12 Things Every First-Timer Should Know Before Eating At Outback Steakhouse

Of all the steakhouse chains in the U.S. market, one of the best known is Outback Steakhouse, which offers casual dining with Australian theming. You probably know it best as the home of the Bloomin' Onion, a giant sweet onion that's breaded and deep fried, resulting in a delicious appetizer that can be copied using your air fryer at home.

But if you've never been to one of these Aussie-fied restaurants, there are a few things you should know to make the most of your first visit. (And we're not just talking about figuring out the Australia-related references not-so-subtly hidden in the menu. Spoiler alert: one of them is a giant, upside-down kangaroo.) So, here's our guide to the tips and tricks you should know before you head "Down Under" ... aka, heading to your slightly upscale shopping center, which is where you will typically find your local Outback Steakhouse.

Despite the upside-down kangaroo on its menus, and the "outback" being a term for the rural parts of Australian wilderness, Outback Steakhouse isn't actually Australian at all. In fact, it was first created in 1987 in the extremely non-Australian location of Tampa, Florida, where the four founders — Chris Sullivan, Bob Basham, Tim Gannon and Trudy Cooper — decided to open their first restaurant in a former bar.

The founders chose the theme simply because Australia was popular at the time of the restaurant's opening, partially because of the recent film "Crocodile Dundee." However, the four specifically decided not to make it traditionally Australian. So, the company just gave its menu items Australian names and served Australian beers. Basically, it's American-focused food with a vaguely Australian theme.

And probably the best indication of that is the menu served at the Outback Steakhouses in Australia itself. The only differences we could find was that the chain dropped the kangaroo logos and Australian names off all the items on the chain's "Down Under Favorites." So, the "Kookaburra Wings" simply became the "Classic Wings," and the "Grilled Chicken On The Barbie," simply became "Chargrilled Chicken." In Australia, it's just another American-style steakhouse ... which is pretty much what it's been all along.

If you have a gluten allergy, Outback Steakhouse will be happy to provide you with their "gluten-friendly" menu: a guide to which items gluten-sensitive diners should choose, like the Chocolate Thunder from Down Under, as shown above. 

However, you might have noticed that it's not a "gluten-free" menu. And that's because "gluten-free" is a technical term regulated by the FDA, that ensures that items listed with that term contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten in the products, the lowest level of gluten that can be detected.

But "gluten-friendly" is not a legally distinct term, so it can be used by anyone to describe their products without government repercussions. On Outback's gluten-friendly FAQ, the chain says that it cannot guarantee that its products don't contain gluten, as the food is prepared in a shared kitchen that does produce dishes with gluten. The Check Gluten website — a site dedicated to monitoring gluten in restaurants — blames this contamination largely on the Bloomin' Onion, as it's covered in wheat flour, which can easily contaminate other dishes and the fryers the onions are cooked in. So, if you have a medical condition that means you can't have any exposure to gluten, you might want to find a restaurant with a dedicated gluten-free kitchen instead.

Like most chains today, Outback has a rewards system to help encourage diners to return to its restaurants. In fact, it uses the Dine Rewards system that gives customers points for dining at several restaurants owned by its parent company, Bloomin' Brands Inc., including Outback, Carrabba's Italian Grill, Bonefish Grill, and Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar. Patrons get 5 points for every dollar they spend on food and non-alcoholic beverages at those restaurants, and receive a $5 reward for every 350 points they spend, good toward their next meal.

But the real draw for signing up for this rewards system is that you get a free Bloomin' Onion appetizer when you sign up. So, even if you know you'll never spend the $350 to qualify for a $5 coupon, you know you're getting some deep-fried onion goodness just for giving Outback your name before your first meal. Oh, and you'll also get a free dessert on your birthday, but I'm betting you're probably here for that onion. (Although you might want to share it with your friends, considering the next entry on this list.)

One of the main health complaints about restaurants is that the food served there tends to be high in sodium. According to the public watchdog group The Center for Science in the Public Interest, restaurants contribute 31% of daily sodium consumption among adults, and 26% amongst children. And even taking that into account, Outback Steakhouse has a reputation for some impressively high sodium levels.

For example, a serving of Outback's Aussie Cheese Fries contain 7,490 milligrams of sodium – more than three times the FDA recommended daily limit of 2,300 milligrams. And while that's the highest sodium item on its menu, other options like the Bloomin' Fried Shrimp (5,830 milligrams) and the Hot Kookaburra Wings (4,630 milligrams) are still pretty impressive. (Even more surprising, only one of those options made it to the list of 12 Outback Steakhouse dishes you should skip!)

So, how do you avoid getting too much sodium with your Outback meal? Well, there's an entire section on the Outback website dedicated to "smart dining," which recommends that diners order "plain" versions of dishes and to ask for seasoning on the side, as they're hand-seasoned by the kitchen before serving. That way, you can decide exactly how much salt and seasoning you want on your dish.

When you think about Outback Steakhouse, you probably don't think about sauces, but they're some of the most important parts of its dishes. For example, what would the Bloomin' Onion be without its signature zesty dipping sauce?

Well, one of the lesser-known advantages of Outback Steakhouse is that you can ask your server for an extra sauce from a dish you're not ordering to mix-and-match your way to your perfect meal. For example, one of the long-running Outback menu hacks has been to order a side of the raspberry sauce that comes with the chain's New-York Style Cheesecake to slather on its signature Honey Wheat Bread for an extra raspberry-flavored treat.

You could also get an extra side of Bloomin' Onion sauce for your fries or burger. And you shouldn't ignore Outback's Ranch Dressing, which uses heavy duty mayonnaise for extra flavor. (This is why Outback Steakhouse Ranch Dressing is 10 times better than store-bought, according to Reddit.)

One of the biggest downsides of a sit-down restaurant is waiting for other diners to finish so you can finally sit down. And for most restaurants, that means spending an awkward amount of time sitting in the front lobby, or waiting in the bar area. But to cut down on this boring wait time, Outback instituted a "click thru seating system" that allows customers to join a virtual waitlist before they arrive at the restaurant.

While the system is available on the Outback website, it's also available on the Outback App, where customers can also see how busy a location is before they travel there, so they'll know just how long they might wait before sitting down to eat. Of course, the website is quick to point out that this isn't technically a reservation, and you still might have a short wait while the restaurant prepares your table. But hey, it beats the alternative. After all, what can you do to pass the time in a bar that's enjoyable, entertaining, and makes you enjoy the rest of your evening even more?

One of the most important skills of visiting a steakhouse is simply knowing which steak you want to order. And I'm not talking about what kind of sauce you want on your steak — although it's hard to resist Outback's Chimichurri Filet, which comes topped with — you guessed it — chimichurri sauce. It is definitely one of the four cuts of meat you should order at Outback Steakhouse every time.

No, I'm talking about what actual cut of steak you want to order. Now, Outback offers five different steak cuts to choose from: filet, filet mignon, sirloin, New York strip, and ribeye.

If you're looking for a rich and juicy cut of meat with plenty of marbling (the fat that delivers so much flavor), it's hard to argue with a ribeye. But if you want something small and lean, with a mild flavor, the filet mignon is ideal. (If you're curious about the difference between a filet and a filet mignon: a filet is any boneless piece of meat, while a filet mignon is made from the beef tenderloin.)

Almost as important as knowing what steak to order, is knowing how to expertly order your steak. Now, steak aficionados will debate about the precise temperatures that a steak should be cooked at, and everyone has their favorites. But the important thing is knowing what you want so you won't be disappointed when it arrives at your table. Outback offers its steaks cooked rare, medium-rare, medium, medium-well, and well, which you can quickly check by cutting into the center of it.

Which is best for you? Well, that's up to your personal taste. But for steaks with more marbling, like the filets and ribeyes that Outback offers, many chefs recommend cooking them medium-rare. That temperature provides enough heat to melt some of that delicious fat, while not cooking it so much that it becomes tough and chewy. Of course, you should feel free to try different temperatures until you find the one for you.

If you're looking to save money on your bill, one of the best places to check is the Outback website, where it offers several pages dedicated to ongoing promotions and deals. It offers specific specials, like its Aussie three-course meal, along with ongoing discounts like its 10% AARP discount. Meanwhile, it also has daily specials available, like its Kids Eat Free Mondays and its Tuesday Tails promotions, which offers a 6-ounce center-cut sirloin, a lobster tail, and two sides for $24.99.

But that's not the only place you can find Outback savings, as the Outback app also offers various discounts and deals, too. And you can also find specific promotions on takeout and delivery items. So it's worth checking out all of these options before you head out for dinner, as you just might find the meal that you're looking for, only cheaper.

A Sam's Club membership can give you plenty of discounts on things like travel plans, used cars, and health insurance, but did you know it could also save you some money on your next trip to Outback? Now, it's not a straight discount, and involves you spending some money in advance, but it can definitely lower your bill in the long run.

You see, as you might have noticed while perusing the Sam's Club aisles, the wholesaler stocks a lot of chain gift cards, often at a discount price. And one of those chains is Outback Steakhouse, which you can find in a couple gift sets, including one that offers a $50 Outback gift card for just $40 — a 20% discount.

And while it might be easier if your Sam's Club just gave you a 20% discount, if you already have a membership and know you're going to be craving some Chicken on the Barbie, it's an easy way to save on your next meal.

One of the most popular items on the Outback menu isn't typically for sale, but gets delivered for free. It's the Honey Wheat Bushman Bread, a slightly sweet loaf with an irresistible taste of molasses. It's a really popular item, and has sparked a ton of online copycat recipes from fans trying to replicate its unique taste.

But just because it's typically not for sale, that doesn't mean you can't ever buy it. There have been several reports from fans that individual stores have sold leftover bread at the end of the night, allowing customers to take multiple loaves home with them to enjoy (and presumably devour) later. 

Now, it seems like this is entirely up to the individual store (and probably based on its current inventory), but if you're a fan, it's definitely worth asking your server if you could grab an extra loaf (or six) before you pay your bill and head home to enjoy your sweet reward. Or, you could just stuff your face with six loaves of brown bread.

One of the things that really propelled Outback Steakhouse was the Bloomin' Onion, that legendarily deep-fried onion that's popped up several times on this list. But while Outback definitely popularized the dish, who actually invented the Bloomin' Onion?

Well accounts differ, but Outback co-founder Tim Gannon credited the original onion menu item to chef Jeff Glowski, who had previously worked with him at a New Orleans restaurant. According to Gannon, he was looking for a signature dish for Outback when Glowski brought the onion idea to him, and the two collaborated on the seasoning. Early Outback menus even revealed the dish's origins came from Glowski's previous restaurant, Russell's Marina Grill.

But while the Bloomin' Onion may have started elsewhere, Outback has been very protective of its name and final recipe. Sure, there have been plenty of suspiciously similar copycats, including Texas Roadhouse's Cactus Blossom and Lone Star Steakhouse's Texas Rose, but anything that has gotten too close to Outback's recipe or name has prompted a few cease and desist letters from the chain. So if you want an actual Bloomin' Onion, Outback's really the only choice.