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Outback Steakhouse Closures: 21 Restaurants Shut as More Locations Close in 2026
Outback Steakhouse has been reducing its restaurant footprint as its parent company, Bloomin’ Brands, works to improve the chain's financial performance. The company identified 21 underperforming restaurants for closure in 2025, while additional locations have shut down during 2026.
The latest developments include 10 Outback restaurants closed by Out West Restaurant Group between October 11 and October 25, 2026. The independent franchisee subsequently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on November 2.
Three other Out West locations had already closed earlier in 2026, bringing that franchisee's reported 2026 closures to 13.
The closures have raised questions about whether Outback Steakhouse is in financial trouble, which restaurants have shut down and whether more locations could disappear.
Here is what is known about the closure programme, the locations identified in recent reports and the future of the remaining restaurants.
How many Outback Steakhouse restaurants have closed?
The figure of 21 refers to the underperforming restaurants identified under Bloomin’ Brands' 2025 turnaround programme.
During its third-quarter 2025 earnings call, Bloomin’ Brands said it had identified 21 underperforming restaurants for closure. The company also identified another 22 restaurants where it would not renew leases as they expired.
The 21 closures were completed during October 2025.
However, restaurant closures continued into 2026.
Out West Restaurant Group, an independent Outback franchisee, closed three restaurants earlier in 2026 and another 10 in October.
That means the franchisee alone reported 13 closures during 2026.
It is important to distinguish the two developments: the 21 closures belong to the earlier turnaround programme, while the 13 additional closures relate to Out West's 2026 financial difficulties.
Outback Steakhouse locations closed in October 2026
The latest widely reported list identifies 10 restaurants that Out West Restaurant Group closed between October 11 and October 25, 2026.
The locations were spread across four states.
| State | City | Address |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | Tucson | 4871 E. Grant Road |
| Arizona | Mesa | 1860 E. McKellips Road |
| California | Buena Park | 7575 Beach Boulevard |
| California | Valencia | 25261 N. The Old Road |
| California | Foothill Ranch | 26652 Portola Parkway |
| Colorado | Colorado Springs | 7065 Commerce Center Drive |
| Colorado | Highlands Ranch | 15 W. Springer Drive |
| Colorado | Aurora | 2066 S. Abilene Street |
| Colorado | Littleton | 8601 W. Cross Drive |
| Nevada | Reno | 3645 S. Virginia Street |
These restaurants were closed before the franchisee filed for bankruptcy. Court documents reportedly indicated that the locations were operating at a loss or generating insufficient margins to cover occupancy costs.
Source: [Fast Company – Outback Steakhouse store closures](https://www.fastcompany.com/91635468/outback-steakhouse-closing-stores-2026-list-of-doomed-locations).
Three additional Outback locations closed earlier in 2026
The October shutdowns were not the franchisee's first closures during the year.
Out West Restaurant Group had previously closed three California restaurants:
- Brea, California — March 2026
- Pittsburg, California — March 2026
- Westminster, California — June 2026
These earlier closures bring the reported number of Out West restaurants closed during 2026 to 13.
The three locations should be counted separately from the 10 restaurants that closed immediately before the bankruptcy filing.
Why is Outback Steakhouse closing restaurants?
Outback Steakhouse's parent company, Bloomin’ Brands, has been pursuing a turnaround strategy to improve restaurant performance and concentrate resources on stronger locations.
The company has faced pressure from several factors, including:
Declining customer traffic
Fewer customers visiting restaurants can reduce sales and make it harder for underperforming locations to cover their operating expenses.
Rising operating costs
Restaurants face expenses involving food, labor, rent, utilities and other operating requirements.
Underperforming restaurant locations
Bloomin’ Brands identified restaurants that were not meeting its performance expectations. Closing some locations and declining to renew certain leases forms part of its effort to improve the overall business.
Financial pressure on the franchisee
Out West Restaurant Group reported financial challenges that had developed over several years.
Its bankruptcy documents cited declining traffic and earnings, alongside higher labor, food and production costs. The company also reported that its revenue fell approximately 35% during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Did Outback Steakhouse file for bankruptcy?
No. Outback Steakhouse itself did not file for bankruptcy.
The November 2, 2026 Chapter 11 filing involved Cerca Trova Restaurant Group Holdings, which operates as Out West Restaurant Group.
Out West is an independently owned Outback Steakhouse franchisee.
The company operated 61 Outback restaurants across California, Arizona, Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico when it filed for bankruptcy protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.
Bloomin’ Brands confirmed the filing in a Form 8-K submitted to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
The filing stated that the bankruptcy would have no immediate impact on guests, restaurant employees or day-to-day operations at Out West or company-owned Outback restaurants.
Source: [Bloomin’ Brands SEC filing](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1546417/000154641726000039/blmn-20261101.htm).
What happens to the remaining 61 Outback restaurants?
The 61 remaining Out West restaurants were still operating when the franchisee entered Chapter 11.
Bloomin’ Brands entered into a proposed agreement to acquire substantially all of Out West's assets for $26.3 million, subject to the bankruptcy court process and potentially higher or better competing offers.
The proposed transaction is intended to transfer the franchisee's remaining operations through a court-supervised sale.
Bloomin’ Brands also proposed up to $5.5 million in debtor-in-possession financing to support the business during the bankruptcy proceedings.
The 10 restaurants that closed in October are excluded from the proposed asset purchase.
The sale does not mean the remaining restaurants are automatically closing. The company said the bankruptcy filing would not immediately disrupt their daily operations.
Are more Outback Steakhouse restaurants closing in 2026?
The company has not confirmed that all remaining Out West restaurants will close.
However, the combination of Bloomin’ Brands' wider turnaround programme and Out West's bankruptcy restructuring means some locations may continue to face changes.
The 22 leases identified for non-renewal under the 2025 turnaround programme also represent a separate source of potential future closures as those leases expire.
That does not mean every restaurant associated with those leases has already closed. Lease non-renewal decisions can take effect over several years.
Customers should therefore distinguish between:
- Restaurants that have already permanently closed.
- Restaurants whose leases are scheduled not to be renewed.
- Restaurants that remain open during bankruptcy proceedings.
- Locations that have not been identified for closure.
There is no basis for assuming that every Outback Steakhouse restaurant is shutting down.
How to check whether your local Outback Steakhouse is open
If you are planning to visit an Outback Steakhouse, check the restaurant's current status before travelling.
You can:
- Visit the [official Outback Steakhouse website](https://www.outback.com/).
- Use the restaurant locator to search by city, state or ZIP code.
- Check the restaurant's listed hours and contact information.
- Call the specific restaurant if its status is unclear.
A restaurant appearing in an old online directory does not necessarily mean it is still operating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Outback Steakhouse close 21 restaurants?
Bloomin’ Brands identified 21 underperforming restaurants for closure under its 2025 turnaround programme. The company said those closures were completed in October 2025.
How many Outback restaurants closed in 2026?
Out West Restaurant Group closed 13 restaurants during 2026: three earlier in the year and 10 between October 11 and October 25. This is a franchisee-specific figure, not a confirmed total for every Outback closure nationwide.
Which Outback Steakhouse locations closed in October 2026?
The 10 locations were in Tucson and Mesa, Arizona; Buena Park, Valencia and Foothill Ranch, California; Colorado Springs, Highlands Ranch, Aurora and Littleton, Colorado; and Reno, Nevada.
Why did Outback Steakhouse close 21 restaurants?
Bloomin’ Brands identified the 21 restaurants as underperforming locations as part of its wider turnaround strategy. The company also decided not to renew leases at another 22 restaurants as they expire.
Is Outback Steakhouse going out of business?
No. Outback Steakhouse has not announced that it is closing its entire business. The bankruptcy filing in November 2026 involved an independent franchisee, Out West Restaurant Group.
How many restaurants did Out West have before bankruptcy?
Out West operated 61 Outback Steakhouse restaurants when it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on November 2, 2026.
Are the remaining Outback restaurants still open?
Bloomin’ Brands said the bankruptcy filing would have no immediate impact on the remaining restaurants' guests, employees or daily operations.
Final takeaway
Outback Steakhouse's restaurant closures are part of a wider effort to improve its financial performance.
Bloomin’ Brands identified 21 underperforming restaurants for closure in 2025, while Out West Restaurant Group closed another 13 locations during 2026 before entering Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
The bankruptcy does not mean the entire Outback chain is shutting down. Its parent company has proposed acquiring Out West's remaining operations, and the 61 restaurants operated by the franchisee were still running when the bankruptcy filing was announced.
Customers should check individual restaurant listings for confirmed closure information rather than assume the entire chain is affected.
Sources
- [Bloomin’ Brands – 2025 Form 8-K and restaurant closure disclosures](https://investors.bloominbrands.com/static-files/fca419a6-6fdd-4833-b598-ab750610930a)
- [TheStreet – Outback Steakhouse closed 21 restaurants](https://www.thestreet.com/restaurants/38-year-old-outback-steakhouse-chain-closed-21-restaurants-more-planned)
- [Fast Company – Outback Steakhouse 2026 closure list](https://www.fastcompany.com/91635468/outback-steakhouse-closing-stores-2026-list-of-doomed-locations)
- [Bloomin’ Brands – November 2026 SEC filing](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1546417/000154641726000039/blmn-20261101.htm)
- [Nacionale – Outback closures and remaining 61 restaurants](https://www.nacionale.com/en/articles/outback-steakhouse-location-closures-list-out-west-bankruptcy)
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