Outback Steakhouse in State College abruptly closes

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (WTAJ) – Happy Valley is saying ‘hooroo’, or goodbye, to a favorite Australia-inspired casual dining restaurant.

The Outback Steakhouse on Waddle Road in State College has been permanently closed. A sign on the front of the restaurant informed customers that the location was closed, inviting them to instead visit the brand’s location on Sheraton Drive in Altoona.

In its 2023 Q4 financial report, published to the company’s website the morning of Feb. 23, the company wrote that it planed to close 36 “predominantly older, underperforming restaurants” across all brands, while opening 40 to 45 new locations.

Deciding to close a restaurant is never easy. This was a business decision and is not a reflection of the management or staff. We appreciate the community’s support for the past 24 years. Employees who do not transfer to another location will be offered a severance package.

 Cathie Koch, spokesperson for Bloomin’ Brands

The only other Bloomin’ Brands restaurant location in central Pennsylvania is the Outback Steakhouse in Altoona, an approximate 40 miles away, according to Google Maps.

A post made in Facebook group ‘Foodies of State College’ alleged that employees were not notified and found out about the closure when they arrived at work on Friday. Bloomin’ Brands did not reply to questions about if and when employees were notified of this closure or how many individuals have been affected.

Bloomin’ Brands also did not reply to questions about how much or how soon employees would receive severance pay.