As many restaurants look to bring delivery in-house, Outback Steakhouse is taking a different path after embracing delivery early on. Outback, which is owned by parent company Bloomin’ Brands, introduced delivery, delivery-only locations and remodeled units to accommodate delivery orders starting back in 2017. Outback focused on in-house delivery, not outside delivery services. But today they announced their first exclusive partnership with DoorDash begins tomorrow.
“We’ve done a remarkable job growing our own delivery business, and DoorDash adds another layer of accessibility and convenience,” said David Deno, CEO of Tampa-based Bloomin’ Brands, in a statement. “This partnership opens the door to new customers and gives existing customers another option when they choose to dine with us in the comfort of their own home.”
As of February, delivery made up about 14% of Bloomin’s business. And executives have said it has the potential to be about 25%. Bloomin’ also owns Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Bonefish Grill and Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar. The DoorDash deal will include 200 Carrabba’s by the end of October.
“To us, this partnership proves the value of our marketplace, offering an efficient marketing channel, whether for pickup or delivery, for Bloomin’ Brands’ favorite menu items across 670 locations,” said Toby Espinosa, VP of business development at DoorDash in a statement.
As part of the deal, Outback will give away up to 10,000 steaks per day for the first five days of partnership when ordered through DoorDash’s website.
Bloomin’ is betting these orders won’t eat into their existing delivery orders.
“Over the past two years, we’ve been developing our own in-house delivery platform while simultaneously testing with third-party companies to fulfill our strategy of omnichannel access,” said a Bloomin’ spokesperson.
“We have learned the frequency and behaviors of our off-premises consumers and our research and results suggest this [customer who orders from third-party delivery] is a different type of customer with distinct purchasing patterns. Having our food available where, when, and how our customers want it is key to becoming a consumer-centric, agile company of restaurants.”
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