Why Outback Probably Shouldn't Be Your First Choice For A Steakhouse

Combining the words "casual" and "steakhouse" might sound like an oxymoron, but the Australian-themed casual dining restaurant Outback Steakhouse has found a way to offer relatively affordable steak dishes to customers. The first Outback Steakhouse was opened by four friends in Tampa, Florida in March of 1988. Since the first location opened its doors nearly 35 years ago, Outback has transformed into an international chain with 672 locations in the United States alone, per ScrapeHero.

While the steakhouse continues to strive for affordable steakhouse-style dishes, it has also earned the reputation of being less than desirable. Outback placed last in Daily Meal's ranking of the 11 most popular US steakhouse chains. When it comes to the quality of a steak, you get what you pay for. While Outback is definitely one of the more affordable steakhouses around, the caliber of the restaurant's main food item also suffers due to the low-tier type of meat served.

According to Outback, customers have a choice between seven different cuts of beef: sirloin, ribeye, New York strip, bone-in ribeye, porterhouse, slow-roasted prime rib, and a filet mignon. But when it comes to the quality of these steaks, it is more accurate to focus on the type of meat that Outback offers, not the cut. The reason Outback is so much cheaper than other steakhouses is in part due to the fact that the restaurant offers USDA choice steaks instead of USDA prime.

Both choice and prime are considered "safe, high-quality American beef" by the United States Department of Agriculture, or USDA. However, prime beef contains more marbling than choice beef, which leads to a fuller flavor profile and a tender cut of steak. Outback's steak offerings use USDA choice beef, which many claim does not taste as good as its more marbled counterpart. On the plus side, USDA choice beef is often cheaper, so you will definitely save a few bucks if you opt for an Outback steak.

If you appreciate a good steak, we don't recommend ever ordering a steak dish at Outback steakhouse due to its low quality choice beef. However, not every food offering on the chain's menu falls victim to the same fate. If you do find yourself at an Outback Steakhouse, there is still hope for having a high quality, satisfying meal.

The famous Bloomin' Onion, for example, should not be skipped. The deep-fried appetizer is a classic for good reason, and it gets bonus points for being so photogenic. Former employees of Outback Steakhouse recommended their favorites to Business Insider, which included the plate of wings with spicy-ranch dipping sauce, the complimentary honey wheat bread with whipped butter, and two of the steakhouse's potato options, sweet potato and loaded mashed. Users on Reddit also recommend the ribs as a tasty and affordable main dish option that won't disappoint the way Outback's steaks might.