Outback Steakhouse is a casual dining American restaurant chain based in Tampa, Florida with over 900 locations in 23 countries throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Founded in February 1988 in Tampa, Florida.The Outback Steakhouse has a strong "Australian" outback theme, exemplified by Boomerangs, stuffed crocodiles, maps of Australia, a reproduction of Ned Kelly's helmet, whips, didgeridoos, and paintings by Aboriginal artists.In early 2007 Outback removed some of its Australian flair from the menu. The New York Strip Steak, Ribeye, and Pork Chops are some of the more popular menu items to lose their "Aussie" nicknames.Although a number of menu items are grilled, steaks are prepared on a griddle using butter as a heat transfer medium.
