Travel
Retired couple from Virginia is traveling to every one of this restaurant chain’s locations in the USA
A retired American couple has set off on their next adventure in life: traveling to and eating at every Texas Roadhouse location in the United States.
Judy and Mike McNamara of Franklin, Virginia, have been married for 52 years. The pair fell in love with the popular American cuisine restaurant chain back in 2003 and have been fans since.
Fox News Digital spoke with Mike McNamara a few days ago while he and his bride were in Northwest Indiana on one of their two road trips of the year.
AT THIS ‘DIRTY DANCING’ NOSTALGIC FESTIVAL, FANS CAN HAVE ‘THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE’
“Last night was [No.] 433, but there’s two more after the day here, and then we’ll go to Southern Ohio and that will be [No. 437],” he said.
The 71-year-old said that he and his wife take two road trips each year with a fifth-wheel camper. Their sole purpose is to visit as many new Texas Roadhouse locations as possible.
“We go to some national parks, too, and museums, but the majority of it now is just going to visit Texas Roadhouse,” he said.
WORLD TRAVELERS GAVE UP EVERYTHING TO SEE 92 COUNTRIES AND COUNTING: ‘WHY NOT?’
Mike McNamara said the couple had visited a few locations, but when Judy McNamara retired in 2017, he realized just how many they had been to over the years.
“I looked up all [of] our credit card statements from the time she retired [back] to the first one — we’d been to 37,” he added.
From there, Mike McNamara decided to make a spreadsheet and see just how many of the roughly 650 locations they could visit.
“Since 2018, we’ve been going around the country visiting Texas Roadhouses,” he said.
PENNSYLVANIA COUPLE TRAVELING ALL OVER THE GLOBE SHARE AMAZING PHOTOS, STORIES FROM WORLD TRAVELS
While Judy McNamara tends to change her order between the chicken and shrimp, Mike McNamara said his favorite order is the six-ounce sirloin with a salad and a baked potato.
He added, “But when you’re going to them sometimes 10, 15, 20 in a row, you don’t want that every day, so I will switch back and forth from the sirloin, pork chop and chicken fritters.”
When asked why Texas Roadhouse was the couple’s chain restaurant of choice, Mike McNamara said it has a lot to do with the food — and the people.
“One, the food is good. That’s a pre-requisite for wanting to go to a restaurant,” he said.
KINDERGARTENER MISSES GRADUATION, GETS MID-FLIGHT CELEBRATION INSTEAD AS PASSENGERS CHEER
He continued, “The people are wonderful. Texas Roadhouse is a big, huge family [and] it’s unbelievable how many people we have met more than one time in our visits across this country.”
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER
Mike McNamara said that he and his wife simply “fell in love with the cooking” and said it feels like “home cooking to us.”
The closest location to the McNamaras’ home is 45 minutes away — so they only go a few times a month when they’re not traveling in the camper.
This year, the McNamaras are set to visit 80 new locations, which will bring their total to just over 500 out of the roughly 650 in total.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Texas Roadhouse, which was founded in 1993, is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky.
It’s well known for its breadbasket, which includes a cinnamon honey butter spread.
Mike McNamara said he will order a sweet potato sometimes and put the classic cinnamon honey butter on top — then use the leftover to make a dessert roll.
For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews/lifestyle
“I keep saying we’re slowing down,” Mike McNamara joked.
Fox News Digital reached out to Texas Roadhouse for comment.