A student sparked a big online debate after posting a video of herself using a Texas Roadhouse booth as a personal study space. Lilianna Elle, a lifestyle content creator known as @theliliannaelle on TikTok, posted a video of herself working on a tablet in a restaurant booth while snacking on the chain’s famous bread rolls.
She claims that by ordering an appetizer and a drink, she got a workspace for just $15, getting “unlimited rolls and drink refills, [an] appetizer and free wifi for $15.” The TikTok video pulled in more than 5 million views, but many people were not happy about it, especially those in the service industry. The main issue is that servers are given a set number of tables, and their income depends on how fast those tables turn over.
According to Brobible, when someone sits in a booth for hours to study, they are stopping paying customers from sitting down, which takes money out of the server’s pocket. The reaction was quick and critical. One person commented, “i’m not even a server and this pissed me off.” Another added, “Texas roadhouse standards wants you to usually turn a table around 45mins-1hour. you also only get three tables. if you’re not tipping a decent hourly wage, go to a cafe.”
Camping out at a restaurant booth for hours is not as clever as it seems
Beyond the debate about fairness to servers, there are also practical reasons why Texas Roadhouse is a poor choice for studying. These locations are generally loud and full of energy, which is the opposite of a quiet study space.
They also do not typically offer easy access to charging ports for your devices. Texas has seen its share of restaurant-related controversies lately, including a case where a Texas worker who exposed a health violation ended up facing backlash himself.
On top of that, Texas Roadhouse locations hold hourly line dancing performances, which makes for a very chaotic environment if you are trying to focus on a difficult assignment. The music is loud, the crowd is lively, and the overall vibe is designed for people to have a fun dining experience, not sit quietly and study. So while the $15 deal might sound appealing on the surface, the setting itself works strongly against you.
It is true that most Texas Roadhouse locations offer free Wi-Fi and bottomless bread rolls as long as you have ordered something. However, the free Wi-Fi at a busy restaurant is rarely reliable enough for serious work, and the constant noise and movement around you makes it hard to concentrate.
The general opinion from commenters is that this is simply not a good place for a long study session, no matter how budget-friendly it seems. One comment wrote, “i get that. just dont stay there forever. texas roadhouse servers are only allowed to have 3 tables.”
If someone is truly set on staying at a restaurant for an extended time, commenters suggest that tipping generously is the least they can do. One viewer said that a $25 tip for every hour spent at the table would be the bare minimum needed to make up for the lost table turnover.
Texas has also been in the news recently for far more serious reasons, such as the story of a Texas mom arrested after her toddler drowned under shocking circumstances. In the end, many people are advising students to stick to coffee shops or libraries instead, so they are not affecting a server’s ability to earn a living.
Published: May 18, 2026 12:52 pm