Latest news with #LongHorn
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Evansville resident to compete in finals of national grilling competition
HENDERSON, Ky (WEHT) – An Evansville man will compete for the top prize in a national grilling competition. Dave Powers works at the Evansville LongHorn steakhouse and will be competing in the final round of LongHorn Steakhouse's eighth annual Steak Master Series. Officials state Powers is one of seven finalists out of thousands of participants, who will be going for a $15,000 prize and the title of Steak Master Series Champion on May 15 during a one-day grill-off in Orlando. 'The Steak Master Series has been an exciting opportunity to meet the competition and the management teams as well. I've always wanted to see the Orlando Restaurant Support Center,' said Powers. 'As I move forward in the competition, my restaurant team's advice has been to just be myself and do what I do every day!' Eyewitness News. Everywhere you are. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Business Insider
01-05-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
I ordered the cheapest steak meal at Outback, Texas Roadhouse, and LongHorn Steakhouse — there was one clear winner
If it seems restaurant prices have increased in recent years, it's because they have. Average menu prices in the United States rose 27.2% between February 2020 and the summer of 2024, according to data from the National Restaurant Association. Even so, I wondered if I could still find great restaurant meals at a decent price. In this case, I set my sights on a steak. I ordered the same meal at three of America's favorite steakhouse chains: Outback Steakhouse, LongHorn Steakhouse, and Texas Roadhouse. I visited locations near me in Long Island, New York, during early lunch hours on a weekday. At each restaurant, I asked for a 6-ounce sirloin steak (the cheapest steak each chain offers) cooked medium-well, sides of mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli, and whatever house bread came free with the meal. Here's how my dining experiences went. LongHorn Steakhouse's meal left me slightly underwhelmed. I ordered the 6-ounce sirloin — the Renegade Sirloin — at LongHorn Steakhouse and, as I would at all three locations, I asked for mashed potatoes and broccoli as the included sides. My complimentary bread was a single medium-sized loaf of honey wheat that seemed a bit dry. I wondered if I may have just gotten a stale loaf. The butter served beside it was fresh-from-the-fridge cold, which was not ideal for spreading onto bread. As for the sides, my broccoli felt very overcooked and too mushy for my liking. The mashed potatoes were quite good. They were creamy with enough melted butter atop to suffuse flavor but not to overwhelm the texture or taste of the side. My steak had tasty seasoning, but it wasn't perfect. At first, I was a bit put off by the irregular kidney-bean shape of the steak. Upon slicing into the sirloin, it seemed to me like it had been cooked a bit beyond medium-well. However, I appreciated that the cut had minimal fat and gristle. The texture was a bit tough — I attribute that to the cooking, not the quality of the meat — but LongHorn's simple seasoning was tasty with notes of pepper. My sirloin meal cost $18, and my check came to just over $23 after tax and a 20% tip. That price felt fair to me. All in all, I was neither impressed nor unimpressed with my meal. I'd go back to Texas Roadhouse any day, but primarily for the bread. Ah, starting with the complimentary bread — those of you who frequent Texas Roadhouse are nodding, right? Per the chain's site, its famous rolls are "baked fresh every five minutes and served with honey cinnamon butter." Truth be told, I think the butter tastes too sweet, but who cares? The bread is so fresh, warm, and flavorful that it alone makes the visit to the restaurant worth it. I find the rolls are best enjoyed as they are — they don't need butter of any kind to be incredible. In terms of sides, my mashed potatoes seemed a tad overmixed, leading to a glut of starch release and that gummy texture most people, myself included, don't love. The broccoli wasn't as soft as what I had at LongHorn, but it was still too overcooked for my personal preference. The steak wasn't bad, and I was wowed by its price. The 6-ounce sirloin steak I got at Texas Roadhouse appeared to be cooked properly to medium-well based on its color, yet it was still a bit tough to cut through and chew. The mildly salty and peppery flavor profile of the meat was excellent, though. That said, I was perhaps most impressed by the price of my steak. I was impressed that my lunch special 6-ounce sirloin was just $14, and my bill came out to just $19.20 after a 20% tip and taxes. This felt like an outright steal, given the meal came with two sides and rolls. (I'd have welcomed a special lunch price at the other chains, but none was available.) Even at the full dinner price, the steak meal costs just $16, still making it the most affordable sirloin steak of the bunch. These exceptional prices alone would probably be enough to entice me to return to Texas Roadhouse. Outback Steakhouse surprised me by serving the best of both sides. That classic brown loaf of Outback Steakhouse honey-wheat bread was soft and had a mild flavor, but it had nothing on Texas Roadhouse rolls. The latter's offering feels more memorable and fresh. That said, Outback's creamy butter was more to my taste When my 6-ounce Outback Center-Cut Sirloin meal arrived, I was pleasantly surprised by the nice shape and appearance of the steak, the fresh herbs scattered across it, the scoop of mashed potatoes, and the generous portion of broccoli. At Outback, I finally received broccoli that I can say felt just barely overcooked. And for the record, I like my steamed broccoli to have a hint of crunch left, so for many folks, this side would've been perfect. The mashed potatoes at Outback were close to perfect. Their texture was thick and rich with occasional lumps and bits of potato skin mixed throughout. The potatoes were much like what I prepare at home, and that's high praise. The chain served me my favorite steak, too. Slicing into the steak revealed the most tender cut of meat of all three restaurants. Here, I found a steak that looked like it had been cooked perfectly to medium-well with almost no hint of gristle through and through. It was tender, well-seasoned, and very much worth its $18 price — the high quality of the two sides only supported my opinion. The meal came to $23.54 with tax and a 20% tip, making it the most expensive of the three meals, but not by much. Although I had a clear favorite, I'd try each of the chains again Each of the chains I visited is worth visiting for a decent, cheap steak meal, but Outback Steakhouse surprised me by setting a high bar. Complimentary bread aside, the chain was my top pick across the board. Still, I'd recommend a steak meal at Texas Roadhouse, which impressed me with its wonderfully low prices and delicious rolls. Although I'm not completely sold on LongHorn Steakhouse, I'm open to giving it another shot, especially given the fair price of the meal. Speaking of prices — to put these meals into perspective, I did some research. On average, a 6-ounce portion of sirloin steak from grocery stores near me would cost just over $5, a potato $1, a head of broccoli $2, and a loaf of bread another $2. Based on those numbers, I'd spend about $10 just for the core ingredients of the above meals. After factoring in other necessary ingredients, like butter and seasonings, plus the time and effort required to prep and cook everything, all of these steak meals seemed like an even better deal.
CNN
30-03-2025
- Business
- CNN
Outback is no longer America's king of steaks
Summary Texas Roadhouse and LongHorn have surpassed Outback Steakhouse as America's preferred steakhouse chains. Outback parent company Bloomin' Brands stock has fallen more than 70% while competitors' stocks have risen. Customers perceive competitors as offering better value, higher quality food and more vibrant dining experiences. New Outback CEO Mike Spanos aims to simplify the menu and improve restaurant operations. Outback plans to reduce promotions, focus on consistent pricing and remodel existing locations before expanding. Americans don't want Outback's Aussie-themed steaks anymore. Instead, they're craving Texas-style cuts from Texas Roadhouse and LongHorn's tender filets. Texas Roadhouse and LongHorn's sales topped Outback's last year, and the chains' stocks are going in different directions. Texas Roadhouse's stock has increased around 15% over the last year, while shares of LongHorn-owner Darden jumped around 25%. Meanwhile, Outback parent company Bloomin' Brands' stock has tumbled more than 70% to roughly $8 a share. As inflation pressures cut into consumers' spending, Americans are abandoning casual dining chains they don't perceive as good value such as Outback and TGI Fridays. Instead, they are shifting to Roadhouse, LongHorn, Chili's and other chains they feel offer them a better deal when they go out to dinner. It's a steep fall for Outback, which defined the casual dining steakhouse model in the United States. Founded in 1988, customers jumped on Outback's cheap, juicy sirloin steaks and deep-fried onion blossoms during the 1990s and 2000s. But Outback's mistakes and competitors' innovative strategies have tipped the power order in the restaurant steak wars. Outback hiked prices too high, relied too heavily on promotions to draw diners, and cut costs too far. Customers and analysts alike say food quality suffered, table service slowed and restaurants became dingy. Outback is also more expensive: The chain's check average was $29 last year — $6 above Roadhouse and $2.50 more than LongHorn. That allowed Roadhouse to peel off Outback's budget-conscious customers, while LongHorn won diners by increasing the size of its steaks. Both chains also increased prices at a slower pace than Outback while investing in their staffs and restaurant remodels. These factors, combined with better menu quality, has led to the success of these brands, according to RJ Hottovy, an analyst at Roadhouse and Longhorn both rank at the top of the American Customer Satisfaction Index, a benchmark of consumers' opinions about restaurants and fast-food chains. Outback was Richard Mathis's favorite restaurant in high school, even celebrating his graduation there. But he says Outback is 'consistently disappointing' these days. 'When I go into an Outback now, it feels sterile and cold. They just don't feel fun,' Mathis said. 'I want to eat and leave. I don't feel any desire to hang out there.' He now prefers Texas Roadhouse when he goes out to eat with his wife or friends. The steak is better, the staff is friendlier and it's 'fun, bright and there's music,' he said. 'Roadhouse feels like going to a country bar.' Although the three chains are all casual steakhouses, there are key differences that explain their divergent performance. Outback, whose concept was based on the movie 'Crocodile Dundee,' spread nationally during the 1990s and 2000s. Although its four founders were not Australian, Outback had faux-Australian items on the menu like 'Ribs on the Barbie' and 'Walkabout Soup.' The chain sold a wider variety of casual fare beyond steaks, becoming recognized for its signature items like the 'Bloomin' Onion' and 'Alice Springs Chicken.' But the size of the menu became unwieldy for staff as the chain also offered limited-time promotions to try to spur customers to visit. Location mattered as well. Outback for years opened restaurants around malls, but that backfired as foot traffic to malls dwindled. Outback has closed dozens of its older restaurants in recent years. As Outback struggled, competitors stepped in. Texas Roadhouse stuck to lower prices on most items compared to the one-off promotions at Outback. The chain also won over customers with its lively, rodeo-style restaurants, featuring wood-paneled walls, murals and upbeat country tunes. Roadhouse distinguished its brand with free peanuts, bread rolls with honey cinnamon butter and occasional line dancing by waiters. 'Roadhouse is winning because they have a much better value proposition than anybody else,' said Peter Saleh, an analyst at BTIG. LongHorn has stood out through its upscale-dining feel and bigger steaks for similar prices to Outback's. LongHorn started in the early 1980s as a budget-friendly roadhouse restaurant. But LongHorn ditched that concept and moved upmarket to court higher-income diners. In 2007, Darden, the owner of Olive Garden, Capital Grille and Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen, bought LongHorn. 'LongHorn has made significant investments over the years in quality, and that continues to pay off,' Darden CEO Rick Cardenas said last year. He noted that LongHorn was attracting customers trading down from fine-dining restaurants. But Outback says it can return to its past glory. 'Consumer research shows there is an affinity for [Outback],' a spokesperson for Bloomin' Brands told CNN. 'With the investments we're making to improve operations and deliver a better guest experience, we are excited about the future potential of our business.' Despite its recent struggles, Outback believes it can turn its business around with a new strategy and leadership. Mike Spanos, the former chief operating officer at Delta, became CEO of Outback parent Bloomin' last year. Outback also has a new president, Pat Hafner, a 29-year veteran of the chain. 'Outback is a great business. It is a great brand,' Spanos said last month. 'It is a very fixable business.' Outback plans to cut 20% of the menu and reduce limited-time promotions to simplify operations for restaurant staff. These promotional offers hurt Outback's profit and created bottlenecks for workers. Instead, Outback will shift to setting consistently low prices. 'We were featuring items in short promotional periods that created complexity for our operators, and we failed to drive value in our core' menu items, Spanos said. Outback also will slow its new restaurant openings and direct its investments to remodeling current locations. 'We need to focus on getting the guest experience right before we earn the right to grow,' he said. Chili's recent turnaround offers hope for Outback and a roadmap it can follow. Chili's has unexpectedly pulled off its comeback thanks to upgraded French fry and chicken tender recipes, fast food-like prices and viral TikTok videos of customers pulling apart its gooey mozzarella sticks. Chili's sales at restaurants open for at least a year increased a whopping 31% last quarter. It was Chili's third-straight quarter of double-digit sales growth. Old Outback customers like Richard Mathis are rooting for a Chili's-like comeback. 'I love the brand and wish it was back to the way it was,' he said. 'I want to go to Outback.'
CNN
28-03-2025
- Business
- CNN
Outback is no longer America's king of steaks
Source: CNN Americans don't want Outback's Aussie-themed steaks anymore. Instead, they're craving Texas-style cuts from Texas Roadhouse and LongHorn's tender filets. Texas Roadhouse and LongHorn's sales topped Outback's last year, and the chains' stocks are going in different directions. Texas Roadhouse's stock has increased around 15% over the last year, while shares of LongHorn-owner Darden jumped around 25%. Meanwhile, Outback parent company Bloomin' Brands' stock has tumbled more than 70% to roughly $8 a share. As inflation pressures cut into consumers' spending, Americans are abandoning casual dining chains they don't perceive as good value such as Outback and TGI Fridays. Instead, they are shifting to Roadhouse, LongHorn, Chili's and other chains they feel offer them a better deal when they go out to dinner. It's a steep fall for Outback, which defined the casual dining steakhouse model in the United States. Founded in 1988, customers jumped on Outback's cheap, juicy sirloin steaks and deep-fried onion blossoms during the 1990s and 2000s. But Outback's mistakes and competitors' innovative strategies have tipped the power order in the restaurant steak wars. Outback hiked prices too high, relied too heavily on promotions to draw diners, and cut costs too far. Customers and analysts alike say food quality suffered, table service slowed and restaurants became dingy. Outback is also more expensive: The chain's check average was $29 last year — $6 above Roadhouse and $2.50 more than LongHorn. That allowed Roadhouse to peel off Outback's budget-conscious customers, while LongHorn won diners by increasing the size of its steaks. Both chains also increased prices at a slower pace than Outback while investing in their staffs and restaurant remodels. These factors, combined with better menu quality, has led to the success of these brands, according to RJ Hottovy, an analyst at Roadhouse and Longhorn both rank at the top of the American Customer Satisfaction Index, a benchmark of consumers' opinions about restaurants and fast-food chains. Outback was Richard Mathis's favorite restaurant in high school, even celebrating his graduation there. But he says Outback is 'consistently disappointing' these days. 'When I go into an Outback now, it feels sterile and cold. They just don't feel fun,' Mathis said. 'I want to eat and leave. I don't feel any desire to hang out there.' He now prefers Texas Roadhouse when he goes out to eat with his wife or friends. The steak is better, the staff is friendlier and it's 'fun, bright and there's music,' he said. 'Roadhouse feels like going to a country bar.' Although the three chains are all casual steakhouses, there are key differences that explain their divergent performance. Outback, whose concept was based on the movie 'Crocodile Dundee,' spread nationally during the 1990s and 2000s. Although its four founders were not Australian, Outback had faux-Australian items on the menu like 'Ribs on the Barbie' and 'Walkabout Soup.' The chain sold a wider variety of casual fare beyond steaks, becoming recognized for its signature items like the 'Bloomin' Onion' and 'Alice Springs Chicken.' But the size of the menu became unwieldy for staff as the chain also offered limited-time promotions to try to spur customers to visit. Location mattered as well. Outback for years opened restaurants around malls, but that backfired as foot traffic to malls dwindled. Outback has closed dozens of its older restaurants in recent years. As Outback struggled, competitors stepped in. Texas Roadhouse stuck to lower prices on most items compared to the one-off promotions at Outback. The chain also won over customers with its lively, rodeo-style restaurants, featuring wood-paneled walls, murals and upbeat country tunes. Roadhouse distinguished its brand with free peanuts, bread rolls with honey cinnamon butter and occasional line dancing by waiters. 'Roadhouse is winning because they have a much better value proposition than anybody else,' said Peter Saleh, an analyst at BTIG. LongHorn has stood out through its upscale-dining feel and bigger steaks for similar prices to Outback's. LongHorn started in the early 1980s as a budget-friendly roadhouse restaurant. But LongHorn ditched that concept and moved upmarket to court higher-income diners. In 2007, Darden, the owner of Olive Garden, Capital Grille and Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen, bought LongHorn. 'LongHorn has made significant investments over the years in quality, and that continues to pay off,' Darden CEO Rick Cardenas said last year. He noted that LongHorn was attracting customers trading down from fine-dining restaurants. But Outback says it can return to its past glory. 'Consumer research shows there is an affinity for [Outback],' a spokesperson for Bloomin' Brands told CNN. 'With the investments we're making to improve operations and deliver a better guest experience, we are excited about the future potential of our business.' Despite its recent struggles, Outback believes it can turn its business around with a new strategy and leadership. Mike Spanos, the former chief operating officer at Delta, became CEO of Outback parent Bloomin' last year. Outback also has a new president, Pat Hafner, a 29-year veteran of the chain. 'Outback is a great business. It is a great brand,' Spanos said last month. 'It is a very fixable business.' Outback plans to cut 20% of the menu and reduce limited-time promotions to simplify operations for restaurant staff. These promotional offers hurt Outback's profit and created bottlenecks for workers. Instead, Outback will shift to setting consistently low prices. 'We were featuring items in short promotional periods that created complexity for our operators, and we failed to drive value in our core' menu items, Spanos said. Outback also will slow its new restaurant openings and direct its investments to remodeling current locations. 'We need to focus on getting the guest experience right before we earn the right to grow,' he said. Chili's recent turnaround offers hope for Outback and a roadmap it can follow. Chili's has unexpectedly pulled off its comeback thanks to upgraded French fry and chicken tender recipes, fast food-like prices and viral TikTok videos of customers pulling apart its gooey mozzarella sticks. Chili's sales at restaurants open for at least a year increased a whopping 31% last quarter. It was Chili's third-straight quarter of double-digit sales growth. Old Outback customers like Richard Mathis are rooting for a Chili's-like comeback. 'I love the brand and wish it was back to the way it was,' he said. 'I want to go to Outback.' See Full Web Article
CNN
28-03-2025
- Business
- CNN
Outback is no longer America's king of steaks
Americans don't want Outback's Aussie-themed steaks anymore. Instead, they're craving Texas-style cuts from Texas Roadhouse and LongHorn's tender filets. Texas Roadhouse and LongHorn's sales topped Outback's last year, and the chains' stocks are going in different directions. Texas Roadhouse's stock has increased around 15% over the last year, while shares of LongHorn-owner Darden jumped around 25%. Meanwhile, Outback parent company Bloomin' Brands' stock has tumbled more than 70% to roughly $8 a share. As inflation pressures cut into consumers' spending, Americans are abandoning casual dining chains they don't perceive as good value such as Outback and TGI Fridays. Instead, they are shifting to Roadhouse, LongHorn, Chili's and other chains they feel offer them a better deal when they go out to dinner. It's a steep fall for Outback, which defined the casual dining steakhouse model in the United States. Founded in 1988, customers jumped on Outback's cheap, juicy sirloin steaks and deep-fried onion blossoms during the 1990s and 2000s. But Outback's mistakes and competitors' innovative strategies have tipped the power order in the restaurant steak wars. Outback hiked prices too high, relied too heavily on promotions to draw diners, and cut costs too far. Customers and analysts alike say food quality suffered, table service slowed and restaurants became dingy. Outback is also more expensive: The chain's check average was $29 last year — $6 above Roadhouse and $2.50 more than LongHorn. That allowed Roadhouse to peel off Outback's budget-conscious customers, while LongHorn won diners by increasing the size of its steaks. Both chains also increased prices at a slower pace than Outback while investing in their staffs and restaurant remodels. These factors, combined with better menu quality, has led to the success of these brands, according to RJ Hottovy, an analyst at Roadhouse and Longhorn both rank at the top of the American Customer Satisfaction Index, a benchmark of consumers' opinions about restaurants and fast-food chains. Outback was Richard Mathis's favorite restaurant in high school, even celebrating his graduation there. But he says Outback is 'consistently disappointing' these days. 'When I go into an Outback now, it feels sterile and cold. They just don't feel fun,' Mathis said. 'I want to eat and leave. I don't feel any desire to hang out there.' He now prefers Texas Roadhouse when he goes out to eat with his wife or friends. The steak is better, the staff is friendlier and it's 'fun, bright and there's music,' he said. 'Roadhouse feels like going to a country bar.' Although the three chains are all casual steakhouses, there are key differences that explain their divergent performance. Outback, whose concept was based on the movie 'Crocodile Dundee,' spread nationally during the 1990s and 2000s. Although its four founders were not Australian, Outback had faux-Australian items on the menu like 'Ribs on the Barbie' and 'Walkabout Soup.' The chain sold a wider variety of casual fare beyond steaks, becoming recognized for its signature items like the 'Bloomin' Onion' and 'Alice Springs Chicken.' But the size of the menu became unwieldy for staff as the chain also offered limited-time promotions to try to spur customers to visit. Location mattered as well. Outback for years opened restaurants around malls, but that backfired as foot traffic to malls dwindled. Outback has closed dozens of its older restaurants in recent years. As Outback struggled, competitors stepped in. Texas Roadhouse stuck to lower prices on most items compared to the one-off promotions at Outback. The chain also won over customers with its lively, rodeo-style restaurants, featuring wood-paneled walls, murals and upbeat country tunes. Roadhouse distinguished its brand with free peanuts, bread rolls with honey cinnamon butter and occasional line dancing by waiters. 'Roadhouse is winning because they have a much better value proposition than anybody else,' said Peter Saleh, an analyst at BTIG. LongHorn has stood out through its upscale-dining feel and bigger steaks for similar prices to Outback's. LongHorn started in the early 1980s as a budget-friendly roadhouse restaurant. But LongHorn ditched that concept and moved upmarket to court higher-income diners. In 2007, Darden, the owner of Olive Garden, Capital Grille and Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen, bought LongHorn. 'LongHorn has made significant investments over the years in quality, and that continues to pay off,' Darden CEO Rick Cardenas said last year. He noted that LongHorn was attracting customers trading down from fine-dining restaurants. But Outback says it can return to its past glory. 'Consumer research shows there is an affinity for [Outback],' a spokesperson for Bloomin' Brands told CNN. 'With the investments we're making to improve operations and deliver a better guest experience, we are excited about the future potential of our business.' Despite its recent struggles, Outback believes it can turn its business around with a new strategy and leadership. Mike Spanos, the former chief operating officer at Delta, became CEO of Outback parent Bloomin' last year. Outback also has a new president, Pat Hafner, a 29-year veteran of the chain. 'Outback is a great business. It is a great brand,' Spanos said last month. 'It is a very fixable business.' Outback plans to cut 20% of the menu and reduce limited-time promotions to simplify operations for restaurant staff. These promotional offers hurt Outback's profit and created bottlenecks for workers. Instead, Outback will shift to setting consistently low prices. 'We were featuring items in short promotional periods that created complexity for our operators, and we failed to drive value in our core' menu items, Spanos said. Outback also will slow its new restaurant openings and direct its investments to remodeling current locations. 'We need to focus on getting the guest experience right before we earn the right to grow,' he said. Chili's recent turnaround offers hope for Outback and a roadmap it can follow. Chili's has unexpectedly pulled off its comeback thanks to upgraded French fry and chicken tender recipes, fast food-like prices and viral TikTok videos of customers pulling apart its gooey mozzarella sticks. Chili's sales at restaurants open for at least a year increased a whopping 31% last quarter. It was Chili's third-straight quarter of double-digit sales growth. Old Outback customers like Richard Mathis are rooting for a Chili's-like comeback. 'I love the brand and wish it was back to the way it was,' he said. 'I want to go to Outback.'
