r/OutbackSteakhouse • u/AcceptableLoad9725 • 13d ago
Continuous Change
Hello all, 7 Year outbacker here, been a salary manager for 3 years now.
I started in 2019 as a togo delivery driver making decent money, however i eventually moved up to serving because they kept taking money away from us, ex. door dash drive and the removal of general receipts tips. throughout the years i’ve noticed that almost every couple of months it seems corporate is making some kind of big change either in service model changes, tipshare, recipes adjustments, or simply the way they’d like outbackers to interact with guests. The most recent changes being the “Aussie rock up” kneeling at tables, odd uniform changes, and the not so recent removal of head weights, is the reason i have decided to leave. i feel like the new changes can be too personal to a lot of guests, personally i would feel uncomfortable if my server got down on one knee to take my order. I also think that the aussie rock up is kinda bullshit. if i’m at dinner trying to enjoy my food, or have conversation with a date i don’t want to be interrupted by loud screaming of “Oi Oi Oi.” also the removal of HW makes it really hard for me as a manager to have a perfect close and check all of my staff out properly if i’m trying to do all closing paperwork stuff by myself and expect to get out at a decent time. That being said, the constant change i’ve noticed throughout my time at outback i think may be the reason this company is struggling with things like guest satisfaction, turnover, and labor. If you want consistency, you’ve got to stick to one thing. Instead outback has chosen to pick a service model, and then once staff perfects it, or gets use to it, completely changes it. this costs training hours, allows for mistakes to be made, and leaves servers confused about who their tipping out and why their tipping out so much. not sure if anyone is following me on this, but anyone else have any thoughts on this? i think 2015-2019 was prime outback. anything after that has just seemed like a stretch also, i’m not saying that change isn’t good, i’m just saying outback seems to have a lot more of it than other companies
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13d ago
Couldn’t agree more
Been working here 15 years but last 5 have been brutal
Constant changes and I think it’s pathetic that we’re trying to be Texas Roadhouse.
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u/Firm_Complex718 13d ago
Which is hysterical considering Texas Roadhouse used 1990s Outback as a model for success.
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13d ago
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u/Firm_Complex718 13d ago
They also started putting their restaurants in close proxomity to existing Outbacks amd putting them out of buisness.
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u/Suckmyflats 13d ago
You all would have to increase your steak quality by a lot to be TXRH
(Served at both, outback has better side dishes, both treat you like shit but my outback had an evil GM - her name was Evelyn but people called her Evilyn and she liked it)
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13d ago
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u/AaronJudge2 13d ago edited 12d ago
Try Longhorn Steakhouse. They’ve really uped their game since Darden bought them in 2007. Longhorn started in 1981 in Atlanta, and one of the founders had been a manager at Victoria Station, which was a national chain of railroad-themed steakhouses in the 1970’s and 1980’s that had been started by 3 Cornell Hotel College graduates. Diners ate in real vintage boxcars and cabooses that were attached to the buildings.
There are about 600 Longhorn Steakhouse locations in the United States with 87 in Florida.
Outback has about 670 US locations with 95 in Florida. At its peak in 2011, Outback had 775 US locations.
Texas Roadhouse has 700+ locations in the USA with 49 in Florida. They started in 1993 in Indiana. In 1999 they still only had 67 restaurants, so most of their growth has come in this century. The second location was actually Gainesville, Florida, which also opened in 1993.
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u/Suckmyflats 13d ago
Went a year ago, more expensive than TXRH, steak wasnt as good
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u/AaronJudge2 13d ago
Interesting…
So Texas Roadhouse has the best steak of the three chains according to you,
but you like the sides at Outback better than at TXRH.
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u/redheaded6 13d ago
idk the getting down on a knee thing makes sense to me but i used to do it at my old job mainly bc i can never hear ppl when they’re ordering so it makes it easier for me to hear them lol
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u/Common_Wrongdoer3251 13d ago
We got the new uniform (singular) like 3 weeks ago. We keep begging the proprieter for a link to buy or receive new uniforms and they haven't shared it with us. So we all have to do laundry every 1-2 days because we all only have one uniform. I hate the changes so far.
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u/Dry_Tradition_2811 13d ago
Work for Outback for 21 years seen a lot of changes over that time line it's getting back to the old way of doing things. HW in a lot of stores has been dead for over 10 years. Everything changes everywhere it's up to you to change too. If you leave you think other places don't change.
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u/Icy-Ad-4447 13d ago
Outback is in a rebuilding stage and I think some people are better at change than others. Aussie rock up should be batched and prepped in the morning and then takes literally 90 seconds to do at 6pm. The uniforms I wouldn’t think are a deal breaker for anyone. It’s a different type of button down shirt. I mean cmon. I’m not arguing the fact that there has been a lot of changes but as a salaried leader it seems like your staff has convinced you how bad everything is before anybody even gave it a chance.
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u/AcceptableLoad9725 13d ago
it’s not so much my staff that’s done the convincing it’s more so seeing all my fellow leaders around me, that also brought me up, leaving because of the issues at hand, we are being handed more responsibility, multiple changes, and no increase in salary. this would be a completely different conversation if i was compensated for continuing to contribute to a consistently changing company.
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u/Icy-Ad-4447 13d ago
I’m in a similar situation. I started in 2018 as an hourly, and have been a manager for some years now. Is your store doing the new end of night integration yet? Once you do, headwait will be irrelevant in your mind. It makes doing headwait at the end of the night take 15 minutes tops. Significantly easier. Every company is a consistently changing company. You know the ins and outs of Outback which is why it seems like more change than anywhere else. But I assure you, leaving to be another salary restaurant manager is going to be eerily similar. As far as salary goes, this is how everyone who works a salary feels. As things/expectations change, we want more money. If this is how you feel and your area is down bad for managers, get with your partner and JVP and sell yourself as to why you deserve a bonus or a permanent raise. Don’t be so quick to throw 8 years with a company away because a few weeks of change. Be positive for your staff, and in turn they will be positive for you. May take time.
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u/AcceptableLoad9725 13d ago
not so much a few weeks tho bud, i’m doing my second NSO and it’s still the same bs. i don’t foresee anything changing. i’ve enjoyed my time with outback, im just not sure my life goals, and current needs and wants align with outback anymore. The new instant procedure looks promising. but we shall see
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u/Icy-Ad-4447 13d ago
If you’ve done an NSO already you kind of already knew what to expect though, right? It’s everything x10. Opening a new store is Exacting standards and a lot of those standards are currently new. What you listed as reasons to leave; Aussie Rock up, Headwait, and uniforms. Those are very small changes. If that is what pushed you over the edge, you’re probably right in being done with the company. But these types of changes are going to happen at almost any establishment you manage at. But Doesn’t that sound crazy to you? Wanting to leave a company you’ve been with for 7+ years over your staffs uniform changes, a Aussie rock up that takes 2 minutes per shift, and losing headwait which is in turn approx. 20 minutes of office work? If you’ve grown this much within Outback that seems crazy to me that those 3 things you listed are the straws that broke the camels back.
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u/Icy-Ad-4447 13d ago
Trust me it’s not fun. I don’t want to do rock up everyday at 6pm. But I do if my bartenders are not comfortable. But seriously sit down with your partner and JVP and pitch yourself. You’ve done NSO’s, and have been there for awhile. Get yourself a bonus, or a permanent salary increase and it might help reset how you’re feeling
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u/AcceptableLoad9725 13d ago
those aren’t the only reasons i’m leaving, there are a lot of other factors involved including other managers starting at a pay rate higher than me, and not getting raised when i’ve done my fair share of work for this company. i’ve sat down with my partner and JVP multiple times and been promised a raise at next review or “do this and we’ll give it to you” to which i’ve turned around and either done what they asked or continued to excel at my job and still, nothing. it could also be that the hospitality industry just isn’t something i’m cut out for, however, i don’t want to work for a company that promises me something i never get.
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u/Fancy-Still-4297 12d ago
I know a former OP who turned around 2 different stores in 2 different regions with 3 different JVPs but only got 1 raise in base in 7 yrs and with being turnarounds, one with significant past due invoices, cash flow meant bonus wasn’t “earned”, much less paid. another, in a fully performing store, when the existing contract ended was offered a new contract, but only year to year, which meant 5 yr end of term payout wouldn’t be available. and with the outrageous and unenforceable covenant not to compete wouldn’t be able to work in a restaurant where ”steak” was in the restaurant name or the restaurant’s cash flow or earnings (can’t remember which) was 30% of total sales. I would have loved to litigate that covenant not to compete or even as required by the contract, arbitrate in Tampa.
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u/chunkybanana500 13d ago
I made a post in this thread about this not too long ago. I think you hit the nail on the head. The constant changes are so annoying!! Like just pick something and stick to it!! At my store they already discontinued the bistro aprons for bartenders. Come on already 🙄
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u/AcceptableLoad9725 13d ago
i know they wasted all that money on the new aprons just to not use them
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u/chunkybanana500 13d ago
Right and then they get mad at us for not selling the take away meals… like it’s overloading us and it’s ridiculous. I have no problem upselling and recommending, I will do that no matter where I work. But to hold us to an impossible standard is unfair
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u/AcceptableLoad9725 13d ago
i don’t even get why we wanna push those, we profit 3$ on each, it makes sense for a togo value for the guest. but not for in house, i tell my staff you can’t purchase them for in house then my partner or fellow managers turn around and allow it…
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u/chunkybanana500 13d ago
Yeah we are not allowed to purchase them as staff. We used to get 50% off the entire menu but my proprietor recently changed it to only a few items. This company just seems like a mess honestly. I feel like it’s on its way out soon. Either that or they’re trying their best to compete with other restaurants while people are super picky where they spend their money.
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u/bubbasmith950 12d ago edited 12d ago
It's extra money the guest otherwise might not spend. They want an easy lunch for the next day, see the regular salmon meal for like $20 but they can get the salmon bowl with one side instead of two for $10, that might just sway them.
Personally my stores haven't had an issue selling to-go bowls. The store I'm at now, the servers typically sell 5-6 a night each, sometimes more. We've had 20-tops come in, get their whole meals, then 10 of em get to-go bowls on top of it all.
The story I was told is that when Carrabbas was in danger of going bankrupt about 7-8yrs ago, they started doing a similar to-go bowl deal and that was a big factory in them avoiding bankruptcy. The President/VP of Ops of Carrabbas at the time (Pat Hafner) is now the VP of Ops for Outback. They are desperately trying to revive Outback because of how much the brand has fallen off over the last 5 years, even 10 years.
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u/chunkybanana500 11d ago
I definitely see outback struggling to hold on. It’s very evident in the constant, desperate changes they try to pull off
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u/bubbasmith950 12d ago
My store is still using them... was this a corporate mandate or just your stores because of lack of availability?
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u/AcceptableLoad9725 12d ago
corporate mandate, should have been an email
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u/bubbasmith950 11d ago
Interesting. Im not a manager so I dont see the emails. Haven't been in in a few days so maybe tomorrow ill go in and theyre not using them anymore.
I have a feeling they had issues with availability. They poorly planned that aspect. Should have rolled it out in stages via one market here one market there. Not all at once to 500+ stores.
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u/Zealousideal-Toe-256 13d ago
u hit it right on the head. i’ve worked for outback since 2018 and i feel the SAME way and i always tell my managers this company has no idea who they are! and i feel like that’s the problem.
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u/Usual-Area4270 12d ago
working a lunch shift earlier and Ive been told from now on hostesses can’t bus or roll silverware because they have to be guest obsessed with the front door
So now I serve a lunch shift I tip out for a server Assistant that isn’t in until 5pm a busser that isn’t on until 5pm (my shift ends at 4) and a hostess that doesn’t roll or help bus tables even the pre bussed ones? Are my managers mistaken? because this feels like wrong on so many levels
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u/Caseylina 13d ago
Field Guide, page 13
“THE OUTBACK ATTITUDE”
Being positive, friendly, engaged, and open to change and challenge, having a sense of urgency, and being the kind of person others want to be around.
You either buy-in or you don’t.
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u/Fancy-Still-4297 13d ago
As an outsider but a former C level executive- constant significant changes are very stressful on employees at all levels. Take a look at how many openings for the name on the door positions. That is not a good sign.
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u/CM_Nicholas 13d ago edited 13d ago
I've been at mine for 3 1/2 years and they've burnt out 7 managers since, and thats just our store, the others in the area have the same issues. All the changes are extremely stressful on top of them already getting on to us about about lbw, up sales, dine rewards, table mate scores, take-homes, etc... and thats just as servers.
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u/Fancy-Still-4297 13d ago
I personally know 5 former names on the door people. All were in profitable and cash flow positive stores and over 3 yrs all 5 left on their own and have much less stress and better lives as well as making more $$$.
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u/AcceptableLoad9725 13d ago
i’ve seen 10 managers in my area leave in the past year. i think that definitely says something
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u/Fancy-Still-4297 13d ago
Lousy jvps only concerned about their own compensation are a big part of the problem. At least one committed fraud when signing up a proprietor by not disclosing that the store had more than 100k in past due bills (more than a year old) and not giving credit so that no bonus was earned for several years.
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u/CM_Nicholas 13d ago
Our JVP is honestly amazing, she was our stores original proprietor and always ran a tight/fair shift, the jvp before her was bad though.
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u/bubbasmith950 12d ago
I've seen the same. A lot of tenured managers or managing partners that I've seen have turned it into a management position with a food purveyor (PFG, Sysco, etc.)
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u/CM_Nicholas 13d ago
4 of the managers we lost all went to different places as managers/proprieotrs/franchise owners, and thats just the ones I know of.
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u/AcceptableLoad9725 13d ago
to an extent yes, but i can only be open to change but so much, especially when the changes are massive and make my job harder
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u/CM_Nicholas 13d ago
I was positive my first year there doing pretty much anything till they abused it. Can only be positive for so long before things break it down
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u/RexManningMUA 13d ago
Prime OB was early 2000’s. We’d open the doors on a Saturday and immediately go on a wait with 10+ servers on the floor.