(CBSDFW.COM/CNN) – Texas Roadhouse founder and CEO Kent Taylor died Thursday, according to a post on the restaurant’s Facebook page. He was 65 years old.
“Our community and the restaurant industry lost a legend and the Taylor family lost a wonderful son, father and grandfather this week,” said a joint statement from the Taylor and Texas Roadhouse family sent to CNN on Saturday.
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The statement said Taylor died of suicide after a battle with post-COVID-related symptoms, including severe ringing or ringing in the ear, and his suffering has increased in recent days.
Taylor funded a clinical study to help military personnel suffering from tinnitus, the statement said.
Kent Taylor, founder and CEO of Texas Roadhouse (Credit: Texas Roadhouse)
“Kent leaves an unparalleled legacy as a leader who prioritizes people, which is why he used to say that Texas Roadhouse was a company of people who happened to serve steaks,” the statement said.
“It has changed the lives of hundreds of millions of employees and guests over the past 28 years.”
Texas Roadhouse is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky. Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer tweeted on Thursday that the city “has lost a very dear and unique citizen.”
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“Kent’s kind and generous spirit was his constant driving force, whether it was helping a friend discreetly or building one of America’s big companies in @texasroadhouse,” wrote Fisher. “He was an independent entrepreneur who embodied the values of never giving up and putting others first. My deepest condolences to the Kent family and to many, many friends. “
Taylor gave up her salary from March 2020 to January 2021 and donated the funds to help frontline restaurant employees during the pandemic, CNN WAVE affiliate reported.
A company post on Facebook on Friday said, “We will miss you, Kent. Because of you and your Texas Roadhouse dream, we can say that we (love) our jobs every day. ”The post used a heart emoji instead of the word love.
Taylor came up with the idea that it would later become Texas Roadhouse on a napkin, the family statement said.
Texas Roadhouse opened in 1993, according to the company’s website, and has more than 600 locations in the United States and 10 restaurants in foreign countries. There are 15 locations in the northern Texas area.
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