Why Does Texas Have Its Own Style of Toast?

It’s no secret that Texas embraces the saying “everything is bigger in Texas,” and Texas Toast fits that idea perfectly. But the origins of this beloved Lone Star State staple are more than just a clever name. Texas Toast was born in 1941 at a Pig Stand restaurant in Beaumont, a city that played host to one of America’s earliest drive-in dining chains. At its peak in the 1940s, Pig Stand boasted over 100 locations across the country and is also credited with inventing the onion ring.

The story of Texas Toast began with a bakery order gone slightly off course. Restaurant manager Royce Hailey requested bread slices cut at ¾ of an inch—thicker than the typical slices of the day. However, there was one problem: the new bread didn’t fit in the restaurant’s toasters. Since Pig Stand’s sandwiches and barbecue dishes traditionally featured toasted bread, the staff needed an alternative.

Enter Wiley W.W. Cross, a quick-thinking line cook. He slathered the oversized slices with butter, placed them directly on the grill, and toasted them to golden perfection. The result was a thick, buttery slice of bread with a crispy, caramelized exterior—a creation that would soon become known as Texas Toast.

Today, the name refers to both the bread itself (thick-cut white bread) and the method of preparation (buttery, griddled toasting). Texas Toast has since become an American classic, joining the ranks of other iconic Texas-born dishes like chicken-fried steak, queso, and chili. Its simplicity and versatility make it a star at barbecues, diners, and dinner tables across the country.