38-year-old beloved steakhouse chain closing over 40 locations

Steakhouse dining chains have faced a challenging year of rising beef prices, which 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.

Among the restaurant chains implementing plans to improve their business performance is Bloomin' Brands' Outback Steakhouse, which has closed locations that no longer make economic sense to operate.

Outback Steakhouse is closing two more of its restaurants about 10 months after the chain's owner Bloomin' Brands launched a multi-year turnaround strategy that will eliminate locations that lack the potential for growth.

The 38-year-old steakhouse chain abruptly closed its Evansville, Wyo., location on Aug. 23, 2026, and posted a farewell note on its front door.

"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 Evansville location, which opened in November 1998, was operated by a franchisee, according to a media representative from Outback Steakhouse parent company Bloomin' Brands. The company did not have any information about the closing because the location was owned by a franchisee, Bloomin' Brands told Oil City News .

The franchisee, whose name was not listed in the farewell note, had owned the Evansville location since about 2005 or 21 years, based on the message on the restaurant door.

Outback continues to operate one other location in Wyoming at 1626 Fleischli Business Parkway in Cheyenne.

Outback Steakhouse will also close its restaurant at 2400 Boston Street in Baltimore on Oct. 11 after over 20 years of operating, an Outback spokesperson told WBAL-TV . The chain will continue to operate a location at 4215 Ebenezer Road in Baltimore and 21 other restaurants in Maryland.

"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 in a statement to Baltimore Business Journal. "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 Australian-themed restaurant chain did not state a reason for closing the restaurant, but suggested that customers could visit the chain's restaurants in Glen Burnie and Perry Hall, Md.