National Steakhouse Month is celebrated in June to commemorate our love for steak. The reason why it is a month and not a day is perhaps because a day isn’t enough to enjoy steaks. Americans love a good steakhouse. And the proof for this is the fact that you can visit almost any city or town in America and find at least one local steakhouse restaurant. You may love steak but how much do you know about it? Well, here’s some interesting information to get you going.
History of National Steakhouse Month
National Steakhouse Month is sponsored by Morton’s The Steakhouse, a very popular fine-dining steak restaurant with a worldwide reach.
While the steak may appear to be an all-American dish, it gets its name from the mid-15th century Scandinavian word ‘steik,’ which means ‘meat on a stick’ or ‘roast on a spit.’ It was made popular in Florence, Italy.
The history of steakhouses begins with the appearance of chophouses, old English ‘restaurants,’ in London in the late 1600s. These were places where the local workers would come to have their meals and were open only to men. They got the name ‘chophouse’ because of the way they served chopped meat or beef.
The early American steakhouses were influenced by ‘beefsteak banquets’ in the mid-1800s that were more of an upper-class dining experience. Beefsteak banquets were the place for the celebration of political wins and business successes. They belonged to the gentlemen of New York City and were a way for them to express their wealth. Beefsteak banquets, like chophouses, were men-only affairs.
Finally, out of the working-class chophouses and the elite beefsteak banquets, the U.S.-style steakhouse arose in the mid-1800s. And the first steakhouses came into being in New York’s Meatpacking District.
What set steakhouses apart from chophouses were their cleanliness and a more civilized environment. They were also different from beefsteak banquets in that they welcomed women and families, too. And, before long, they became a place for the common people to celebrate and socialize.
National Steakhouse Month timeline
Delmonico’s restaurant opens in New York City, which is known as “the most famous steak restaurant in American history,” and stays open for almost 100 years.
Old Homestead Steakhouse is established in Manhattan, New York City, which is the oldest operating steakhouse in the U.S.
James Salisbury, an American doctor, invents Salisbury steak during the Civil War and the term ‘Salisbury steak’ is popularized in the U.S. in 1897.
George McKerrow Jr. turns an X-rated video- and bookstore into the first LongHorn Steakhouse restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia — it becomes one of the most popular steakhouse restaurant chains in the U.S.
National Steakhouse Month FAQs
Why are steakhouses so expensive?
Steakhouses are expensive because they offer high-quality beef, which, most of the time, is also dry-aged.
What is the tenderest steak?
One of the tenderest, most sought-after steaks is filet mignon or tenderloin.
What's the difference between a steakhouse and a chophouse?
Technically, a chophouse is a subset of the larger steakhouse group. At a chophouse, you will find many other meat entrees on the menu along with meats like mutton chops and lamb kidneys. The concept of the chophouse came about in the 1690s in London when restaurants decided to experiment with chops of meat.
How To Celebrate National Steakhouse Month
Share your recipes
Share your favorite beef recipes on social media. Tag your favorite neighborhood place that offers the best steak. Who knows, others might start making it, too!
Offer recommendations
If you have had a good steak from a restaurant, take a photo of the dish and share it with your family and friends on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Peer recommendations are always appreciated by restaurants.
Capture a steak cooking video
It isn't as difficult as you may think. All you need is a camera, someone to hold it while you do your thing and cook a tender steak, and voila! Don't forget to share it on social media.
5 Facts About Steak That Will Blow Your Mind
Tongs for steak
Using tongs instead of a fork helps preserve the flavor of a steak, as piercing it with a fork results in the loss of the juice.
A year of steak
The average person in America consumes around 50 pounds of beef in a year.
Costliest steak
The world’s most coveted steak is Kobe beef, a Japanese form of Wagyu steak, and costs approximately $200 per pound.
Longest steak
On May 14, 2002, Jean-Yves Renard and a group of butchers, from Evron, France, made the longest steak ever, which measured 90.81 feet long.
Largest steak
The largest steak available commercially is a rump steak at The Kestrel Inn in Derbyshire, the U.K., which weighs 200 oz.
Why We Love National Steakhouse Month
It promotes steakhouses
The month-long celebration is to recognize and promote the art of expert steak grilling. It also celebrates the culture of American steakhouses.
It promotes steak
Steak is a rich source of iron along with other proteins, vitamins, and minerals. It improves muscle maintenance and growth and adds to everyday functioning. National Steakhouse Month, in a way, celebrates the contribution of steak to our health.
Steakhouses offer great dining experiences
National Steakhouse Month is celebrated to acknowledge steakhouses the great dining experiences they offer. Be it for anniversaries, birthdays, or any other celebratory event, steakhouses are a popular and worthy choice to celebrate a special occasion.
National Steakhouse Month dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | June 1 | Sunday |
| 2026 | June 1 | Monday |
| 2027 | June 1 | Tuesday |
| 2028 | June 1 | Thursday |
| 2029 | June 1 | Friday |
