Outback Steakhouse Rules Every Diner Should Know

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There are rarely rules posted outside a restaurant when you go out to eat, but there are certainly expectations and rules of etiquette when dining out. Every restaurant tends to have its own kind of culture and set of unspoken rules, especially the ones that have been around a while. Luckily, I spent around four years working as a server at Outback Steakhouse and have been privy to these rules at the steakhouse chain. As someone who has both frequently eaten at Outback and worked there, I know some of the best rules to keep in mind when dining at the Australian-themed restaurant chain.

Whether you're dining in or ordering takeout, there are a few things you should know before heading to the Outback. From entering the doors and being greeted by a smiling host to cutting into your steak, these tips will help avoid misunderstandings and even ensure you receive the best-cooked steak. Here are some helpful rules to remember from a former Outback employee to make your dining experience a little smoother — and more enjoyable — for both yourself and the staff.

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If you happen to visit Outback Steakhouse when it's busy and you can't get a table right away, you can typically head over to the bar to kill some time. If you find a free stool, the bartender would be thrilled to get you started with a drink or even an appetizer. In fact, if you decide to spend your whole meal sitting at a high top or the bar, the bartender isn't going to complain. However, once the host's wait list makes it down to your name, you'll be called to claim your table. If you choose to make the switch from bar to table, make sure to close out completely with your bartender and start anew with your new server.

This transition can get a little dicey if any food you've ordered with the bartender hasn't come out yet. Sometimes the bartender will be nice and transfer your food order over to your new server and close you out for any drinks you've had. If your whole bill gets transferred, however, your bartender is left in a bit of a lurch. They don't get credit for the sales or labor they've put in for you, and instead, any credit card tips go straight to the server. Of course, you can throw a little cash on the bar if you haven't been presented with a check before you head to a dining table.

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If you enjoy the food at Outback and aren't conscious of your calorie intake, you have no business looking at the calorie count of the iconic, must-try Bloomin' Onion. It'll only break your heart. Trust me, curiosity will kill your favorite restaurant. Even the salads are astronomical in terms of calories at Outback. I used to eat Outback's chopped side salad and clam chowder for my shift meal every time I worked a double, before making the mistake of looking up how many calories my little side salad and cup of soup were costing me.

Luckily, the Bloomin' Onion is meant to share, because at 1,900 calories, this one onion contains about a day's worth of your recommended calorie intake by itself. In fact, it's one of the most unhealthy dishes you can get at a steakhouse. It's possible to eat healthy while at Outback, so those on a health kick don't need to count the restaurant out completely. However, if you want to continue eating your favorite things, just leave yourself ignorant of the jaw-dropping macros of most of the menu.

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If the host says there is a wait or that there are no available tables, believe them. Yes, even if you see tables with no one sitting at them. Most of the time, the host knows what they're doing, and they actually have a pretty solid understanding of what is going on in the restaurant at any given time. Reservations are a regular thing at Outback Steakhouse, and even if a table is not reserved, there may not be enough staff to service tables you see empty. 

It's the host's job to pace the restaurant. They rotate the tables so that no one server is getting sat with customers all at once, balance reservations so that there are free tables for scheduled parties, and time tables so the kitchen doesn't get slammed with orders. Restaurant hosts wish you knew there is a method to the madness, even if you have to wait for a table to get cleaned off, or you can't sit at a seemingly free table. Trust that you and everyone else in the restaurant will get taken care of.

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Good news, dog moms and dads! The patio at Outback is typically dog-friendly, but a call ahead is still in order. Most Outback Steakhouse locations play by the same rules, but there may be some locations or proprietors who do not allow your fur baby on their porch, even if they have separate entrances built into the porch areas. The patio also may not be open at all, depending on the weather.

You should also be aware that service can be slower on the patio. There's usually only one server dedicated to the patio if it is open. If there isn't much happening on the patio or if they open it just for you and your furry bestie, the server may have a section inside in addition to your patio table. Between running back and forth between the dining room and the kitchen, and the fact that the patio is out of sight, you may be near the bottom of your server's priority list. It's nothing personal, but I'd stay off the patio if you want to ensure a fast-paced dining experience.

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Before you order a steak at Outback Steakhouse, you're going to need to know what temperature you should order your steak for it to come out to your liking. You may be used to a medium steak being pink all the way through, but Outback's medium has a red center. It's the same for the burgers; your medium burger will be red in the very center. Luckily, Outback has a temperature key on its menu with images of all its beef temperatures, from rare to well done. When in doubt, order on the rarer side, because you can always cook a steak up, but you can't cook one down.

One frequent issue I saw during my time at Outback was an order of a "medium plus" steak, which actually isn't a real thing. Even though this isn't an Outback-specific situation, a lot of customers will order their steak "medium plus," thinking they will get something in between medium and medium well. This nonsense order frustrates servers and chefs alike, and will likely be ignored in favor of a typical medium steak. If anything, your steak may just be left under the heat lamp for a bit longer.

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If you are particular about how your steak is cooked, it's always a good practice to cut into it when your server brings it out. In fact, a good server will stay at your table and ask you to cut into the steak while they are there, to make sure it is up to your standards. Having said this, it's very common for diners to misunderstand the temperature of their steak, especially when they cut into the edge to check it. Steaks cook up more on the outer edges, where they are typically thinner and quicker to cook.

So, cutting into the center of the steak is where you should expect to see the true temperature of a prepared steak when visiting Outback Steakhouse. The center is typically thicker, and it's the last place a steak will cook all the way through. It's possible for the center of a steak to be red and the outer edges to be brown all the way through.

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Every restaurant has its own way of sending food orders back to the kitchen, and Outback Steakhouse does so in courses. Appetizers are the first course, followed by soups and salads, with the main meal coming in third before dessert. If a server knows ahead of time that a table wants their soups and salads out with the main meal, they can course the meal like that. However, some customers like to request that food be brought out to the table as each part is finished cooking.

This is an almost impossible ask, especially if your server has already put in your order. Servers are specifically trained to course out your meal at Outback, and the cooks will time things that way. Back of house at Outback Steakhouse consists of a manager who is pulling and plating dishes as well, and servers aren't able to just grab whatever off the line. Holding up a soup or salad is one thing, but bringing out Uncle Mike's salmon before the rest of the courses and meals just isn't going to happen. One way to help remedy this would be to tell your server to put things in totally separately, but this results in a ton of small tickets for the kitchen. If you're eating at Outback, it's best to just understand that your food will come out as it is intended.

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This is pretty much quid pro quo at any American restaurant when you dine in, but it's especially important in a place like Outback Steakhouse. Your server is tipping out based on their sales, and it can be a pretty big percentage. If you neglect to tip your server, they're actually paying to serve you.

Outback Steakhouse had a popular takeaway service before COVID-19 and DoorDash made it cool. Now, seemingly every restaurant sees significant business with takeout orders. Outback has kept its drive-up takeout model and employs servers solely for its takeaway window. When I was working at Outback, these employees didn't make much more than the servers, but they also didn't make nearly as much in tips. It's still customary to tip takeaway servers the standard 20%, even if you aren't dining in.

Your takeaway person is doing more work behind the scenes than you likely realize. In addition to taking your order over the phone, bagging your order, and handing it off to you when you pull up, the takeaway servers are also ensuring everything is right with your order, putting together any drinks or special requests, and prepping to-go sauces. These employees are making sure you have everything you need for your meal, ensuring you don't have to make a trip back for forgotten or incorrect food, so take care of them in turn.

Outback Steakhouse has changed quite a bit since I spent my evenings carrying trays and slinging baked potatoes, but one thing that has stayed quite static is the restaurant's bread. It's a staple because it's so good, and during my time working at the steakhouse chain, I've seen some Outback fanatics go wild for the bread. Whether it's customers insisting that the wheat bread is actually pumpernickel or drooling over its freshness, some of these bread lovers are just dead wrong. 

Despite often arriving at the table warm, the bread actually comes to Outback Steakhouse on the food truck. It arrives at each location in huge, frozen plastic bags. It's a server's running side job to stock the bread oven with loaves and fill ramekins with whipped butter all night long. So, yes, your bread should be served nice and warm on a handheld cutting board. However, it's not freshly made at all — don't let that stop you from enjoying the brown Outback Steakhouse bread at home, though!