Where Outback Steakhouse Gets Its Meat

Here's a little Easter Egg for you: The next time you go to Outback Steakhouse or see one of its commercials, keep your eyes peeled for some Australian-related imagery. You might miss it at first glance, but the steakhouse chain loves to give a subtle nod to the Land Down Under in its marketing and decor. We are, of course, understating things for comic effect. Outback covers itself in Aussie kitsch like Vegemite covers a piece of toast, despite not being nearly as Australian as you might think. But while Australia has an enormous cattle industry, Outback Steakhouse doesn't source its steaks from the Land of Oz — understandably so, considering what a logistical nightmare that would be. Instead, Outback gets its meat from the Texas-based Standard Meat Company.

Outback isn't the only chain that benefits from Standard Meat Company's wares. The company also provides meat for Carrabba Italian Grill, a chain of Italian restaurants which happens to be owned by Outback's parent company, Bloomin' Brands. Perhaps you've never given much thought to where Outback's steaks (usually USDA Choice grade, which is less expensive than Prime) come from — but now you know.

Standard Meat Company started its life in 1935 when it was founded in Fort Worth, Texas by a Russian-Jewish immigrant named Ben Rosenthal. He was joined in business shortly thereafter by his son, Manny, who first entered the company at the age of 13 before going off to Texas A&M to get a degree in meat science. Outback Steakhouse was far from the first chain which Standard Meat Company associated itself with, though. In the 1960s, it partnered with Steak and Ale as well as Delta Airlines.

But it wasn't until 1994, twelve years after Standard Meat Company had been acquired by Sara Lee, when the company partnered with Outback. Perhaps off the strength of that partnership, the brand was rebooted out from under the Sara Lee umbrella and the company is now proudly independent today. Although Outback has had some difficulties in recent years, with 21 locations suddenly closing, it has enjoyed surprising success in Brazil, so Standard Meat Company shouldn't worry too much.