Outback Steakhouse suddenly closed its restaurants in multiple states. The stores, some of which had been open for more than 35 years, closed seemingly overnight. The closings do not appear to be related to the 41 restaurant closures announced by Outback Steakhouse parent company Bloomin’ Brands in February 2024. Bloomin’ Brands also owns Bonefish Grill, Carrabba’s Italian Grill and Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar.
Local media reported closures in six states: Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, New York, Maryland and Wisconsin. Some restaurants have been open for decades, including a 35-year-old restaurant in Florida and a 24-year-old restaurant in Alabama, while others are only a year old, including one in Maryland.
As of now, the following Outback Steakhouse locations are closed:
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Birmingham, Alabama: 20th Street North at 20 Midtown
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Birmingham, Alabama: Inverness on US 280
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Jacksonville Beach, FL: 3760 South 3rd Street
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Naples, Florida: 4910 US 41 North
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Baton Rouge, Louisiana: Jones Creek Boulevard
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Silver Spring, MD: Ellsworth Place Mall, 8661 Colesville Road
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Merrick, NY: 2124 Merrick Mall
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Madison, Wisconsin: 4520 E. Towne Boulevard*
*Bonefish Grill (7345 Mineral Point Road) in Madison, Wisconsin is also closed.
“These business decisions are part of our ongoing turnaround plan,” Bloomin’ Brands spokesperson Elizabeth Daly told USA TODAY in a statement. “We considered a variety of factors, including sales and traffic, trade areas and potential investments to improve performance.”
Dailey also told Allrecipes that employees working at closed restaurants will be given the opportunity to move to open positions at nearby restaurants when possible, and everyone will receive a transition bonus.
A Reddit user who identified himself as a Madison Outback employee posted that the closure came as a surprise, writing: “This is so sudden. I told some of my regulars that I couldn’t wait to see them again on Sunday night, but 12 hours later, I was out of a job.”
At the Silver Spring store, some customers only learned the store was closed from a “Now Closed” note on the door.
Read the original article on Allrecipes
