Texas Roadhouse Founder And CEO Commits Suicide After Battling COVID Side Effects

Texas Roadhouse founder and CEO Kent Taylor took his own life Thursday after experiencing severe side effects from COVID-19.

According to CNN, Taylor, 65, suffered from severe tinnitus or ringing in the ears, which his family said intensified in the days before his death. 

During the pandemic, Taylor decided to give up his salary from March 2020 to January 2021 to donate the money to frontline restaurant employees.

Taylor founded Texas Roadhouse in 1993. He came up with the idea for the restaurant on a cocktail napkin. The first location opened in Lousiville, Kentucky, and grew to 537 locations across 49 states, including 10 international locations.  

“Our community and the restaurant industry lost a legend, and the Taylor family lost a wonderful son, father, and grandad this week,” Taylor’s family said a joint statement with Texas Roadhouse to CNN.

We will miss you, Kent. Because of you and your dream of Texas Roadhouse, we get to say we ❤ our jobs every day. #WeLoveYouKent #TXRHFamily #RoadhouseStrong pic.twitter.com/GZEkUJspoA

— Texas Roadhouse (@texasroadhouse) March 19, 2021