Servers do a lot more than take your order and bring it to the table. A server may be expected to welcome guests, ensure satisfaction amongst diners, and deal with all issues regarding payment. They frequently juggle these roles while working on multiple tables at once.
Over the years, many servers have shared their tales from the job to the internet, from the exposing secret tactics they use to cover their mistakes to revealing the places they would never work as a server.
Now, a Texas Roadhouse worker has the internet talking after revealing an unexpected aspect of the job.
Why do Texas Roadhouse servers want customers to “smother” their steaks?
In a video with over 350,000 views, TikTok user @itsyaweave shows a server at Texas Roadhouse.
“When our tables say no to a smother/load,” the text overlaying the video states. The audio is from the 2004 film Barbie as The Princess and The Pauper. It’s specifically a song called “How Can I Refuse” that features the line, “It’s a temporary setback, it’s a momentary loss.”
“Like pls say yes,” the TikToker adds in the caption. “Our job depends on it.”
The reason that the TikToker says that their job depends on customers adding extras to their order is due to allegations that Texas Roadhouse pressures their servers to upsell customers.
What’s the deal with upselling at Texas Roadhouse?
The chain does not appear to have made any public statements regarding this practice. However, several internet users claiming to be former Texas Roadhouse servers allege that they were told to upsell as much as possible.
“If you don’t upsell enough mushrooms and onions on steaks they get their panties in a twist,” wrote a user on Reddit.
“You’re trained from day 1 to upsell like a robot so it’s kind of hard to avoid it, it’ll be ingrained in your brain,” offered another.
“Upselling is a big part of the job (managers print out reports and would have convos if you didn’t upsell),” detailed a third.
In fact, on multiple posts from servers asking for advice about their new job at Texas Roadhouse, one of the most common pieces of advice is simply to “upsell as much as possible.”
This upselling typically takes the form mentioned in the video. “Smother” involves adding sauteed mushrooms, onions, and/or cheese or gravy. “Load” can be cheese and bacon on fries and potatoes, toasted marshmallows on sweet potatoes, or similar additions. The final upsell point is pushing drink sales.
@itsyaweave like pls say yes, our job depends on it😀#texasroadhouse @Madison ♬ Originalton – M
‘I’d rather get my food how I’ll actually eat it.’
In the comments section, many commenters understood why servers did this. But they still expressed their distaste for being constantly asked to add to their order.
“No I’d rather get my food how I’ll actually eat it,” wrote a user.
“I hate any place of employment that bases hours, bonuses, etc of upselling/credit cards,” detailed a second. “Like why is your job dependent on whether someone doesn’t like onions? Or doesn’t want credit card debt.”
“Is this why the last time I went to road house my server was UP IN MY [expletive] about the smother?” asked a further commenter. “I thought it was odd that the first NO was ignored.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Texas Roadhouse via email and @itsyaweave via TikTok DM and comment.
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