10 Outback Steakhouse Problems No One Is Talking About Enough

Outback Steakhouse was the go-to spot for a tasty, affordable, family-friendly steak dinner. It offered great service, decent portions, and a laid-back vibe that many diners loved. 

Recently, however, cracks have begun to appear behind this wholesome Bloomin' Onion façade. The restaurant is losing longtime fans due to its inconsistent quality and service, and overreliance on shortcuts in the back of the house.

Is Outback still worth it to stretch your restaurant budget? Likely not until it fixes these problems that don't seem to get enough airtime.

Outback Steakhouse closed the chain's locations in Pennsylvania, Iowa, and Hawaii in early 2024. Worse, they didn't end there.

Closures continued in 2025, with restaurants in Massachusetts and California shuttering their doors. 

Outback has closed down locations and slimmed down its menu. While improving menus isn't unheard of, ditching fan favorites is unlikely to win any hearts.

Fans quickly took to social media and forums to deplore the loss of the Steakhouse Quesadilla, Chicken Tender Platter, and signature desserts. For these Outback enthusiasts, these were not simply menu entries; they were part of the steakhouse experience, and their disappearance turned them sour on the Outback brand.

Inflation and high food prices aren't new, but Outback shouldn't expect its price increases on signature dishes to go unnoticed, either. Between 2020 and 2025, its menu prices increased on average by 29%, which has affected many formerly affordable fan favorites.

Being expected to pay almost $20 for chicken tenders and a salad puts Outback out of the reach of many families looking for affordable meals. Even worse, the chain also uses upcharges for different appetizers, main dishes, and desserts.

Price increases may be forgiven if service is stellar. However, Outback's service has continuously declined in recent years, according to some reviewers. 

As experienced by Yelp reviewer Marie G., patrons now routinely wait over an hour for their orders and have to "continuously look for the waitress for anything." "Horrible service," they concluded. 

Other customers have had to argue with servers over incorrectly made steaks. Reddit user phatyogurt's waiter told them their medium-rare ordered steak, which arrived rare, had to be "medium rare, since medium rare means 'really pink.'"

Besides increasing prices and slower service, Outback has also dropped the ball on its sides and appetizers. Iconic items like the decadent Steakhouse Mac & Cheese, Aussie Cobb Salad, and Sydney Shrooms can be bland or taste synthetic.

Some Outback employees have confirmed on social media that recipes have changed, resulting in a change in taste. 

Outback has reportedly changed how it cooks their steaks. According to former staff and Redditor PermaB, "They changed the way steaks are cooked. They used panini-style grills with preset cooking times instead of a flat top grill. They would put a steak inside, press a button on top for how it's cooked (rare-well done), and then wait. It took them seven minutes to 'cook' a well-done steak."

When it comes to large chains, consistency isn't always stellar. However, Outback patrons complain of inconsistent quality and service between visits or even tables.

Diners expect at least somewhat reliable quality from a chain, and this lack of consistency can erode their trust, especially when coupled with higher prices, which takes us to the next point.

Shrinkflation is a well-known phenomenon in the food industry. To avoid alienating customers, food manufacturers either reduce the package size or the number of items it contains while keeping or increasing the price.

Does it affect Outback Steakhouse? As one Redditor put it, a cup of soup roughly the size of a medium apple at Outback was "half the size it was last time I ordered [...] and cost $8.99," prompting another forum member to reply, "It looks mean, unappetizing, and incredibly, vastly overpriced." Small portions and higher prices certainly don't help to lower your financial stress. 

When companies go into cost-saving mode, the decor and atmosphere of their restaurants tend to suffer. There are signs that this may also be happening to Outback Steakhouse.

Most of the chain's locations aren't run down or dirty. However, they're also not in top shape. Yesteryear's tired, worn decor isn't a draw for customers.

While the Aussie theme may have been considered "cute" once upon a time, it no longer cuts it, especially since it's a faux-Aussie theme of boomerang decor.

The experience of dining at Outback doesn't have much in common with Australian cuisine, which may leave patrons confused and disappointed.

Between disappearing fan favorites, high prices, and outdated restaurants, Outback Steakhouse no longer seems to meet the expectations of some discerning food lovers. If the chain doesn't right the ship, it may further fall out of favor with even its strongest supporters.

Looking for an alternative that doesn't disappoint? Try your local steakhouse. Even if you pay more, you'll support an independent establishment that cares about quality and service. And if you use the best cash back credit cards, you'll reward yourself for your choice.