Is Outback Steakhouse Actually Australian? How The Chain Is Connected To The Country

"No rules, just right." That's the slogan some may know from Outback Steakhouse's commercials for most of its tenure, spoken over in a thick Aussie accent. In its commercials, restaurants, and menus, Outback is heavily committed to transporting patrons to Australia. So, certainly, that means that the restaurant chain has roots "down under," right? Well, no. Aside from its theme, Outback Steakhouse's origins have no connections to Australia. Instead, its birthplace is Tampa, Florida, a state famous for a similar laid-back, quirky culture – and it's actually a sibling to an overarching family of chain restaurants.

Outback Steakhouse was founded in 1988 by four friends: Chris Sullivan, Robert Basham, Trudy Cooper, and Tim Gannon. Each had a background in the hospitality and service industry, and wanted to open a restaurant of their own. However, they faced the challenge of standing out from their competition. So, inspired by the movie "Crocodile Dundee," the four based their culinary concept on Australia. As none of them had ever been to the country, the founders drew from what they knew of Australia, lining the walls with decor like Aboriginal spears, maps, the Australian flag, koalas, and even boomerangs. They opened the first Outback in Tampa under the parent name of Multi-Venture Partners, Inc., which would eventually become Bloomin' Brands. The success of Outback led them to conceive spin-off bands like Carrabba's Italian Grill, Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar, and Bonefish Grill.

Don't let those mozzarella boomerangs fool you — Outback's food is American with Australian names. Very little of it comes from Australian cuisine, as pointed out by Australian-born Jason Chatfield, a cartoonist for the New Yorker, when stating that "nothing's less Australian than a Bloomin' Onion," after visiting a local Outback (via New York Cartoons). Admittedly, this is true, as co-founder Tim Gannon found inspiration for the iconic appetizer during his time at a New Orleans restaurant. Interestingly, the brand expanded to seven locations in its inspirational country, albeit with the usually exaggerated Aussie theme toned down on the Australian menus from the American menus. For instance, the word "shrimp" is swapped for "prawn" on the Australian menu due to the local colloquialisms. Additionally, the use of the words "kookaburra" and "barbie" is nowhere to be found.

It's worth noting that the company doesn't necessarily hide the truth from anyone, as Outback's About Us page openly states that its restaurant boasts an "Australian theme." This is likely referring to its look and branding rather than its food, such as its delicious steak and chicken. Of course, just because Outback isn't authentically Australian doesn't mean it shouldn't be appreciated. Its kitschy Aussie theme is charming, and Outback's menu offers many popular appetizers like Coconut Shrimp and Aussie Cheese Fries, and is a great place to get an affordable meal.