Is a Texas Roadhouse restaurant coming to Hattiesburg?

No, according to company officials — despite repeated social media rumors.

In March, a user on Reddit, a popular social news aggregator, announced that the popular steakhouse chain was opening a Hattiesburg location on U.S. 49. The thread attracted a significant amount of interest — and claims about the eatery’s Hattiesburg location quickly spread on other social media networks, including Facebook.

After a Lamar County reader asked “What Is True?” about this viral claim, Roy Howard Community Journalism Center researchers contacted the restaurant’s corporate office to determine if and when the Hattiesburg location would open.

Their response? “We don’t currently have anything on our end indicating an opening in Hattiesburg.”

Sorry to disappoint you all, readers, but, hey, maybe there’s still hope for hot rolls and great Texas Roadhouse food in the Hub City in the future.

Remember, don’t trust everything you see on the internet — and keep in mind our simple media literacy tips to help avoid misinformation and disinformation.

“What Is True?” is a media literacy initiative dedicated to investigating false and misleading information. Our team fact-checks claims, provides context and helps the public navigate today’s complex news landscape. Submit your claim.