Texas Roadhouse Denies Viral Food Tampering Allegations as Hoax

Restaurant chain Texas Roadhouse has labeled viral social media allegations of racial discrimination and food tampering an online hoax following an internal investigation supported by an independent third-party firm.

The controversy emerged after a screenshot of a Facebook post from a group allegedly named White and Proud circulated online, claiming servers were intentionally contaminating food served to Black customers. The post, which also mentioned Logan's Roadhouse, contained no specific restaurant locations, employee names, or verified incidents.

Texas Roadhouse initially addressed the viral claims on TikTok to emphasize its corporate standards regarding guest treatment.

"We do not tolerate discrimination, harassment, or mistreatment of any kind, and we expect our Roadies to treat every guest with dignity and care," Texas Roadhouse said in its post.

Following further review of the claims, the company published a subsequent statement confirming an ongoing investigation into the matter.

"We believe it to be completely unfounded and we take every accusation toward our brand seriously. We are investigating this alleged abhorrent behavior and remain committed to treating every guest with respect, dignity, and the Legendary Service they deserve," the second post said.

The corporate office later clarified its findings in an emailed statement, confirming that no evidence had been discovered to substantiate the claims.

"Our current investigation points to this being an online hoax. We have found no credible evidence of food tampering, and the Facebook post has since been deleted. We have engaged with a third-party firm to help us attempt to locate the source of this unfounded allegation. Several online channels are stating that there is no credible evidence supporting the claims," the email said.

A representative for the company further expressed concern regarding the impact of the viral rumor on the brand's operations and staff.

"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."

Online reactions had intensified after an X account under the handle @yannaarose_ amplified the allegations to a wider audience.

"They are also licking their fingers and touching the rolls. I want this to be fake news so bad, but apparently it’s not," she claimed.

Customers expressed concern on social media, with several users stating they would avoid dining at the establishment.

"As a black woman who loves Texas Roadhouse, I will NEVER eat here again bc I cannot be sure that my food is being handled safely," one user responded to the restaurant's posts.

One of the initial X users who helped spread the rumor later retracted the post, issuing an apology and describing the allegation as a hoax. Logan's Roadhouse has not issued a public statement regarding the shared mention in the initial post.