Outback parent opened the first drive-thru version of its spinoff brand in 2020
Bloomin’ Brands Inc., parent to the Outback Steakhouse and other casual-dining brands, is reducing its footprint of the fast-casual Aussie Grill by Outback concept, which began as an Outback spinoff.
In 2020, Bloomin’ Brands opened its first standalone drive-thru version of the fast-casual Aussie Grill by Outback brand in Lutz, Fla.
The Tampa, Fla.-based parent to Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Bonefish Grill, and Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar opened the restaurant in Lutz, about 15 miles north of Tampa, and worked on it during the coronavirus pandemic.
Aussie Grill eventually had eight domestic locations, but those have been reduced to two in Florida and one in Canton, Mich. The Aussie Grill website indicates the concept still has locations at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla., and at the Frank and Carol Morsani Hall on the University of Tampa campus.
A company spokesperson on Thursday confirmed that three domestic units remained open.
Bloomin' announced some of the closures early in 2024.
For the third quarter ended Sept. 24, Bloomin’s net income slipped to $6.9 million, or eight cents a share, compared to $44.5 million, or 45 cents a share, in the prior-year quarter. Revenues fell to $1.039 billion from $1.080 billion in the same quarter last year.
Same-store sales in the third quarter were down 1.5% for all of Bloomin’s domestic system, with declines of 1.3% at Outback, 1.5% at Carrabba’s, 4.1% at Bonefish, and an increase of 1.2% at Fleming’s.
As of Sept. 24, Bloomin’ Brands owned 1,463 restaurants.
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