Outback Steakhouse, with its more than 650 locations across the U.S., is about as Australian as Taco Bell is authentically Mexican.
For those unfamiliar with cuisine that hails from down under, it would be easy to trust that a chain restaurant with a menu section labeled "Aussie-tizers" serves Australian food, but many Australians have expressed their discontent with the idea that Outback's food is Australian. For what it's worth, the restaurant chain is careful with the descriptions on its , noting it is an "Australian-inspired steakhouse," but it also claims the restaurants' atmosphere is like "you're right there in the Australian Outback." Outback Steakhouse was started in 1988 in Tampa, Florida.
Despite the restaurant chain's founders, Chris Sullivan, Robert Basham, Tim Gannon, and Trudy Cooper, being inspired by the vibe of Australia, none of the four are of Australian origin, and none traveled to Australia while developing the restaurant concept, as Sullivan detailed in an article he wrote for in 2001. Sullivan explained that Americans in the '80s loved their own ideas about Australia, and Americans were the intended audience for Outback Steakhouse. Based on this, the founders felt making the cuisine too authentically Australian could put customers off.
"From the beginning, we were very clear that while Australia was our theme, America was our biggest customer," wrote Sullivan. "Consequently, our menu creations are inspired by Australia, reminiscent of Australia, and be.
