At least one Outback Steakhouse in the Chicago area was among 41 restaurants recently closed by the restaurant chain’s parent company.
A note posted on the door of the Mount Prospect location, 909 N. Elmhurst Rd., read, “This location is now closed. Thank you for the years of support,” as shown in a photo posted on Facebook. Outback urged customers to visit the Schaumburg location instead.
Nation’s Restaurant News first resported on the closures, citing an analysts’ call in which Bloomin’ Brands CEO David Deno shared that the goal was to eliminate restaurants with below-average business.
A spokesperson for the company, which owns Outback Steakhouse as well as Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Bonefish Grill, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar and Aussie Grill by Outback, confirmed the closures of 41 locations across its brands to TODAY.com.
In the analysts’ call, Deno said that a variety of factors resulted in the decision, including sales and traffic-trade areas, which means how close customers live to a business location and how far they might travel to patronize it. The brand is still moving forward with plans to open between 40 and 45 restaurants in 2024.
The Bloomin’ Brands spokesperson said that all the affected locations had closed as of Friday, Feb. 23.
“Closing restaurants is never easy. This was a business decision that has no reflection on the staff or their service,” the spokesperson told TODAY.com. “Many team members will have the opportunity to transfer to open positions at another restaurant. Employees who do not will receive severance.”
The spokesperson did not share a list of stores affected, but, according to NBC affiliate WCNC, Outback locations closed in Florida, Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania, and the last remaining Hawaii and New Hampshire Outback restaurants also shuttered. Further, Bonefish Grill locations in New Jersey and Virginia closed, as well as Carrabba’s in Virginia and at least three New York locations.
from NBC Chicago https://ift.tt/iuxnjU9
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