Key Takeaways
- Texas Roadhouse says its investigation and outside information found no credible evidence that employees tampered with Black customers’ food, calling the viral allegations an “online hoax.”
- The boycott calls grew from an alleged private Facebook post naming Texas Roadhouse and Logan’s Roadhouse, but no screenshots, employees, restaurants, or confirmed incidents substantiated the claims.
- Texas Roadhouse hired a third-party firm to identify the allegations’ source and motives, while an X user who amplified them later apologized and called them a hoax.
UPDATE: Texas Roadhouse issued an emailed statement on Monday, August 24, saying its investigation and information from outside sources indicate that the viral allegations were an online hoax.
The company said it has found “no credible evidence of food tampering” and noted that the Facebook post at the center of the controversy has since been deleted.
Texas Roadhouse has also hired a third-party firm to investigate the source of the allegations and their motives. “We believe all evidence points to a hoax and are very disturbed by it for our guests and employees,” a company representative said. “It is a terrible accusation to make.”
The chain added that it remains committed to treating every guest with “respect, dignity, and the Legendary Service they deserve.”
The original story is below.
Texas Roadhouse is facing calls for a boycott after an explosive social media allegation claimed white restaurant workers were deliberately contaminating food served to Black customers. The steakhouse chain has firmly denied the accusation, calling it “completely unfounded,” and has launched an internal investigation into a controversy that spread rapidly across TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and X.
The backlash began with a video recounting an alleged message from a private Facebook group reportedly called “White and Proud.” According to the circulating claim, the group had more than 400,000 members and included white servers who discussed licking their fingers, touching food, and spitting on rolls ordered by Black diners.
Texas Roadhouse and Logan’s Roadhouse were specifically named in the alleged post, which also claimed that some restaurant cooks participated. No screenshots or other verified evidence has been publicly released to establish the group’s size, membership, or connection to either company.
As the allegation circulated, users began urging Black customers and their allies to stop eating at the chain—even though no particular restaurant, employee, customer, or confirmed food-tampering incident had been identified.
Texas Roadhouse responded on TikTok by emphasizing its standards for employee and customer conduct. “We do not tolerate discrimination, harassment, or mistreatment of any kind,” the company said, adding that employees are expected to treat guests with dignity and care.
It later issued a more direct denial: “We believe it to be completely unfounded and we take every accusation toward our brand seriously.” The chain said it was investigating and remained committed to providing every customer with “respect, dignity, and the Legendary Service they deserve.”
Questions about the allegation grew after an X user who had helped amplify it reversed course. “Upon further research, this is a hoax,” the user wrote in a follow-up, apologizing for sharing the material before investigating it more thoroughly.
As this writing, no concrete evidence has surfaced tying Texas Roadhouse employees to an organized campaign against Black diners. Logan’s Roadhouse, the other chain mentioned in the alleged message, has not publicly addressed the claim.
