New eatery lines up fun

Employees of Texas Roadhouse are honing their dancing skills each week, as they prepare for the opening of the new East County eatery, which is slated to open May 27, Memorial Day, at 5710 Ranch Lake Blvd., Bradenton.

Servers at the restaurant, which specializes in steaks and ribs, will perform a line dance for their guests every 45 minutes, as part of normal festivities.

Texas Roadhouse Managing Partner Alan Hansen said employees are practicing the dances each week, during a meeting and staff barbecue.

Each Texas Roadhouse has a chance to send a team of employees to compete annually in a national line-dancing competition against other restaurant teams, if they qualify.

Hansen says 200 new hires will train May 18 through May 25, for the grand-opening.

“We’re really excited to open here,” Hansen said. “We’re very community driven, so we love that our location is so close to homes.”

Tips from two invitation-only preview nights benefit local charities.