AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Roadhouse’s CEO is giving up his salary and bonuses this year to help employees during the coronavirus pandemic.
According to MarketWatch, the move affects W. Kent Taylor’s pay from March 18 through Jan. 7, 2021. His base salary and bonus will instead go to front-line workers during that time.
Taylor has a base salary of $525,000 and earned total compensation of $1.3 million in 2018, according to Louisville Business First.
MarketWatch also reported that Texas Roadhouse will suspend its dividend in an effort to conserve cash during the pandemic.
In a message on the chain’s website, Taylor said Texas Roadhouse locations would remain open for To-Go and Curbside services because “restaurants play a vital role in our nation’s food supply, and we are going to help fill the gap where and how we can.”
Texas Roadhouse restaurants are also offering special family packs for order; some have turned their parking lots into drive-thrus in response to prohibitions on offering dine-in meals.