Texas Roadhouse Launches Viral Math Challenge: $1 Million Reward for Solving the “Missing Number” Mystery
In an unexpected twist that’s captured the imagination of math lovers, treasure hunters, and fast-casual dining fans across the country, Texas Roadhouse has launched a nationwide challenge offering a $1 million reward to the first person who can correctly identify the missing number in a puzzling numerical sequence:
“123456789101213141517181920…”
Dubbed “The Missing Number Mystery,” the promotion is already being hailed as one of the most creative marketing stunts in recent memory—combining viral brain-teasing fun with real-world stakes. According to Texas Roadhouse’s official announcement, the challenge was conceived during a brainstorming session to celebrate the restaurant chain’s 30th anniversary.
“We wanted to do something unforgettable,” said Amanda Reece, Senior VP of Marketing at Texas Roadhouse. “Something that not only brought attention to our brand but also sparked curiosity and joy. We’re calling it the ‘Big Steak for Big Brains’ challenge.”
The seemingly simple string of numbers appears to list all integers in ascending order—1, 2, 3, 4, and so on—merged without spaces or punctuation. But upon closer inspection, sharp-eyed participants quickly noticed something odd: one number is mysteriously missing from the otherwise orderly sequence.
Mathematicians, data scientists, and puzzle enthusiasts have flooded forums, Reddit threads, and social media platforms with theories. Within 48 hours, the hashtag #MissingNumberMystery was trending nationally.
University of Chicago mathematics professor Dr. Lena Morales was among the first to weigh in. “This is more than a gimmick—it’s actually a very clever brain teaser,” she explained. “When you look at the sequence as a string of concatenated numbers, it becomes a visual and logical puzzle rather than a pure arithmetic one. Skipping just one integer subtly shifts the pattern, and recognizing that change requires acute perception.”
The puzzle, as posted by Texas Roadhouse on their website and restaurant receipts nationwide, reads:
123456789101213141517181920…
On careful review, participants noticed something strange: the number 11 is missing.
That’s right—after 10, the sequence jumps to 12. It appears seamless at first glance, but zooming in reveals the deliberate omission. Social media user @TboneTruth was the first to call it out in a viral TikTok that now has over 4.3 million views: “They straight up skipped 11! This is WILD!”
Texas Roadhouse confirmed that @TboneTruth is the official winner, verifying the correct answer and awarding him the $1 million prize live on “Good Morning America.”
The winner, 27-year-old Kyle Benson from Topeka, Kansas, said he discovered the missing number while waiting for his to-go order of ribs and cinnamon butter rolls. “I was looking at the receipt, saw the numbers printed out, and I said, ‘Hold up—where’s 11?’ The rest is history.”
As part of the celebration, Texas Roadhouse has also announced that they will rename their most popular steak entrée “The Prime 11” in honor of the challenge and have donated an additional $500,000 to math education programs across the country.
Whether it was a marketing masterstroke or a happy accident of arithmetic, Texas Roadhouse has proven that even a steakhouse can stir up a nationwide mystery—and that sometimes, all it takes to change your life is spotting what’s missing.
