Texas Roadhouse CEO and executive vice chairman Jerry Morgan has been named a 2026 Silver Plate Award winner in the Chain Full-Service category, the IFMA The Food Away from Home Association announced this week. The prestigious recognition, now in its 72nd year, honors excellence in foodservice leadership across the restaurant and hospitality industry. Morgan was nominated by The Coca-Cola Company and Ecolab, underscoring the deep industry relationships Texas Roadhouse has cultivated under his watch.
The Silver Plate Awards represent one of the foodservice industry’s longest-running honors, recognizing operators who have demonstrated sustained leadership, innovation and commitment to food excellence. For Morgan, the award arrives at a moment of remarkable momentum — Texas Roadhouse’s systemwide sales grew 7.2% in 2025 to nearly $5.9 billion, and the chain’s 2026 roadmap calls for 35 new restaurant openings alongside major technology upgrades across the network.
Morgan’s path to the top of Texas Roadhouse reflects a hands-on approach that has defined the brand since its founding 33 years ago. His leadership philosophy centers on legendary food and legendary service, with a relentless focus on high-level hospitality and value. Under his stewardship, same-store sales have increased for 60 consecutive quarters excluding the pandemic — a streak dating back to 2010 that few casual-dining brands can match.
Morgan joins an impressive class of 2026 Silver Plate honorees that includes Scott Murphy, chief brand officer of Inspire Brands and Dunkin’ brand president (Chain Limited-Service), and Chip Wade, CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group (Independent Restaurants). Other winners span healthcare, education, retail and business foodservice segments.
“For over 70 years, our association has presented Silver and Gold Plates to real innovators, industry-builders, and world-changing entrepreneurs.”
All winners will be celebrated on May 16, 2026 at the Gold & Silver Plate Awards Celebration at Chicago’s historic Union Station. At the event, the Gold Plate winner — the industry’s most prestigious individual honor — will be revealed from among the Silver Plate class. Winners are chosen from candidates nominated by suppliers and judged by a jury of trade press editors and previous award winners.
Morgan’s recognition reinforces why Texas Roadhouse remains one of the most compelling full-service franchise investment opportunities globally. The brand now operates in 10 countries with more than 820 restaurants, including a growing footprint across the Middle East through its partnership with M.H. Alshaya Co. and recent standalone openings in South Korea. For master franchise investors evaluating casual-dining opportunities, leadership stability and brand consistency of this caliber translate directly into lower operational risk and stronger unit economics.
The Silver Plate distinction adds yet another data point to Morgan’s track record as one of the most effective operators in the casual-dining segment — a meaningful signal for institutional investors conducting due diligence on the brand’s long-term franchise viability across emerging markets.
Source: Restaurant Business Online — Texas Roadhouse’s Jerry Morgan Among 2026 Silver Plate Honorees
