Texas Roadhouse has gained popularity thanks to its combination of low prices and savory steaks. Not only does Texas Roadhouse have an extensive menu of steaks (all of which we have ranked), but it’s cost-efficient to the point that you can turn a Texas Roadhouse order into a week of meal prep. By catering to the tastes as well as wallets of nearly any and everyone, Texas Roadhouse has paved the road to success.
It isn’t just steak either; Texas Roadhouse has an impressive drink list, including a set of unique and refreshing cocktails that pair and contrast with the steaks so well. One of the most prominent was the Kenny’s Cooler, a cocktail named after and inspired by country singer Kenny Chesney. Known for his more laidback and tropical-inspired style, his cocktail pays proper tribute to his career thanks to the combined flavors of coconut rum, peach schnapps, blue curacao syrup, sweet and sour, and lemonade garnished with a cherry and an orange slice.
The drink was launched as an exclusive for the chain in collaboration with Kenny Chesney and Blue Chair Bay Rum. With a serving size of 17 ounces and a price tag of only $6.50, it’s easy to see why this drink went on to become one of the most popular in the history of Texas Roadhouse. However, if you go to a Texas Roadhouse today, you won’t find a drink called Kenny’s Cooler on the menu anymore.
What happened to the Kenny Chesney Cooler?
Initially released in 2016, Kenny’s Cooler was available in 476 restaurants all across America. Along with using the namesake, the drink utilized Chesney’s own rum company. The singer’s popularity, along with the drink’s deliciousness and cheap price, quickly made it a favorite among customers. Plus, it also just had an enticingly bright blue color that was so inviting on hot summer nights.
Kenny’s Cooler remained popular for several years and gathered a fan base to the point that people started making copycat recipes of it. However, after 2020, the drink’s popularity began to dwindle. Little is documented about why it became less relevant over time, but fewer and fewer mentions of the drink cropped up.
Eventually, and for reasons that have yet to be given, the name of the drink changed from Kenny’s Cooler to Island Cooler. The ingredients list is still the same, save for the rum which is now Parrot Bay branded, so the overall experience is still pretty close to the original. Still, if you want to try Kenny’s Color as it once was, you can always recreate it at home with Blue Chair Bay Rum, of course; bonus points if you pair it with homemade copycat Texas Roadhouse ranch on some home-cooked steaks.
