10 Frustrating Reasons Outback Steakhouse Isn’t as Good as It Used To Be

It used to be a nice outing when you could order a Bloomin’ Onion at Outback Steakhouse and enjoy a nice meal with family or friends.

But stretching your budget so you can go out to eat more can be hard to justify when your trips to Outback Steakhouse aren’t what they used to be.

It turns out you might not be alone when it comes to why Outback Steakhouse isn’t up to your standards anymore, check out these 10 reasons other former patrons say the chain restaurant isn’t worth heading to anymore.

It can be hard to justify the cost of some of the menu items at Outback Steakhouse, especially when you’re on a budget.

Steak and seafood options can cost more than $30 for some plates and you may be able to find better cuts at a local steakhouse or better prices at a different chain restaurant in the area.

Service can vary from restaurant to restaurant location, but it may not be what you expect for a place with expensive dishes.

It can also be disappointing if your steak, seafood, or other meat isn’t cooked to the level you ordered with some customers reporting medium rare steaks that came out raw or overcooked or overly cooked steaks that take forever to cut.

Chain restaurants have been struggling to attract customers in recent years with some companies shutting down completely in recent years.

Outback Steakhouse is showing that it isn’t immune to restaurant visitors skipping chain restaurants in favor of local options instead as they’ve recently missed several sales goals.

It used to be that customers would take their families out to eat or meet up with friends for a nice dinner.

But more diners are turning to pick-up options and quick trips to grab food and take it home instead. That declining foot traffic makes a place like Outback Steakhouse look less inviting and interesting for a night out when the ambiance hasn’t changed much in recent times.

Diners may be trying to find healthier options instead of the artery-clogging food with heavy calories.

Sure, you can share a Bloomin’ Onion with your friends and family as an appetizer, but the fried onion is packed with a whopping 1,900 calories. Diners may compare that to a local restaurant with lighter options and skip a trip to the Outback.

It can be hard to stretch your dollars when dining out, which could be made worse when you realize you aren’t getting the same amount of food but still paying the same price.

Online reviewers have noted that portion sizes have plummeted at Outback, too, with some noting that they’ve noticed the dish portions getting smaller and smaller every year.

Chain restaurants have to deal with bulk quantities of steaks, but that doesn’t mean they’re necessarily high-quality pieces of meat.

It may surprise you that you can get a better cut of meat at your local grocery store—and for less money—than buying a steak and the same old sides at Outback Steakhouse.

One of the most important reasons you go out to eat is to have someone else make you good food. Outback Steakhouse, however, could be suffering from subpar offerings that aren’t worth the effort.

Several fans online have reported that the flavor and overall quality of the dishes at the chain restaurant have gone down over the past decade.

Can you think of a dish besides the Bloomin’ Onion that stands out when you think of Outback Steakhouse?

It could be a bad sign that Outback Steakhouse may not stand out with its menu offerings against other chain restaurants in your area, making you decide to go somewhere else with more memorable dishes instead.

Sometimes it’s better to skip the chain restaurants like Outback Steakhouse and try your local restaurants or steakhouses to see how they compare.

You may pay a little more and your local mom-and-pop spot might not have a Bloomin’ Onion, but you could end up with better quality food and service and know you’re helping a small business.

It’s okay if you decide it’s time to cut Outback Steakhouse out of your dining rotation, especially if you’re trying to keep some cash in your pocket.

Instead, it might be a good idea to find ways to save money on groceries so you can make dinner at home without busting your wallet for a subpar dinner at Outback Steakhouse.