In 1987, three partners from Florida, Tim Gannon, Bob Basham, and Chris Sullivan, set out on an adventure to open their own restaurant chain. All three men had always worked for other people in restaurants such as Steak & Ale, Bennigan’s and Chili’s. So they were searching to open a restaurant that was different than the choices customers already had. After doing their market analysis on what were the booming choices in the industry, Gannon, Basham and Sullivan realized that customers preferred the steakhouse restaurants when making their dining choices. They also discovered that people tended to lean more toward casual dining when given a choice.
However, they were still looking for that unique twist that did not exist yet for customers. The three partners realized the twist would come when they found a theme for their restaurant. During this time, the 1986 movie Crocodile Dundee was becoming a big hit. The partners realized that despite the fact that none of them were of Australian decent or had even visited Australia, this would become their theme. Due to the fact that most Australians are known to be fun-loving, gregarious and very casual, they knew this was their twist. The name Outback the result of the western theme that was commonly associated with a steakhouse setting; but instead of an American wild west they focused on Australian wild, west west name.
Gannon, Basham and Sullivan set out to start a business that generated enough profit to just give them the ability to live comfortably in a simple lifestyle. The three enjoyed golfing and thought that a company that would allow them the privilege to do this in the afternoon and still be able to pay their bills was success. What they ended up with was so much more. There are currently over 900 restaurant locations in 21 countries throughout North America, South America, Europe, Asia and Australia.
One of the many dishes that keep Outback Steakhouse customers coming back for more is their famous Bloomin’ Onion. This is a true Outback original consisting of a large sweet onion that is hand carved by a dedicated bloomologist. Each petal is cooked to a perfect golden crisp and completed with a special dipping sauce. Some other favorites include:
- Aussie Cheese Fries
- Queensland Salad
- The Outback Burger
- The Bloomin’ Burger
- A large variety of made to order steak entrees
Outback Steakhouse Restaurants also have a Joey Menu that has a large selection of healthy, must have choices for the littlest family members.
Before visiting Outback Steakhouse, head on over to RetailMeNot.com for printable online coupons. Currently there is a special promotion code and deal offer that allows you to print a coupon for a free Bloomin’ Onion appetizer. You can sign up at Outback.com to receive additional coupons, promotion offers and discount deals to be delivered to your email address for free.
