Texas Roadhouse’s famous Honey Cinnamon Buttery Spread is getting a closer look after a viral video questioned what’s actually in it. For fans who swear by those dreamy, warm rolls and whipped topping, the ingredient breakdown caught plenty of people off guard.
In a viral video posted April 7, physician Paul Saladino, MD, zoomed in on the popular table staple. He pointed out that it isn’t just butter.
He reveals the ingredients in this TikTok from @paulsaladinomd2:
@paulsaladinomd2 This is disgusting 🤢
♬ original sound – Paul Saladino
So is he right? According to the chain’s Nutritionix allergen guide, the spread is listed as a butter blend that includes artificial butter flavor, butter, buttermilk, soybean oil, and palm oil, along with honey and cinnamon.
This is how it appears in the Nutritionix guide:
Source: Texas Roadhouse via Nutritionix

The revelation quickly made the rounds on social media. A longtime Texas Roadhouse employee jumped in on TikTok to add context, saying, “I’ve worked seven years at Texas Roadhouse in many different positions. We don’t use butter, we use margarine, but margarine with real honey and real cinnamon.”
The news struck a nerve with some fans who assumed they were getting traditional dairy butter on those freshly baked rolls. On X, user @TheIllix wrote, “Dang! I never knew! The restaurants should have to disclose stuff like this!” And on Instagram, @bracilanewellness reacted with a simple, “Noooo, I didn’t need to know this.”
Related: Copycat Texas Roadhouse Butter Recipe
Others, however, weren’t fazed. On TikTok, @ThatGuy summed up the mood for plenty of fans: “Texas Roadhouse is too good for me to care. If I have to die eating delicious food, so be it!”
And the version sold in stores? It is labeled as dairy-free. Retailers like Walmart sell a Texas Roadhouse Honey Cinnamon Whipped Buttery Spread (7.35-ounce tub). The label notes it is inspired by the “famous honey cinnamon butter” served in restaurants, not the exact same product. Its ingredient list includes soybean oil, water, honey, palm oils, cinnamon, and additional stabilizers and preservatives.
Texas Roadhouse Steaks Also Come Under Scrutiny
Saladino didn’t stop at the butter. In the same video, he also said Texas Roadhouse cooks and seasons its steaks with seed oils and MSG unless guests request otherwise. The chain’s Nutritionix allergen guide lists soy across its steak items, though it does not specify the exact source or cooking method. While full ingredient details aren’t provided beyond the cut of steak, the guide does note that the prime rib au jus contains monosodium glutamate.
Whether you’re team “I didn’t need to know this” or team “pass the rolls anyway,” one thing is clear: those warm, honey-cinnamon-slathered rolls still have a loyal following. And as Saladino himself noted, it’s not necessarily about avoiding places like this altogether, “the key here is just knowing that at places like this, you can ask for better ingredients.”
Texas Roadhouse has long emphasized its scratch kitchen approach, and in his case, he said the restaurant prepared his meal exactly as requested.
