Many Texas Roadhouse locations got rid of the practice of handing out peanuts for free amid the pandemic. Before the communal peanuts were phased out, it was common practice (and encouraged even) for customers to just toss their shells right on the floor around them. According to one popular server on TikTok, the peanuts are so back. But how to go about asking for them and disposing of them has changed quite a bit.
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Gina (@whatsthatmeen) is a Texas Roadhouse server, and she often goes viral for her videos about the chain.
“I work at the yeehaw restaurant that sells steak, and people love our peanuts and our bread, right? Because they’re free,” Gina starts her video.
She then recalls a specific incident to use as an example. “My table sits down, and the guy is like, ‘How are you guys out of peanuts? How?” she recalls.
How does a Texas Roadhouse run out of peanuts?
Gina shares how exactly the restaurant often runs out of peanuts. “‘Let me set the scene for you, sir,’’” she says. “A table can get sat. And at the table, there can be two bags of peanuts. Very often, people will take those two bags of peanuts and put them to their side on the booth, or maybe they’ll throw them in their bag, right?”
This is a bit different from the old setup where the peanuts were placed on the table in a bucket. The bags, according to Gina, have led to customers abusing the complimentary peanut bag policy.
Gina continues, “Then, they’ll ask for another bag of peanuts immediately.”
“Sometimes, they’ll ask for another bag. When it comes time to leave, they’ll ask for a couple of bags to go. Sometimes even more than a couple of bags. And then, on their way out, they stop at the front, and then every person in the party will grab multiple bags of peanuts to go,” she says.
She then shares that her location spends $5,000 a month to keep up with customer demand for the peanuts.
Why you shouldn’t toss the shells onto the ground
“The best thing about [expletive] peanuts ’cause we didn’t have them for a while, but they’re back,” she says.
Gina says that customers can still throw the peanut shells on the ground—workers just don’t like it. And she shares why.
“The shells so much aren’t the problem. Not so much as it is the little nut skin,” she says, noting that it’s difficult to clean up. “If you’ve ever been to the yeehaw restaurant that sells steak, you know the material is made out of. It’s not a good mix.”
Because if this, she’s asking customers to “refrain from throwing the peanuts on the ground.” She says that customers’ ability to toss the peanut shells on the ground has given some of them too much audacity.
“I’ve had people stop me while I’m walking, and they go, ‘Hey. Excuse me,’ and they’ll take that bucket where they have discarded all their shells, and they’ll toss on the floor,” she says. “And hysterically laugh because they think it’s so funny.”
“Stop throwing the [expletive] shells on the floor!” Gina concludes angrily.
The Daily Dot reached out to Gina via Instagram direct message and TikTok comment.
Servers are in agreement
Gina’s video has garnered over 26,000 views. And other western steakhouse chain servers agree wholeheartedly with her thoughts and opinions on the peanuts.
“Omg girl, couple years before working there I worked at a Logan’s in sw ga . I’d be there til 2 am sweeping on the weekend and I made nowhere near as much $$,” a one viewer shared.
“I’m still shell shocked from sweeping the shells back in my yeehaw days,” a second concurred.
“I used to work at the good ole yeehaw back when you had to sweep the nuts, life was hell,” a third commented.
“I cannot tell you how many times I fell in the kitchen cause I had so much peanut sludge caked onto the bottom of my shoes. That place is wild lol,” a fourth wrote.
What does Texas Roadhouse say?
A spokesperson for Texas Roadhouse told the Daily Dot the following in a statement:
“We are thrilled that our stores are actively giving away peanuts to our guests and that our guests think enough of the quality and taste that they not only eat them in our restaurants, but want to take them home! We did pivot to the branded on-table bags and buckets, but rest assured peanuts have been an iconic staple at our restaurants for many years and will remain that way.”
How much does Texas Roadhouse spend on peanuts?
Since peanuts are a large part of the brand’s identity, Texas Roadhouse does spend a lot of money on them. According to the National Peanut Board, the restaurant pays $20 million for 10 million pounds of peanuts annually.
And what about allergies?
If you have a peanut allergy, it’s best to contact your local Texas Roadhouse to inquire if it still offers the peanuts. Even the website encourages those with the allergy to avoid dining in. “For safety reasons, those with severe peanut allergies are generally advised to avoid dining at Texas Roadhouse,” it notes.
@whatsthatmeen 🥜 #serverlife #serverproblems #serviceindustry ♬ original sound – Gina ☻ 🍉
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