Texas Roadhouse Finds Viral Food Tampering Claim Was Hoax

Texas Roadhouse has concluded that a viral social media post alleging its employees planned to tamper with food served to Black customers was a hoax, finding no evidence to support the claims. The company announced the findings on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, following an internal investigation and a review by a third-party firm.

The controversy began when a post, attributed to a user named Nancy Smith in a Facebook group called "White and Proud," circulated on social media platforms including TikTok and X. The post claimed that servers and cooks at Texas Roadhouse and Logans Roadhouse were part of a group of 400,000 people planning to lick their fingers and touch food intended for Black diners. Screenshots of the post began spreading widely over the weekend of August 23, sparking outrage and calls for boycotts.

Texas Roadhouse responded on August 24 with a statement on TikTok, calling the accusations "abhorrent" and "completely unfounded." The company said it launched an immediate investigation and hired a third-party firm to examine the source of the post. On Wednesday, Chief Communications Officer Travis Doster confirmed the investigation found no evidence that employees had...