The Texas Roadhouse restaurant chain, headquartered in Louisville, does about $6 billion annually. A partner/operator of one of the restaurants makes about $300,000, but can go above $500,000.

There's one five minutes up the road from us, and they don't take reservations. There's usually a long wait. My wife and I dine out every day, and it was early so we tried our luck. The restaurant is huge, and we were quickly seated. The ribs are great, the wide variety of really good steaks are under $40, and the menu can take you through an entire margarita. There's something for everyone.

But  most impressive is the outstanding service and courtesy. Everyone is attentive. Even the bussers establish eye contact and welcome you and/or thank you for coming. A manager always stops by the table during the meal to ask if all is well. You can view the steaks and choose what you prefer before you order. When I mentioned how great the service is last night, The manager said, “You need great food and great service. You can't have one without the other.”

They list ALL their management team by position on the door outside.

This kind of experience, so relatively rare today, reflects great management at all levels, including in Louisville.

And I'll tell you, the ribs are fantastic!