W Kent Taylor

Taylor was the founder of Texas Roadhouse, Inc. a full-service, casual dining restaurant chain (NASDAQ: TXRH). He served as Chief Executive Officer of Texas Roadhouse from 2000 until 2004, and served as its executive Chairman since 2004. After a battle with post-Covid related symptoms, including severe tinnitus, Kent Taylor took his own life this week," Taylor's family said in a company-issued statement Friday March 19 2021. Before founding the Texas Roadhouse concept in 1993, Taylor founded and co-owned Buckhead Bar and Grill in Louisville, Kentucky. He earned his Bachelor of Science from the University of North Carolina, which he attended on a track scholarship. Before founding his restaurant, he worked at KFC, Bennigan's, and Hooters of America, according to Pitchbook.