WASHINGTON — The parent company of Outback Steakhouse has permanently closed dozens of "underperforming" locations across the country.
The closures were revealed Friday during the Bloomin' Brands earnings call.
The 41 restaurant closures are "mostly" Outback Steakhouse locations, the company said in the call, along with a handful of others across the brands it owns, including Carrabba's Italian Grill, Bonefish Grill and Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar.
“Closing restaurants is never easy," Bloomin' Brands said in a statement Wednesday. "This was a business decision that has no reflection on the staff or their service. Many team members will have the opportunity to transfer to open positions at another restaurant. Employees who do not will receive severance.”
Which Outback Steakhouses are closing?
The company has not released a list of the impacted restaurants, but confirmed Wednesday that all 41 locations have closed now.
Local news reports show that Outback locations in Florida, Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and the last remaining Hawaii and New Hampshire spots recently closed. Additionally, Bonefish Grill locations in New Jersey and Virginia recently closed, as well as Carrabba's in Virginia and at least three New York restaurants.
Why is Outback closing locations?
CEO David Deno said on Friday's earnings call that the shuttered locations involved older leases from the 1990s and 2000s. He added the decision to close those specific restaurants considered a variety of factors including sales and traffic and the investment that would've been needed to improve those restaurants.
In total, Bloomin' Brands said Friday it plans to open as many as 45 new restaurants in the coming year.
