A Popular Steakhouse Chain Has Quietly Shuttered Several US Locations. Here's Why

While some casual restaurants are seeing an increase in traffic and sales, others seem to be shuttering locations due to a decrease in demand. Among the unlucky companies? Outback Steakhouse. It turns out that not even the absolute best of Outback's popular menu is enough to keep some restaurants from closing. After shutting down several locations last year, the restaurant chain is rounding out 2025 by closing down a few more.

As of October 30, 2025, there have been no official announcements made by Outback Steakhouse regarding which locations have been closed. However, according to a report by USA Today, restaurants in Birmingham, Alabama; Jacksonville Beach and Naples, Florida; Madison, Wisconsin; Silver Spring, Maryland; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and Merrick, New York, are among the shuttered locations. So far, eight restaurants have been reported closed.

In a statement to the news outlet, the spokesperson for Bloomin' Brands — the parent company for Outback Steakhouse — notes that the restaurant shutdowns are "part of our ongoing turnaround plan," which was determined based on factors such as traffic, sales, and possible investments. Along with the shutdown of several Outback Steakhouse restaurants, a single Bonefish Grill location in Madison, Wisconsin, also under the Bloomin' Brands banner, has shut down as well.

Outback Steakhouse saw a dip in sales during 2024, and the steak chain has been unable to recover — so far. In the first quarter of 2025, the company experienced a 4.1% decrease in traffic and a 1.3% drop in sales, according to FSR Magazine. As part of its turnaround plan, the company has honed in on giving Outback Steakhouse diners more affordable options.

"We continue to make progress on our operating priorities to simplify the business and consistently deliver a great guest experience while balancing our longer-term priorities to turn around Outback and drive sustainable sales and profit growth," said Bloomin' Brands CEO Mike Spanos in an official press release earlier this year. "We are navigating a choppy macro environment and are leaning into our abundant value offerings."

To boost sales, there's been a recent change to Outback Steakhouse menu items. The chain has gotten rid of a few unpopular meals, padded the appetizer menu while offering a starter trio deal, and introduced limited-time cocktails and mocktails to boost sales. Thus far, that has not been enough to stop certain restaurant closures, but here's hoping that Outback will be able to turn itself around.