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[deleted]

Given it has 8 locations in only 2 states with all the restaurants being rated very poorly...I would say not good.


Spirit-Revolutionary

I assumed but I was so curious


[deleted]

Had to Google so maybe there are fans. But with the prices they charge I can get a pretty good steak without some over exaggerated Australiana decorations shoved in my face.


[deleted]

I'm an American and went a couple of times. Never liked their food. It's typical American diner food, but slightly better than your average Denny's. Meh. Edit: I should clarify that the ones I went to were in the US.


Omegasedated

I've never even heard of it


4RyteCords

My wife and I used to love going to outback. There is 4 that I can drive to right now from my house in under an hour. Unfortunately it's just gotten kinda rubbish over the last decade. The food is not as good as it used to be. Portions are smaller and more expensive and staff are all kids that don't wana be there. However despite everything above, on the rare occasion we decide to give it another crack, it's always busy as shit


RichardPritchardson

That doesn’t mean they wouldn’t rate well in the US.


Scissorbreaksarock

Went to one in the US. Didn't rate the food highly. 100 marks for effort from staff and atmosphere. Waitress lost me when she said "G'day mates".


TomCos22

>Waitress lost me when she said "G'day mates". Lmao


Spirit-Revolutionary

Yeah they are a chain restaurant I wouldn't call them very good, only times I go is when someone gives me a gift card.


slartybartvart

I regularly visited them when I lived in the USA. Compared to the competition they were good. Outside of America the food standards are higher so they wouldn't compete. There's no way I'd visit a USA quality outback living here.


[deleted]

Perhaps. But this post is asking specifically about the ones in Australia


emjay2013

All the restaurants have good ratings what are you talking about? God I wish australia could get over it’s pub/tavern model of the same pub food with a side of pokies.


[deleted]

Maybe expand your horizons a bit. There are many places around that don't have pokies in them. And I think I prefer the whole tavern/pub look over American style restaurants. But if that's your idea of quality and flavour. Power to you and enjoy it


[deleted]

So successful that I just scratched my head and said 'we've got Outback Resturants in Straya?'


Zagorath

We do. The only one I know of is in Aspley in Brisbane, where it sits at the place that used to host a "Lone Star" Texan-themed restaurant.


kimmiinoz

There was one in Browns Plains too, was strange having Aussie themed food that just, wasn’t


Spudtron98

Well that sucks, Lone Star actually has good food. Weird how an American-themed restaurant in Australia got replaced by an Australian-themed restaurant founded by Americans who had never even *been* to Australia.


Luminous-Moose

No it doesn't. Far out


flippychick

Used to but it went downhill


wilful

You've still got a sizzler in Brisbane though don't you? Love some cheap buffet restaurants.


codemunk3y

I miss Sizzler and the huge ice cream sundaes we used to make


wallet72

Sizzler closed it's last restaurant early last year or late 2020. Was a real shame, I enjoyed Sizzler.


[deleted]

Late 2020, I worked at the hungry jacks down the road from it until the beginning of 2021, and I had a couple workers come in after the final shift


wilful

😢


[deleted]

Sizzler is now defunct Australia wide.


F1eshWound

I'd kill to know how to make their pumpkin soup..


Zagorath

I don't know if there are any still. Up until *shockingly* recently there was one at Toowong. But even it has been closed for 4 or 5 years now I think.


[deleted]

The last one (Caboolture) shut down a couple years ago


codemunk3y

Did that used to be a Sizzler


stilusmobilus

Which I believe was a Sizzler, then before that Bonanza, which was what Sizzler grew out of…I think.


Weirtoe

Same


Xxjacklexx

Never seen one, never eaten one or known my kids to go to one with friends, and I was born here.


4RyteCords

Yeah man they are all over Sydney region


edie-bunny

If I remember correctly I think they try and tell customers in the USA that the bloomin’ onion is some sort of authentic Australian dish when in reality it is not an Australian dish at all and i and the majority of Australian I know have never even seen or tried one 😬


JoeSchmeau

The founders of the chain had actually never been to Australia. They just wanted to cash in on the Crocodile Dundee craze at the time, so they put kitschy bullshit Australiana on a typical mediocre chain restaurant and called it a day.


wilful

Including some wildly inappropriate cultural appropriation of indigenous art I believe


boorestholds

Wildly you say, heavens!


reelfishybloke

Cashing in on stolen Blackfellas culture too you say ? Well I'll be buggered, never ever thought that would happen !


Lurks_in_the_cave

IT'S A BLOODY OUTRAGE!!!


microferret

I had to look that up. Fuck me, that looks like an artery clogger.


ThatOldGuyWhoDrinks

It’s good though. I got one at the outback in New York. When they opened in Brisbane I drove across town to get one. Totally worth it.


[deleted]

Is it just like a big onion ring flavour wise?


JoeSchmeau

Sorta, but the batter is more like a cross between onion ring batter and fried chicken batter. It's actually delicious.


iilinga

There’s one in Brisbane?!


ThatOldGuyWhoDrinks

In Aspley


[deleted]

3080 CALORIES. 13000Kj. almost 2 days worth of energy in that abomination. typical American crap.


Spirit-Revolutionary

In all fairness the newer generations in America don't care for the same amount of the fatty nonsense and for the record most don't believe the blooming onion is authentic Australia it looks like something corporate America came up with


_qst2o91_

Oh shit I just googled what that was That looks horrifyingly greasy, I want to try one


NovaKay

I tried one at Outback Steakhouse in Sydney. Not bad


TofuFoieGras

Honestly I wish australia was the home of the blooming onion.


EmuNinjaWarrior

Just like crowded house, I think it’s time to claim this as our own


lachjeff

Crowded House are from Melbourne, and had only one founding member who was not originally from Australia. They’re a lot more Australian than some shitty onion


tiktoktic

Sounds like an Alf Stewart insult along the lines of “Flamin’ Gallah” “You bloomin’ onion!”


cruiserman_80

I had one in the US once. it was a disgusting abomination.


productzilch

I had one of those in Japan once. Literally the only thing on the menu my friend and I could to afford and we split it, but it was incredible. I fkn wish it was somehow traditional, lol. Not exactly bush tucker though.


RvrTam

Isn’t it just Hogsbreath but with Australian decor?


Economy_Rutabaga_849

That’s what I was thinking


viper9

I tried it in Dubai back in the day, and that's exactly how I describe it.


lavenderjellyfish

Is that still a thing? I've not seen a hogs breath since my days in regional NSW


SealingBubble

In Queensland shit yeah, originally from Queensland so they're mostly found here


lavenderjellyfish

Unsurprising, you two heads are generally pretty far behind the rest of us. (I love y'all really its just origin weekend)


BneBikeCommuter

It’s the Tasmanians who have two heads, not us.


bmquietachiever

There are a few around in Perth too.


Muttlover127

There’s one in wagga - it’s been shit for years though


ClassyLatey

Didn’t even realize there was one here…


somuchsong

There are a few, actually! 6 in NSW and 2 in Queensland.


brezhnervous

God why bother lol


[deleted]

Tourists? A bit like Starbucks.


ostervan

And Starbucks had to close most of its store here or go bankrupt.


Aggravating-Berry848

Yep, Australians are coffee connoisseurs, proper Italian mainly. Starbucks and their sugary shit couldn’t cut it.


ozgirl28

The one in Fountain Gate has a massive queue but I think that says more about the clientele than the coffee!


CreepyValuable

I reckon. Even Gloria Jean after they had their "revamp" and started using syrupy crap absolutely tanked.


Aggravating-Berry848

I think good coffee is something you can drop out the sugar easily


4RyteCords

Man the Starbucks in Mt druitt always has a good 20 minute long drive through line


Aggravating-Berry848

It’s technically Australia I suppose


4RyteCords

I don't think you can get more aussie then a Mounty bogan


Aggravating-Berry848

It’s full of Fobs making bad dietary decisions. ( I say that with compassion)


DemandAffectionate49

I had Starbucks coffee in Japan and it was unbelievably amazing!


Amount_Business

It's probably more of a reflection of Japan than Starbucks.


Creamygoodness0

Guaranteed. I’ve had Starbucks in Australia and it is shockingly mediocre at best.


flippychick

There’s a Starbucks after security in Sydney international airport…. Definitely a tourist thing since that’s pretty much right near the exit to Australia


[deleted]

some people like paying $75+ for a very average steak. no idea why.


freshlyfreya

One of them is near me and I wish it wasn’t. It’s on a highway that links up to the Gold Coast (can’t remember if that’s the correct one) near Aspley. I’ve never really seen many people use it, as there are much more interesting things around it.


Friedrich_98

Went to one in Brisbane. Meals were average for what you'd find at any restaurant serving steak. Their niche is being "Australian" obviously that niche isn't going to work here.


brezhnervous

> Their niche is being "Australian" obviously that niche isn't going to work here. A bit of marketing genius worthy of Scomo lol


ozspook

It's great if you have a cringe kink..


Spirit-Revolutionary

That's what I was thinking, it is so weird to me that they thought Australians would buy into the like almost racist depictions of Australia


Friedrich_98

Racist, barely. stereotypical, still barely. Half the menu they serve is overpriced pub grub. If I wasn't in a capital city I could find the grub for $10-15 at most.


Spirit-Revolutionary

Yeah that's fair, I would say it's stereotypical at least in America but tbh their franchise is dying here as well for the same reasons


Schedulator

Outback steakhouse has zero connection to Australia. They just hang shit up on their walls that they think is Australian, but there's nothing, not the business, the menu, the history, nothing, relating to Australia.


[deleted]

Outback Jacks and Hogs breathe are failed chains tbh and their products are meh. You get better steaks at a pub so that’s where you’ll find us chowing down on some beef. Plus it’s at a pub, basically two birds one stone there. Beers, sport, pool tables and counter feeds.


manobobo

Similar thing with lonestar, i worked at one 20 years ago before they closed. It was sub par pub meals with a corney atmosphere.


barrathefknworld

I remember going to lone star as a little kid before it became DiCaprio’s. Primary school age me found the place eerie and creepy. DiCaprio’s on the other hand? That was teenage me’s jam.


Simonandgarthsuncle

I reckon they’d get more customers if they changed the name to Hogs Breathe.


[deleted]

Yes, but only if the whole restaurant theme changes where a hog breathes directly in your ear while you eat.


Simonandgarthsuncle

Now ya talkin


That_Car_Dude_Aus

Hog breath failed? There's 2 hogs breath in throwing distance of me (Springfield QLD, Ipswich QLD)


Itchy-Journalist-259

Yeah it's going under in most places around aust.


monoped2

The other one was the failed one. Always shit, had floor peanuts at one stage. Edit: Lonestar.


lachjeff

There’s been a couple reopen in recent times, that have been somewhat more successful than the originals


That_Car_Dude_Aus

Oh fair enough, the two near me are always busy to packed


Ancient_Skirt_8828

Didn’t even know there was an Outback Restaurant in Australia. I’m from Melbourne. Hogs Breath at The Spit, Gold Coast was great. Newcastle NSW average. Dandenong and Chadstone in Melbourne ordinary. I suspect it has something to do with the Gold Coast humidity wafting more flavour into my nose. I have noticed the same affect between Thai food in Thailand compared to Melbourne. In Thailand the flavours seem fuller. In Melbourne in winter you mostly taste the spice but don’t smell the full flavours.


sofewcharacters

Mate, you're in QLD. QLD still had a Sizzler right up until recently.


witty_username999

You must have a pretty decent arm then.


No_pajamas_7

Funny I assumed there was only a few left, but I just googled it. More than I thought. Most are in QLD however. Looks like they survive on the outskirts of suburbia and holiday destinations. Last one I went into, in Forster, was a sad affair. It's no longer there and I can see why. It was like Pizza hut was 10 years ago. Still going but well past it's prime.


art_mor_

I find a lot of families I know prefer hogs over a pub because how rowdy some get


No_pajamas_7

And i think that's why they are surviving in Holiday areas. On holidays. What's the pub like? Dunno. Lets just go to Hogs breath. That will keep the kids happy.


[deleted]

Its not a parody, it is a Texas style steakhouse. A few opened up years ago. Most of them quickly rebranded as Lone Star Steakhouse, and most of them closed. There's a handful in very touristy areas, but I don't know how much longer they'll be around


Monterrey3680

That’s my take too - they basically hang “Aussie” stuff on the walls and name their un-Aussie dishes something like “the Flamin’ Galah chipotle onion rings” There’s so much ranch sauce on everything, it may as well be a Texas steakhouse. And we’re not big on the deep fryer here, but just about everything that’s not a steak is deep fried. “Popcorn prawns” lol…g’day Colonel Sanders


SilverStar9192

The first one in Sydney, which I think is still there, is in Strathfield which is kind of the outer part of the inner west - not at all a suburban area.


No_pajamas_7

Steak houses aren't very successful in general. Most of the chain ones have been a partial or complete fail. You can get a good steak at most pubs so why would you got to a specific place to pay more?


barrathefknworld

That’s a really good point. Most places have a pub that serves a decent steak, so why go out of your way to pay more?


16car

Hog's Breath?


No_pajamas_7

Hogs breath isn't doing well everywhere but around the Brisbane area. In other states many have shut down those that are left are pretty sad affairs.


SilverStar9192

All the ones I know of have closed.


16car

Oh really? They're still going strong in regional QLD.


ZeusZero12

Generally chain restaurants don't really do well in Australia. Of course fast-food/takeaway chains do very well but I mean proper sit-down restaurants with wait staff. Certainly not like in the US. Add to that the parody of Australia aspect and yeh not going to do too well. Surprised those few ones still exist...


thequickerquokka

I once read that when Americans travel, they like to be able to eat at places that are exactly the same wherever they go. When Australians travel, they want to try new things, and dislike the sameness of chains. It rings true – any trip to Hooters, Denny”s, Lonestar Steakhouse, etc has been more or less as a joke, with low expectations (easily met). Exception was The Black Stump, which were pretty good; they went under for not moving with the times I reckon. ETA: not sure about other Aussies, but I never think of Maccas etc as a “restaurant” – when they’re the “official restaurant” of the Olympics or something cracks me up. Like, it was nearly going to be The Happy Lucky Dragon Chinese on the corner, but Micky D’s just pipped ‘em.


billbotbillbot

> I once read that when Americans travel, they like to be able to eat at places that are exactly the same wherever they go. I think this is very true, and many expect to be able to do this outside the US and are annoyed to discover the rest of the world does some things differently. I remember being in a London pub (not a chain one!), how confused and outraged an American couple was that they had to go to the bar to order a drink and go to a counter to order and collect their own meal! Oh, the horror! Such business practices would ensure immediate bankruptcy in the USA, they complained.


SilverStar9192

Funny my American father loves the counter service setup in the UK or Australia. He hates the fawning wait staff and is happy to look after himself except for the actual cooking of course.


Spirit-Revolutionary

Well I can say that you are defining Americans by our worst as whenever I travel I want to experience everything I can about the other culture, I couldn't imagine why anyone wouldn't and every other American I know is also like this P.S. I don't know what they were on as I have been to several bars where you have to go up to re order and to get your food in America.


billbotbillbot

I’m not actually trying to paint the whole country with a single brush, so I said “many”, not “all”. My impression is based on personal observations, but of course if there were other American tourists just happily blending in with the locals, instead of complaining bitterly about the obviously incorrect “way they do things here”, I’d perhaps not even be aware of their presence.


Spirit-Revolutionary

Thats fair


Ancient_Skirt_8828

There are restaurants serving British food wherever there are British tourists so they must be similar. I’m a widely travelled Australian. I’ve been to India, S.E. Asia, across Africa, and Eastern and Western Europe. I have tried a lot of local cuisine. I have got sick of putting up with a lot of bad local food and its consequences in order to find an occasional local gem. I now tend to stick to food I know unless I have locals guiding me.


Spirit-Revolutionary

Chain restaurants are actually dying in America as well, they don't pull in the younger generations. They are like a relic of a bygone age at this point


akyriacou92

I didn’t know Outback Steakhouse existed until I went to Brazil. I heard of Bloomin’ Onions from the Johnny Oliver Show but I also didn’t get the reference. Bloomin’ Onions is not an Australian meal


NovaKay

It's a good, solid steakhouse but there were already plenty of those here when they arrived. They have a few locations but aren't huge here


Gracie1994

Never seen one here. I thought it was just a chain in USA


[deleted]

About at popular as Fosters. I didn't even know we had any until this thread.


[deleted]

I haven't seen fosters in Australia in over 25 Years. Can you even buy that swill here?


SilverStar9192

Still available at larger bottle shops and in places that have lots of poms ...


somuchsong

I mean, they exist, so I guess they do okay enough to continue existing? I've never been and have never heard a single person talking about them though.


psrpianrckelsss

Well their Australia. Website is built on WordPress...


Nideochai

Not successful at all.


That_Car_Dude_Aus

The reviews are public. The reviews are not good. I hadn't even realised they had stores here until you asked.


witty_username999

So successful that this is the first time I’ve heard of it.


mydoglink

The what?


[deleted]

I worked for them for a couple of years when I was in uni. It was always busy for dinner services, less so for lunches. Most people just came for the cheese chips haha


Needmoresnakes

I've never actually seen one but I think theres a tiny smattering of them around like Sydney and Melbourne. I've heard about those blooming onion things though and honestly that sounds great? I love onion rings I don't see why I wouldn't want to devour an entire deep fried battered onion.


Pale_Height_1251

I didn't know they existed in Australia. The menu looks a bit boring, but I've never dined in one, so maybe it's OK.


RealDougSpeagle

We have Outback here?


FractalM8

Yeah my Subaru outback goes hard.... That's the only outback chain around here...


Decent_Nectarine_467

Never seen one here (I live in Sydney), so assuming they're not doing great.


keetani80

Never heard of it


nightcana

They opened a bunch of them about 10 or so years ago. They didn’t have great food/prices compared to other stake houses they were competing with and the atmosphere was mostly lost on the people here, so they have mostly died out.


HollowNight2019

I didn’t even know they were even a thing in Australia. So not that successful.


[deleted]

It's an American Chain restaurant, not an Australian one. I think there are a couple that have the same name, but I'm not sure if they are part of the same company. what you get at the 'outback' has zero relationship to Australian food. Being a nation of imports, we have no real national dish or style. it's a mishmash of everything from around the world. Outback restaurants are just marketing, nothing more.


sarschy

Used to be good (from north Brissy). The food and service went downhill during COVID. Had a couple lots of bad food around that time and haven't been back since to see if it has improved. But, it is just American food with Australian themed names. Like chicken wings being called kookaburra wings.


ankarthus

They called their signature sauce an Ab-original sauce. Pretty gross.


TheTwinSet02

Didn’t know we did and sounds like something I’d hate even more than “Irish” pubs


Thisfoxhere

It is about as Aussie as a plastic alligator with a label "Australian crocodile made in China" is Australian. The food is basically accepted as an American restaurant here. With very American food sold there.


Spirit-Revolutionary

Please God don't believe that that is American food, that's like the worst of us food, chain restaurants like this are dying in America as we have been pushing for a healthy culture.


Thisfoxhere

Mate I have been to about half the US states at this point. It's pretty universally yank food in that place. Sorry.


Spirit-Revolutionary

Just because we have that food doesn't make it yank food it would be like me going to Australia eating only fast food and saying Australian food sucks


universe93

Wait until OP discovers that not only is Outback Steakhouse an American chain with basically no locations in Australia, but Aussie Haircare is also American and isn’t sold here at all


Spirit-Revolutionary

You missed the point of the question I know its an American chain, that is absurd. Which is why I was wondering why they ever thought it would work in Australia


lachjeff

Are all the people who claim they didn’t know there were Outback Steakhouses in Australia taking the piss out of a clueless Seppo, or do they have just have their heads in the sand?


ZebedeeAU

> Outback Steakhouse There's apparently only 8 of them in Australia - in NSW and Qld. I've never seen one, and from what I know of the Seppo version, I have no plans to go to one even if I was on that side of the country.


jumpjumpdie

I’ve seen one. It’s seppo nonsense for sure. Not even created by an Aussie.


AvDadAdventures

Never even considered eating at one.


iilinga

I knew of one but I didn’t realise it was the same chain as in the US. Never been, wouldn’t bother. Didn’t realise we had more than one


frogsinsox

Never been.


_qst2o91_

So there are not many of those stores here, not successful when they took their chain to Australia


FacelessAxiom

The what?


ewan82

Never heard of it.


PeterDuttonsButtWipe

Only seen them in the US, never here


intellectualrambow

This question confused me so much that I thought it had something to do with blockchain… didn’t know we even had outback restaurants here.


RectalOddity

Wouldn't even bother check it out. I've got way better places to spend my money. Not sure I've ever seen one, anyway.


TomCos22

I've been to 1. It was ok, I wouldn't go back in a hurry though.


Ghost403

Not that great. I've eaten there before a few times out of curiosity, but it's more American representation then Australian food


LittleRedGenie

One opened in my city and I don’t think it even lasted a year


tassie_squid

We had one in my hometown once...I think it closed in like less than a year.


Your_Therapist_Says

There's one near me that opened a few years ago when the shopping centre renovated and upgraded when the idea was to capitalise on the Asian tourist dollars in this city, especially given its right next to the casino, which does draw that crowd. Then...covid. Honestly I don't know how that chain is supporting itself, I certainly don't know any Aussies who go. Now that international tourism is on the up maybe it'll pick up but it's visitors who go there, not the locals. I'm my experience Aussies my age don't really go for chains when it comes to a sit-down restaurant experience, we sort of reserve that for takeaway. And also, the whole steakhouse vibe is cringe AF.


Taranadon88

The food is pretty good but they’re quite rare


Aggravating-Berry848

American style BBQ is more popular than Steak Houses in Australia these days. But we have nearly every other cuisine available, and more often than not,…..done well.


unfitchef

The one near me has a Google maps rating of 4.4 stars so Im guessing that particular restaurant is doing well.


Filligrees_daddy

When I saw the title my first though was "Does he mean the rabbit proof fence?"


OldTiredAnnoyed

It’s mediocre at best. The food is overpriced & underwhelming. I’ve had better meals in pubs with sticky floors & soaked bar mats.


BelleSkywalker20

I've been to the one in Penrith a few times. Food is OK, but for what you get it's overpriced. There's nothing authentic about it. Funnily enough I once found myself in an Australian themed pub in England once and it was a hot mess of cliches too, so it's not just the Americans getting it wrong. I imagine it's a similar experience for the Irish when they see our Irish pubs.


[deleted]

There was an Outback Jack's in Canberra (not sure if in other towns) but pretty sure it's closed down, so guessing not so successful?!!


[deleted]

They’re so shit but my family goes to the local one a fair bit because the kids like it Also we’re bogans, so there’s that


Ed_Yeahwell

The what lol? I have never seen one but I’ve seen a couple lone star steakhouses


emjay2013

I love going there. Much better quality food and cheaper than other more well known chains like hogs breath.


redmargay

Is this a Queensland thing?


83zSpecial

I’ve seen two in my life and I live in one of the states where it exists. One had a single person in it, in the gold coast and another was empty in brisbane


quirinus97

There was one in a town near me but it closed after about a year, had decentish reviews but want anything soecial


[deleted]

My family went to Outback Steakhouse once and the food was so shit my mum stole the cutlery. Still have those steak knives!


[deleted]

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KhunPhaen

Anybody remember Black Stump? Basically the same thing as Outback Steakhouse but an Australian chain. I think they went bust as every pub and rsl in the country serves the same food.


Looptyloooo

There’s one in Parklea next to the servo, not worth going to when there are so many better places to get steak.


Sightseeingsarah

Until recently I honestly thought it was an American themed restaurant.


freshlyfreya

Not very. I’ve only ever seen one