Outback Steakhouse introduced new menu items and hired a chief steak officer as part of efforts to show off improvements in its steak quality, according to a press release last week.
Dubbed ‘Best Steaks Ever,’ the campaign includes at least two new steaks — the Down Under Delmonico Ribeye and a New York Strip steak — and comes as parent company Bloomin’ Brands dedicates more resources to Outback’s core food quality.
Additionally, the brand hired Efrem Cutler, a chef with significant steak experience, as its chief steak officer, according to the press release.
Cutler will be the chain’s “authority on steak selection, marbling, seasoning and preparation, helping guests understand what makes a truly great steak,” per the press release.
“The cut matters, but so do the marbling, trimming, seasoning and how you cook it,” Cutler said in the press release. “Best Steaks Ever is about bringing all of those pieces together, so every cut delivers what steak lovers are looking for.”
The Delmonico Ribeye is a juicy steak with deep marbling, while the New York Strip is new to Outback and balances flavor and tenderness, the brand said.
This campaign builds off of last year’s investments in steak quality, which raised guest satisfaction and caused “noteworthy improvements year-over-year across intent to return, food quality, service, steak temperature, and value,” Bloomin’ CEO Michael Spanos said on the company’s Q2 earnings call. Those shifts in consumer perception helped the chain end a run of same-store sales declines in recent quarters.
