(small hijack)
Well look at that. I’ve been on this board for over 14 years, and I just passed the 5000th post mark. Yay Me. 
The Ground Round that I went to as a kid caught fire because of the peanut debris on the floor. I wouldn’t be surprised if that was the main reason the practice has declined considerably in recent years.
The ad does feel like a bold attempt to start a “Crap on the walls=creepy” meme or whatever it’s called. It’s silly, ugly, dated, inauthentic, lame, and kind of inexplicable. But it’s not creepy.
Yeah they used to have animal heads and butts on the walls and a lot of trashy designs. They cut it back. Way back.
(Also Atlanta)
From http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/rare-hospitality-international-inc-history/:
Several restaurant chains do the peanut shells on the floor thing. I’ve never thought it was creepy. It’s supposed to add to the atmosphere as a sort of novelty for restaurant-goers.
As for Texas Roadhouse, it entirely depends on your local franchise. Some are actually quite decent and clean, but I’ve been to one that was not satisfactory. Much like other chains, in that regard.
Keep in mind, I love Cracker Barrel. 
I went to a southern-styled steakhouse in my hometown a few times in my teen years (don’t remember which chain) and I liked it. The peanut shells never bothered me. It was pretty cool to chuck them on the floor. I can see how the paranoia about nut allergies might cause this practice to go by the wayside, but it’s not “creepy.” It’s also not hard to clean up. Every restaurant sweeps up and mops at the end of the night, right? At least, the ones I’ve worked in always did.
The TR near us has a lot of dead animals, on the wall, on counter tops, etc. I had a a dusty armadillo just over my shoulder. And while they do indeed put a pail on the table for shells, there are a lot on the floor and I saw many kids and a few adults adding to the mess after cracking them open with their teeth.
may have just been the local one, but I’ll never eat in one again just to be sure.
I think Longhorn is taking a stab at Bugaboo Creek. It’s a steak house chain with a backwoods hunting cabin decor. Its mascot is a talking moose head that’s prominently placed over a fireplace. They also have a lot of faux taxidermy scattered about – a bear, raccoons, squirrels, beavers, etc. Some of them are animatronically rigged, like a raccoon suddenly poking his head out of a faux log, for example.
I haven’t eaten there in years, but I don’t remember ever having a bad meal there. I’ve never been impressed with Longhorn.
Bugaboo Creek, that’s the place I was thinking about. Not creepy, just … dumb.
And Bugaboo Creek is owned by Longhorn…
Huh. And I’ve been on the board the exact same length of time and just passed the 3000 post mark. Coincidence?
Oh, and Marietta btw…
Maybe I’m some dumb California faux-hipster, but how exactly do peanut shells strewn all over the floor “add atmosphere” to an eating establishment? “Gee, just like Mom let us do back at home!”?!?
Weird. I’ve never encountered this bizarre tradition, but wouldn’t call it creepy. Just extremely off-putting.
Years ago, we had a Dick’s Last Resort here in Atlanta. Decorations similar to TGI Friday’s with strange crap on the wall and ceilings.
Not only peanut shells on the floor, but the atmosphere and theme of the whole place is chaos, insults, and general frat-boy behavior. There are stacks of napkins on each table. Not a dozen for you wipe your mouth. No, hundreds of napkins for the sole purpose of wadding them up and throwing them at people. Your friends, other tables, the waiters - you name it.
The nice waitress would come by, put her hand on your shoulder or back and ask if you needed another drink or more food. Only later would you find that she stuck a rude or obnoxious sign on your back. They would make paper hats and make customers wear them with vulgarities written on them. They would do this to everyone throughout the night, with peanuts, napkins, cups and more flying around the room all night.
It’s what you imagine a keg party at the -insert your fraternity here - house would be like at UGA, UF, or ASU! Total chaos every night.
They’re no longer in business, but it was an interesting place.
And you’re #97 and I’m #157. Now THAT’S creeeeeeppyyy! Way more creepy than peanut shells on the floor (Hey I’m trying to keep it relevant.)
I don’t think it’s exactly trying to remind you of home. More like an old steak house from the late 1800s. It wouldn’t surprise me to see peanut shells here: http://bit.ly/XEfARL
Yea I’ve been in countless places where either the entire dining area or the bar floor was covered in peanut shells, ditto on the dusty taxidermy on the walls.
I think they are just lampooning the general steak house stereotype.
Also the ad reminds me of when Lows had an add saying they had wide and well lit aisles, as opposed to old fashioned hardware stores and Home Depot.
Peanut shells aren’t creepy. In my youth we visited a palce that served pigs feet the same way other places serve peanuts. They both make the customers thirsty so they buy more beer. I don’t remember throwing the bones on the floor, thank goodness.
Just when you think you know all about American culture there are peanut shells all over the restaurant floor.
I third this - also from Atlanta. Before Longhorn reinvented itself to be upscale, all the restaurants were rustic, with license plates and animal heads on the walls, and peanut shells on the floor. There was one on Peachtree Road, in the vicinity between Collier and Peachtree Battle, and another in east Cobb between near Johnson Ferry and lower Roswell Road. The east Cobb one is still there (all redone), but the one on Peachtree vanished some time ago, I believe.
All of us in Atlanta probably remember it that way because the chain originated here. I think the Peachtree location was the first one.
George McCarrow left Longhorn and helped Ted Turner found Ted’s Montana Grill, which I think also has a buffalo head on the wall.
Not anymore.
Longhorn and Bugaboo were both owned by Rare, Inc as of mid 2000’s. Then the late 2000’s (maybe 2008?) Longhorn was bought by Darden, who also owns Red Lobster and Olive Garden. IIRC, Bugaboo wasn’t part of the deal.
And yeah, Longhorn used to be more “rustic,” with dead animals on the walls, possibly peanuts and whatnot on the floor. But the past couple of years they’ve started a big campaign to re-brand themselves, remodeling all of their stores, new ad campaigns, menu changes, etc…
~Bouv, former Longhorn employee.
In the Colton’s Steakhouse I’ve been too, the entire decor is rustic, to look like an old timey saloon. The peanuts on the floor add to that feeling, making it feel like we’re so far back in the past that floor sanitation wasn’t that big a deal. Peanuts were served, and since you didn’t have a trash can, you’d throw them on the floor, and someone would come and sweep them up. Your feet were going to be dirty from coming in from outside, so it’s not like the floor was clean anyway.
I can understand this being creepy to germaphobes, but not for most people. Then again, I equate creepy with vaguely scary, and not just with “something doesn’t seem right.” The dead stuffed animals would be far more creepy than the peanuts.