The Floridian Origins Of Outback Steakhouse

When you think of Outback Steakhouse, visions of boomerangs, Bloomin' Onions, chicken on the barbie, and an overall exaggerated version of Australian swagger probably swim in your head. One might assume the chain began somewhere far, far away from the United States — like, in actual Australia. In reality, Outback Steakhouse is a distinctly American creation that got its start in Tampa, Florida. The Gulf Coast city has been home to Outback since 1988, when it was founded by four friends and entrepreneurs. At the time, like much of middle America, Florida's dining scene was crowded with seafood shacks, Italian-American chains, and fast food drive-thrus. 

In a 2013 Tampa Bay Times interview, bartender Rich Menendez remarked that the first Outback Steakhouse was a unique creation, noting, "Back then, South Tampa didn't have any restaurants that were like this, casual dining restaurants. You'd have to go to Chili's on Dale Mabry, up near the stadium, or Bennigan's." The very first Outback was set up in a former bar, with the four founders scraping together reclaimed wood for the floor and scrambling through antique stores for the Aussie-inspired décor. 

From the beginning, Outback's "Australian" identity was really more aesthetic than authentic. None of the founders were actually Australian, but at least they didn't get too obvious and try to put Florida's swamp chicken on the menu. One could argue that the Sunshine State, with its tourism-driven economy and commitment to themed experiences, was the perfect place to host this kind of schtick. Said schtick apparently worked, because there are now more than 670 locations in the U.S. alone, as well as restaurants in 19 other countries.

By the early 1990s, Outback went public, and the chain began to expand way beyond Florida. Now operating under a holding company called Bloomin' Brands Inc., it's been joined by other chain restaurants like Fleming's Prime Steakhouse, Carrabba's Italian Grill, and Bonefish Grill. The "No Rules, Just Right" mindset made a bunch of money for the four founders, who all came back to the original Tampa location in 2013 to celebrate its 25th anniversary. And just like the '90s nostalgia that made everyone fall in love with Olive Garden again, Outback is also arguably having something of a cultural comeback with its most iconic dish: the Bloomin' Onion. Thanks to TikTok tutorials and innovative home cooks, the classic dish is back in the popular imagination.

But as far as steaks go, Outback is no longer on top. Stock performance in 2025 showed that both LongHorn Steakhouse and Texas Roadhouse were Americans' favorite chains for steaks, with Texas Roadhouse taking away Outback's coveted crown as the top casual chain in the U.S. earlier that year. With a new CEO and president at the helm, many hope the Aussie-themed restaurant will have its own comeback similar to Chili's remarkable turnaround. However, it's also been announced that Bloomin' Brands has planned to close 40 locations in 2026. Depending on how the revamp goes, you might want to head "Down Under" sooner rather than later.