Texas Roadhouse mashed potatoes are buttery, skin-on whipped potatoes served as one of the free sides with any entrée. Ordered alone they typically run about $3.50 to $5.50, and the loaded version adds cheese, bacon and scallions for a small upcharge.
What Texas Roadhouse mashed potatoes are
Texas Roadhouse mashed potatoes are whipped russet potatoes made in-house daily with butter and cream, left slightly rustic with visible skin flecks rather than blended smooth. They arrive in a small bowl, usually topped with brown gravy unless you ask otherwise.
Texture is what people either love or complain about. These are not instant-flake potatoes and not a dense steakhouse purée either: soft, a little loose, salted assertively, glossy with butter. Because they are batched through the day, consistency swings between a 5pm table and a 9pm table.
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| What it is | Skin-on whipped russet potatoes, butter and cream, house-made daily |
| Menu category | Sides (part of the two-free-sides entrée bundle) |
| Standard portion | Single side bowl, roughly 6-8 oz depending on the scoop |
| Served with | Brown gravy ladled on top by default; ask for it on the side or omitted |
| Typical à la carte price | Around $3.50-$5.50; free when paired with an entrée |
| Typical calories | Roughly 170-260 per side depending on gravy and portion |
| Loaded upgrade | Cheese, bacon bits and scallions for a modest upcharge at most locations |
| Kids version | Available as a kids side at a smaller portion |
Price and how the free-side rule works
Most diners never pay for mashed potatoes at Texas Roadhouse. Entrées include two sides and mashed potatoes are in the no-upcharge group, so the only real price question is what a standalone or extra order costs, typically in the mid-single digits.
There is no single national price list and side pricing moves with market. Treat the ranges below as planning figures, then confirm on your location’s menu in the app.
| How you order it | What to expect |
|---|---|
| With any steak, ribs or chicken entrée | Included as one of your two sides, no extra charge |
| À la carte side order | Roughly $3.50-$5.50 in most markets |
| Loaded upgrade | Usually about $1-$2 over the plain side |
| Extra third side added to an entrée | Charged at the standard side price |
| Kids meal side | Included with the kids entrée price |
Airport, resort and high-cost metro locations price above these ranges, and franchise stores set their own numbers. That is why two restaurants an hour apart can differ by a dollar on the same bowl.
Calories and nutrition
A side of Texas Roadhouse mashed potatoes lands in the low-to-mid 200s of calories for most people, driven mostly by butter and gravy. It is one of the lighter starches on the menu, well under a loaded baked potato, but sodium is high because the potatoes are salted hard and the gravy adds more.
The chain publishes nutrition information on its website and prints calorie counts on menus where required. If you track closely, treat the printed number at your location as the authority over any third-party figure, this page included.
- Lower the count: order gravy on the side and use half. Gravy is a meaningful share of both calories and sodium here.
- Raise it fast: the loaded version adds cheese and bacon and can push the bowl past 400 calories.
- Free rolls factor in: the bread and cinnamon butter arriving first usually outweighs the potatoes. Budget for that.
Loaded mashed potatoes explained
Texas Roadhouse loaded mashed potatoes are the same base potatoes topped with shredded cheese, bacon bits and green onion, mirroring the loaded baked potato treatment. Availability is not universal, so it shows on some location menus and not others.
If your store does not list it, servers will often build it anyway by adding the loaded-baked-potato toppings to the mashed bowl. That is a workaround rather than a guaranteed policy, and the upcharge depends on the store.
Worth knowing: the cheese does not melt evenly into hot mashed potatoes the way it does on a split baked potato. Stir it in as soon as the bowl hits the table.
How to order them well
The single highest-value request is gravy on the side. Default service ladles brown gravy over the top, which softens the potatoes further and dominates the butter flavor. Asking for it separate lets you control both texture and salt.
- “No gravy, extra butter” gets you a cleaner, richer bowl that works better next to a well-seasoned sirloin.
- Pair with something saucy or fatty: country fried steak, pulled pork, ribs and the grilled chicken with sauce all work. Mashed next to a plain grilled chicken breast is a bland plate.
- Do not double up on starch. Mashed plus fries plus rolls is three starches before the steak arrives. Green beans or a house salad balance the plate better as your second free side.
- Takeout note: mashed potatoes travel better than fries and reheat well with a splash of milk stirred through.
- Ask for a fresh batch if you are dining late. Staff generally accommodate it when a new batch is close.
Worth it? Mashed vs baked vs sweet potato
As a free side, mashed potatoes are a solid default: consistent, filling and hard to get wrong. Paid à la carte at around $4, they are less compelling than a baked potato, which delivers more food for the same slot.
| Side | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Mashed potatoes | Soaking up gravy and steak juices; kids; easy eating | Softest option on the plate, salt-forward |
| Baked potato | Bigger portion, better with butter and sour cream | Can arrive underdone or held too long late in service |
| Sweet potato | Sweet contrast to salty steak, often the crowd favorite | With marshmallow or brown sugar it eats like dessert |
The honest verdict: order mashed potatoes when your entrée has sauce or gravy, and switch to a baked or sweet potato when it does not.
Gravy, brown gravy and the vegetarian question
The brown gravy served on Texas Roadhouse mashed potatoes is meat-based, which matters for vegetarian diners. Ordering the potatoes without gravy removes that issue, but the potatoes themselves contain dairy and are not vegan.
No menu guide can confirm preparation details store by store. If this is a dietary requirement rather than a preference, ask the manager to check the ingredient sheet, not just the menu description.
Honest limitations of this page
This is an independent guide, not Texas Roadhouse. No exact national price exists for this side because pricing is set locally, so every figure above is a researched range rather than a quote.
- Portion size shifts with whoever holds the scoop; there is no published weight for a side of mashed potatoes.
- Loaded mashed potatoes are not on every location’s menu and may be an off-menu build at yours.
- Nutrition figures are approximate. Use the chain’s official nutrition page or the calorie counts printed on your local menu.
- To confirm anything on this page, check your location’s menu in the Texas Roadhouse app or call the store. Both take under two minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Does Texas Roadhouse have mashed potatoes?
Yes. Mashed potatoes are a standard side at every Texas Roadhouse and one of the free side choices included with entrées. They are made in-house daily and served with brown gravy unless you request otherwise.
Are Texas Roadhouse mashed potatoes free with an entrée?
Yes. Entrées come with two sides and mashed potatoes are in the no-upcharge group, so you can pick them at no additional cost. Ordering them separately or as a third side is charged at the standard side price.
How much are mashed potatoes at Texas Roadhouse?
À la carte they typically run about $3.50 to $5.50 depending on the market, with high-cost metro and airport locations sitting above that. Prices are set locally, so confirm on your restaurant’s menu in the app.
Do Texas Roadhouse mashed potatoes come with gravy?
Yes, brown gravy is ladled over the top by default. You can ask for gravy on the side or leave it off entirely at no charge, which is worth doing if you want the butter flavor to come through.
Does Texas Roadhouse have loaded mashed potatoes?
Some locations list loaded mashed potatoes with cheese, bacon and scallions. Where it is not on the menu, servers will often add the loaded baked potato toppings to a mashed bowl as an add-on. Ask about the upcharge first.
How many calories are in Texas Roadhouse mashed potatoes?
A standard side generally lands in the low-to-mid 200s of calories, with gravy accounting for a meaningful share. The loaded version can exceed 400. Check the calorie count printed on your local menu for the accurate figure.
Are Texas Roadhouse mashed potatoes vegetarian?
The potatoes contain dairy and the brown gravy is meat-based, so order them without gravy if you avoid meat. They are not vegan. For a strict dietary requirement, ask the manager to check the ingredient sheet at your location.
Are mashed potatoes or a baked potato the better side?
Mashed potatoes win next to gravy-heavy or saucy entrées like country fried steak and ribs. A baked potato gives you more food and better texture alongside a plain grilled steak or chicken, and is the better value if you are paying à la carte.
Related guides
- Browse the full Texas Roadhouse menu with current prices by section.
- Check the Early Dine deals that include two sides for the cheapest way to get a full plate.
- See what the midday lunch portions include before you order sides.
- Planning takeout? Compare to-go pricing and packaging first.