Video: Business is Bloomin' as Outback Steakhouse(R) Celebrates its Twentieth Birthday

TAMPA, Fla., March 10 /PRNewswire/ -- With almost 800 restaurants across the country and 950 locations worldwide, Outback Steakhouse(R) continues to increase its "steak" in the casual dining industry, with no signs of slowing down. Already voted "Consumers' Choice in Chains" by Restaurants & Institutions, this month the company marks 20 years of enhancing its customers' experiences. To kick off the birthday celebrations, Outback will be promoting classic favorites along with a number of new, limited time only creations, in addition to launching a number of customer-focused activities at individual restaurant locations across the country.

    To view the Multimedia News Release, go to:
http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/outback/32226/

"Fresh food prepared from scratch, bold flavors and top-quality ingredients, our outstanding employees and unsurpassed commitment to service have been the keys to Outback's success over the past 20 years," said Outback Steakhouse Chief Operating Officer Paul Avery. "Our philosophy has always been to take it one meal and one customer at a time."

Limited Time Offer Birthday Specials

In honor of its birthday, Outback has created a number of special menu items that will be available only through the end of April. The Bloomin' Birthday specials were developed to celebrate the big bold flavors that Outback is known for and to offer a variety of fresh new flavors for customers.

       -- Sirloin, Shrimp and Scallops Mixed Grill: Juicy USDA "Choice"
          sirloin, seasoned, seared and paired with succulent grilled shrimp
          and scallops, all served with whole grain wild rice and sauteed
          spinach.
       -- Chargrilled Tuscan Rib Eye: A tender, thick rib eye seasoned with a
          Tuscan marinade of imported olive oil and fresh herbs and spices,
          then chargrilled over an open flame.  Served with garlic mashed
          potatoes, fresh steamed veggies and a homemade olive and sun-dried
          tomato relish.
       -- Fresh Tilapia with Pure Lump Crab Meat: Fresh tilapia crowned with a
          crab stuffing, then topped with pure lump crab meat and sliced white
          button mushrooms, finished with a drizzle of light lemon-butter
          Chablis sauce.  Served with fresh grilled asparagus.
       -- Slow-Roasted Sirloin Medley: Perfectly roasted slices of sirloin
          drizzled with fresh herbs, garlic, olive oil and lemon surrounded by
          grape tomatoes and asparagus, served atop sautied spinach and a
          jumbo, homemade Outback crouton.

    Classic Outback Favorites
       -- Bloomin' Onion(R): An Outback original!  When these special onions
          are delivered to the kitchens daily, they're hand carved by a
          dedicated "bloomologist."  Each bloom is cooked until golden and
          served with a spicy dipping sauce.
       -- Chocolate Thunder From Down Under(R): Fresh-baked pecan brownie and
          rich vanilla ice cream topped with homemade chocolate sauce and
          chocolate shavings.

A Cut Above: Dissecting the Bloomin' Onion

Outback co-founder Tim Gannon created the Bloomin' Onion concept more than 20 years ago, inspired by Japanese cookbooks he read in the early 1980s which featured vegetables cut and prepared with intricate floral designs. Once he had perfected the recipe, Tim went on a quest for the perfect onion that was tangy enough to withstand being dipped into a bold-flavored batter seasoned with 17 spices, yet still maintain its shape after being "bloomed." He consulted with an "onion-ologist" in the food science department at Texas A&M University, who helped him select and create the perfect breed.

During the first night of business, Outback sold just two Bloomin' Onions. Since then, the restaurant has sold more than 133 million of its original Aussie appetizer without changing a single ingredient!

The History of Outback

The Australian-themed steakhouse has every reason to celebrate its twentieth birthday this March as it maintains its status as one of the current leaders in the industry, outselling the competition in the steak category year after year.

Outback was founded in 1988 by four friends who met in the restaurant business: Chris Sullivan, Bob Basham, Tim Gannon and Trudy Cooper. Their mission was to provide high-quality, fresh dishes offered at reasonable prices combined with an Australian "no-worries" dining experience. The restaurant quickly made a name for itself by creating "crave-able" menu items like its iconic Bloomin' Onion and the Outback Special Sirloin, which grabbed the attention of investors and consumers from across the country.

A Stake in the Steakhouse

Outback's food is not its only recipe for success; the company also operates under an innovative business model that offers each restaurant manager, or managing partner as they're called at Outback, the opportunity to share in his or her own restaurant's profits during a five year period. The company's strong leadership, combined with the vested interest of its employees, has enabled Outback to pioneer business practices -- such as the managing partner profit-sharing program -- that have been adopted by much of the casual dining industry.

Another Outback innovation: curbside takeaway, an industry-changing concept that was originally developed by an Outback managing partner before the company rolled it out nationwide.

While the restaurant chain conducts focus groups with consumers in conjunction with other research, it relies heavily on the internal culinary team. The work done in R&D kitchens allows Outback to recognize the hottest food trends while measuring them against their feasibility within the Australian steakhouse concept's menu and brand persona.

Outback vs. the Competition

Outback Steakhouse continues to outperform competitors in its segment by offering better food, working conditions, career growth opportunities and employee tenure (in part because of employees' vested interest in the success of the company). This year, Outback is starting a program to "re-image" its restaurant interiors as well as strategically change restaurant locations based on traffic patterns and commercial activity. To accommodate the ever- changing needs of its consumers, Outback is offering an array of portion sizes and new beef, chicken, seafood and fish choices; it's already the first in the casual dining industry to offer a gluten-free menu.

When it comes to community efforts, Outback Steakhouse is a leader in giving back to the communities where it does business. Each local restaurant supports a number of charitable organizations and, in keeping with tradition, all Outback restaurants are encouraged to support local non-profits of their choice.

For each of the past four years, the company has also given a "taste of home" to U.S. troops based in the Middle East by sending a dispatch of employees to serve steaks, potatoes, Bloomin' Onions and other signature dishes to more than 24,000 service men and women.

About Outback Steakhouse

Outback Steakhouse was honored with the 2006 Platinum Award in the best steakhouse category in Restaurants & Institutions magazine's annual Consumer Choice awards. Renowned for its big, bold flavors, Outback Steakhouse features a menu of uniquely-seasoned, juicy, USDA Choice steaks, grilled chicken, shrimp and fish, the original Bloomin' Onion, plus signature drinks, salads and desserts. Serving only the freshest food made with the highest- quality ingredients, Outback ensures that all soups, sauces and dressings are created from scratch. At Outback Steakhouse, guests are encouraged to kick back and relax with a "no worries" Aussie attitude. For more information and locations, visit www.outback.com.