tradition had to yield to practicality. Depending on where you go, the peanut welcome might be alive and well, or just a story regulars tell about “how it used to be.”
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