I see the one in Davenport is closing Sunday. I don’t think I’ve been there in 10 years.
Outback Steakhouse
- Thread starter QChawks
- Start date
I don't think I've ever seen one close down. Someone crashed a car into the one in Savannah and they rebuilt it.
The one in Coralville closed.
That’s too bad. Used to go there stoned and get their cheese fries back in college.
Outback Steakhouse priced themselves
out of the market for what middle class
Americans are willing to pay for a steak.
Longhorn Steakhouse is more popular
due to lower prices. The upper class
Americans prefers the high end steak
houses where you pay for quality steak.
out of the market for what middle class
Americans are willing to pay for a steak.
Longhorn Steakhouse is more popular
due to lower prices. The upper class
Americans prefers the high end steak
houses where you pay for quality steak.
Longhorn prices out about the same. You're thinking of Texas Roadhouse.
They cheapened the product, and there are other, better choices.
That simple really...some blend of those two are the chief reasons why almost all restaurant chains die off.
That simple really...some blend of those two are the chief reasons why almost all restaurant chains die off.
I’m guessing it’s mostly about location. Kimberly Road is so 25 years ago. Everything is on 53rd now.
It's crazy how many restaurants struggle in Davenport on really busy streets. Kimberly and Brady is one of the busiest intersections in the state and there are two corner spots/buildings that can't keep a restaurant open.
Some of the best restaurants I've ever been to are off the beaten path and hard to find.
Bottom line: if your food is good, they will come.
Bottom line: if your food is good, they will come.
I think that area like Merle Hay or SE 14th here in DSM. I just don't want to be there in my free time if I don't have to be.
That location that was the Japanese Steakhouse forever is too hard to get in and out of. Plus people are worried about the intersection, and they do not pay enough attention to what is nearby shopping wise. The place on the other corner that was the Ground Round forever, was a Mexican restaurant that was the same for at least ten years, then something else. Either way that place needs to be gutted since bars in it are from the 1970's, I think the carpet is nearly that old. It is sooo dirty inside.
They redid the restaurant a few years ago. They want $1M for the building. I think it was underperforming and the ownership of Outback down in Tampa is trying to break itself up to sell itself. This could have been an attempt to generate some cash and make the overall profit margin look better.
This is true, plus they do not have to stick to the 30% food cost adage as tightly. If your building is not costing you a fortune you can have higher food costs and bring people in with better food.
It hasn't been the Ground Round for at least 2 decades...pretty sure. Shogun turned into Sam's Diner, which was really good but didn't make it, sadly.
This is a shame, but as my buddy who is in the business says, for every new restaurant that opens in town, another closes. While the Bettendorf Sports complex may have expanded the saturation point of the market somewhat, we have not had the kind of growth here to support all the new restaurants going in out on 53rd.
It appears that even Five Guys has pulled back their plans to build out on Utica Ridge.
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Outback has gone downhill bigly. Sad!
But seriously, I stopped at the the CR locale a few years ago and had the Queensland Chicken & Shrimp; it was always tasty. But that night it was garbage. Like they rolled everything over a block of salt before putting it on my plate. As others have said, much better options out there.
But seriously, I stopped at the the CR locale a few years ago and had the Queensland Chicken & Shrimp; it was always tasty. But that night it was garbage. Like they rolled everything over a block of salt before putting it on my plate. As others have said, much better options out there.
Had the same experience a couple years back, but we tried it again the day after this last Outback Bowl, and it was good enough that we went back in the summer again. Definitely improved.
My girlfriend (no pics, vids, or Moral-esque drawings you sick bastards) went with her parents a few weeks ago and said it was really good too. I’d be open to going again, definitely.
Even though chains are “consistent”, they still fool around with recipes and ingredients, and sometimes it takes months of feedback before changing back/again. It’s easier for the mom and pop diner to recognize that a recipe sucks or the new seasoned salt doesn’t mix well with a certain meat. Change it right there, and it’s done. But when there are thousands of locations, that change is a sssslllloooowwwww process.
Did Outback change their model and go to stand alones exclusively? I thought I heard that is the reason the Coralville store closed?
This sounds correct. They wanted all owners to own the land/building as well. This is not uncommon and how most large chains really make their money. It also explains why Cedar Rapids still has one.
