Why Does Texas Have Its Own Toast?

Texas toast is a well-known side that was created in a state known for big, bold, and unique comfort foods. It's thicker than the average bread slice, and is buttered on both sides before being tossed on the grill or griddle. The story of Texas toast and the state it hails from is much more than a name.

Texas toast was created in 1941 at a Pig Stand restaurant in Beaumont. As the story goes, the restaurant manager Royce Hailey changed his bakery order one day. Instead of bread sliced in the normal thin slices, Hailey asked for at 3⁄4 of an inch.



Once the bread arrived, it was too big for the toasters. The Pig Stand toasted its bread for the sandwiches and other barbecue dishes, so the thicker bread had to be toasted somehow. That's when a line cook named Wiley W.

W. Cross took a piece of thick bread, slathered both sides with butter and placed it on the grill to cook — that bread was named Texas toast. The public respect for The Pig Stand and its innovations have worked to preserve the name Texas toast.

The Pig Stand opened in 1921 and was the first to create "carhops" to cater to the diners at the vehicles. It grew to quickly become the first franchise restaurant in the U.S.

The Pig Stand has also been credited at creating onion rings and the chicken fried steak. How the food industry helped preserve the name The name Texas Toast became synonymous with barbecue in Texas. It's now found in grocery stores and restaurant chains across the US.

Texas toast isn't just the named of the thick toast found the state, it's the name of the thicker than standard bread that becomes Texas toast. This trend may be credited to the bread manufacturing industry. Bread manufacturers like Sunbeam, Lewis Bake Shop and even have kept the name "Texas toast" for their 3⁄4 inch to an inch thick, un-toasted, bread line.

The store brands like Great Value even have Texas toast style bread. Keeping the name for the thicker style of sliced bread has helped keep the name of the toast alive today. This is helped by restaurants like , Whataburger, Dairy Queen and others that have menu items that include Texas toast.

It's used in patty melts, breakfast sandwiches, and even as a side to chicken tenders and fries like those on the Cane's menu. These restaurants have helped embed the name into the culture. Today, folks as far away as Indiana will tell you that a 3⁄4 inch wide piece of bread is Texas toast, whether its toasted or not! Recommended.