Outback Steakhouse is closing two locations, and the chain has not stated a reason beyond rising beef prices. The 38-year-old Australian-themed restaurant chain announced on Wednesday that it will shutter its Evansville, Wyo., restaurant on Aug. 23 and its Baltimore location at 2400 Boston Street on Oct. 11.
The closures come about 10 months after Bloomin’ Brands, the parent company of Outback, launched a multi-year turnaround strategy aimed at eliminating locations that lack the potential for growth. Beef prices increased by 9.4% year-over-year in July 2026, making it harder for many restaurants to maintain profitable businesses and keep their doors open.
Wyoming’s Farewell Note
The Evansville, Wyo., location posted a farewell note on its front door when it closed on Aug. 23. The message thanked customers for 21 years of support and acknowledged the staff.
“G’Day Casper/Evansville: Outback Steakhouse is now closed. Thank you for all your support over the last 21 years. It has been a pleasure working with so many great, local Outbackers over the years. To all the fond memories!!! Cheers, The Outback Team,” the note stated.
The location opened in November 1998 and was operated by a franchisee. A media representative from Bloomin’ Brands confirmed the franchisee had owned the location since about 2005. Bloomin’ Brands told Oil City News that it did not have any information about the closing because the location was owned by a franchisee.
Outback continues to operate one other location in Wyoming at 1626 Fleischli Business Parkway in Cheyenne.
Baltimore’s Goodbye
Outback will also close its restaurant at 2400 Boston Street in Baltimore on Oct. 11 after over 20 years of operation. An Outback spokesperson told WBAL-TV that the closure follows the company’s broader strategy of eliminating underperforming locations.
The chain will continue to operate a location at 4215 Ebenezer Road in Baltimore and 21 other restaurants in Maryland. Outback said in a statement to Baltimore Business Journal that it remains grateful to the community.
“We are incredibly grateful to the community for its support over the years and to our team members, past and present, for their many contributions to this restaurant,” Outback said. “We’ve been proud to be part of the community and appreciate the many guests who have chosen to dine with us over the years.”
The company did not state a reason for closing the Baltimore restaurant, but suggested that customers could visit the chain’s restaurants in Glen Burnie and Perry Hall, Md.
The Pattern So Far
Here is what we know about the closures so far:
- The Evansville, Wyo., location closed Aug. 23 after 21 years.
- The Baltimore location at 2400 Boston Street closes Oct. 11 after over 20 years.
- Both locations were operated by franchisees.
- Bloomin’ Brands has not stated a reason for either closure beyond rising beef prices.
The company has not said whether more closures are planned. What is clear is that the chain is cutting locations that no longer fit its long-term growth strategy.
For diners, the immediate loss is simple: two Outback locations are gone, and neither chain has offered a clear explanation for why.
The closures are a reminder that even established chains face pressure from rising costs. Outback has been around for 38 years, and the company continues to operate in both states. But the economics of individual locations are another matter entirely.
The company has said it will eliminate locations that lack the potential for growth. That is a reasonable strategy. Whether the closures were inevitable or avoidable is a question Outback has not answered.
What is known is that two restaurants are closing, and the chain has not explained why beyond a general reference to rising beef prices. For the communities that lost their Outback, the explanation matters less than the result: the doors are shutting, and there is little left to say about it.
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