The iconic Bloomin’ Onion is wilting away across the U.S. as several additional Outback Steakhouses announced they were shutting down.
Bloomin’ Brands, which also owns Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Bonefish Grill, and Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, confirmed the Outback closures to USA Today on Wednesday.
“These are business decisions that are part of our ongoing turnaround plan,” a Bloomin’ Brands spokesperson told the outlet.
“We considered a variety of factors, including sales and traffic, trade areas, and potential investments to improve performance.”
The spokesperson added that employees from closed locations were offered jobs at nearby restaurants when possible.
The following Outback locations are confirmed to be closing:
- Birmingham, Alabama – 20th Street North at 20 Midtown
- Birmingham, Alabama – Inverness location on U.S. 280
- Jacksonville Beach, Florida – 3760 South 3rd Street
- Naples, Florida – 4910 U.S. 41 North
- Baton Rouge, Louisiana – Jones Creek Boulevard
- Silver Spring, Maryland – 8661 Colesville Road in Ellsworth Place Mall
- Merrick, New York – 2124 Merrick Mall
- Madison, Wisconsin – 4520 E. Towne Boulevard
- Austin, Texas – 11600 Research Blvd
- Plano, Texas – 1509 North Central Expressway
- Waco, Texas – 4500 Franklin Avenue
Bloomin’ Brands operates over 1,450 restaurants, including more than 670 Outback Steakhouse locations in the U.S.
The new closures follow the shutdown of 41 “underperforming” restaurants last February, which were mostly Outback locations.
The closures last year included Outback Steakhouse locations in Florida, Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Hawaii, and New Hampshire, along with Bonefish Grill sites in New Jersey and Virginia, and Carrabba’s stores in Virginia and New York.
“Closing restaurants is never easy,” Bloomin’ Brands said in a statement at the time. “This was a business decision that has no reflection on the staff or their service. Many team members will have the opportunity to transfer to open positions at another restaurant. Employees who do not will receive severance.”
CEO David Deno said the closures involved older leases from the 1990s and 2000s, and were based on factors like sales, traffic, and needed investments.
Bloomin’ Brands said in February 2024 that it planned to open up to 45 new restaurants in the coming year.
