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Below is the random thought titled "Outback Steakhouse: Bring Back The Jackaroo Chops!". Be aware that these thoughts may be based on opinion, and my opinion might not agree with yours. Also, the thought below may be based on mood, time of day, or any number of other factors. Please keep this in mind.
I like the Outback Steakhouse. I really like the Outback Steakhouse. My first Outback experience was in the mid '90s when London got it's first Outback franchise. Back then, my tastes were less mature and I didn't think anything of it. The food was good, and I was happy with the meal. It was not until late 2000 that I really began to appreciate the restaurant.
I was in Toronto on business, doing some network wiring. I arrived late in the afternoon at the customer's place, and finished up late. There was no time for lunch, so I was quite hungry. A quick glance at the phone back showed there was an Outback Steakhouse in Richmond Hill, a suburb of Toronto and only about 10 minutes away from my current location. Normally I would just hit a fast food place, but I figured "what the hell" and headed over. Sitting down at my table, I ordered the same thing I did years ago; Jackaroo chops (well done), vegetables, and a garden salad. Of course, this time with the addition of a tall Fosters beer. At that moment, my life changed forever. Those were simply the best pork chops that I have ever tasted. Since then, whenever I had an excuse, I would always eat at the Outback.
Fast forward to last Friday. I had just arrived in Mississauga for an overnight stay, and got a room at the same (cheap) motel I always stay at. Naturally, I headed up to the Outback for dinner. Of course, without even looking at a menu I ordered my favourite pork chops, salad and beer. Imagine my surprise when the waitress informed me that the Jackaroo Chops were no longer on the menu. Indeed, judging by the look on her face, she must have seen the devastated and confused look on my face. If I didn't know any better, I would swear that she was just barely holding back the impulse to hug me. At that point, I just didn't know what to do, so I thanked her and left the restaurant.
The next day I emailed the Outback, and found out that there were several menu changes to the Canadian stores. One of which was the deletion of my pork chops. As nearly as I can tell, the menu in the US is still as it always was; with pork chops.
Now, this is deeply troubling to me. As I'm sure you can tell, the Outback is one of my favourite restaurants. I like the atmosphere. I like the higher then normal tables. I like the huge wooden doors and the people who open them for you. I even like the weird soap in the bathroom (which was always clean). I can say that until last week, I had never had a disappointing experience in the Outback. Wherever I was, no matter if I was in Canada or the US, I could always find an Outback and be secure in the knowledge that I would have a great meal. Unfortunately, it seems that is no longer true.
Some of you will wonder why I just don't try something else. The Outback, after all, has a very complete menu. I'm sure they make very good steak or ribs. But I don't want steak or ribs. I want the pork chops. There another option though. Since the menu was unchanged in the US, I could simply drive to Michigan. I am perfectly willing to do this as the only investment is time, especially with a car that gets 90+ miles per gallon like the Insight. But the 2 hour drive and border crossing makes this a little inconvenient for the casual dinner.
So at this point, it looks like I'm out of luck. It's really too bad, but I'm hoping that others feel the same was as I do. If enough people are unhappy with the new menu, perhaps it can be changed back? So I invite you to comment. Share your good experiences, bad experiences, thoughts about the Outback, etc. I also would be willing to take suggestions on something else to try, should my pork chop dilemma stay unresolved. Just please, no shrimp.
| Those chops made my week, it was something to look forward to that and the bread. But like everything in this Country you were afraid that you were giving too much away. The menu attracts the worse people in the area, and it has become noisy. IT WAS NOT BROKEN DID NOT NEED A FIX. One could get dressed and enjoy. I never knew what happened to the menu, you lost several decent families now you have tons of garbage at our tables.GREED WILL KILL US ALL | ||
| ...and now Logan's Roadhouse follows Outback by taking grilled chipotle wing skewers off the menu. So sad! | ||
| I hadn't had outback in a few months, and couldn't wait for my shrimp on the barbie tonight........EWWWWW. It is bad enought that they no longer serve it on that half slice of garlic soaked bread, but now they have a totally different taste now-like an Indian spice flavor. THey weren't very grilled, and the new flavor is awful. The manager said they changed the spices for that dish because they go better with teir new woodfire grill. SO DISAPPOINTING. :( That was my favorite thing there. | ||
| The Jackaroo Chops were delicious, the best pork chops I have ever eaten. Better than the steak even the filet. | ||
| My first experiences with Outback were their steaks. Pretty good. Then I tried the Jackaroo Chops. From that point on, it was only pork chops for me! And with that special sauce - perfect! I don't really enjoy the Outback anymore. The only good thing is at least they still have the Blue Cheese & Pecan Chopped Salad. | ||
| I went to Outback Steakhouse yesterday for the first time in apparently a year plus (I hadn't realized it was that long). The nearest is a couple of hours + away, and it doesn't open until 4:30 pm when we are already heading back home due to the distance. There is no other one anywhere close at all even within another hour or two. I was very saddened when I was told that they were no longer on the menu (Southaven, Mississippi). I ordered and ate the Alice Springs chicken which was quite good ... but not the chops. I found this like others while searching for the recipe. Those cinnamon apples too .,.. *sigh*. Please bring them back. | ||
| Considering that outback is a "no rules" restaurant, regardless of whether or not something is on the menu, they will make it for you providing that there are ingredients in the back. Some managers are even known to send employees to nearby grocery stores to pick up items (hotdogs) that they do not carry. You could sit down and order an omelette and they would make it no questions asked if the franchise is following orders correctly. That being said, you can still order the chops because there is still porkloin on the menu. Everything is prepared fresh and to order. Apples, however, are not in the back but I'm sure if you brought one in they would fix it for you. Secondly, I've never been in a restaurant more focused on customer service. They practically beat service standards and time limits into your skull with continuous tests, evaluations, and meetings. If you have a bad experience, it is most likely very individualized by a bad night, poor server who doesn't care, or a complete fluke. OB goes to extreme lengths to make the customer happy and it's sad that some people can't see that through their generalizations. (Editor's notes: Too bad there are no more Outbacks in Canada.) |
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| Visiting Vermont from California only to find The Jackaroo Chops are no longer on the menu here! They can still be found in Southern California on a special pullout menu. Was looking for the recipe and stumbled across this website. BRING BACK THE CHOPS AND CINNAMON APPLES!! | ||
| Hi All, I want to get everyone's opinion of what Outback Steakhouse has changed in the last 12 months. The reason is I have noticed that a private equity firm has bought Outback and put a ton of debt on it. Private Equity firms are notoriously short term orientated and cut the muscle on companies to flip the business for a profit. What menu changes have you noticed? Price changes? More or less value for money? Former employees and Employees I welcome your comments. | ||
| i used to work at an outback and it was really was a horrible place and went noticeably downward in its last few years. apart from sexual harassment and verbal harassment issues that plagued the canadian franchises and the poor training for servers, the food was disgusting (for those of you who ate there weekly, how much weight did you gain? just curious cuz i know you did) and the customers were absolute trash. i mean, who else would not return to their "favourite" restaurant because one dish was gone? the reason that outback went out of business was not just because the poor changes in managerial style but because of customers like you. and stan, the south african jackass from head office, made everyone hate their jobs. he can pretty much be credited with singlehandedly ruining the richmond hill location. (Editor's notes: My favourite dish was the major reason I enjoyed the Outback so much. Not unreasonable then to stop going when the option is removed from the menu. Weight gain? I think I may have gained 5 pounds in the last 11 years from age 19 to 30.) |
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| Haven't been back to Outback for about one year since I was told that Jackaroo Chops were replaced with pork tenderloin. I wasn't the only person that tried to order them that night. In no way does the tenderloin come close to the chops. (Editor's notes: All Outbacks are now closed in Canada. Seems they went downhill afte the menu was changed. It really is a shame.) |
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| From working at Outback Steakhouse for over four years, this question has one very simple answer. If only a "couple" of customers order a particular dish a night, why keep it in stock? If those two customers don't come in everyday, then it goes to waste. The only was a company can keep alive in these economic times are by watching their food cost and making sure things don't spoil. If they aren't making much money off of the product, then why should they keep it? The reason for taking off and replacing menu items by Outback was to get more customers to come through the doors. Also, they may have taken off the pork chops, but they replaced them with a pork loin dish, which is also delicious, maybe you should try this dish out. Plain and simple, Outback did the right thing by taking the dish off, to continue forward and prosper in this time as others have not. Other companies have fallen because of not changing their products and continuing to serve the "same boring things." If Outback did this also, they too would go under. (Editor's notes: The Outback removed the chops from the menu a few years ago, and then added them back. Now, they are gone again. I no longer attend the Outback as I did on a regular basis. Nor do I use them for organized events and meets.) |
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| I AM MAD THAT OUTBACK GOT RID OF THE JACKAROO CHOPS AS THEY WERE MY FAVORITE ITEM ON THEIR MENU. I SIMPLY AGREE WITH OTHERS THAT WHY FIX SOMETHING WHEN IT"S NOT BROKEN. I HAVE CONTACTED OUTBACK SEVERAL TIMES AND COMPLAINED, BUT IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE TO THEM. I SUPPOSE IT MAKES "BIG PROFIT" SENSE TO THEM TO GET RID OF MEAT WITH A BONE AND GOOD, AND GIVE SOME CHEAP OLE VERSION INSTEAD -- SHEESH, I WOULD HAVE EVEN PAID A COUPLE OF BUCKS MORE TO KEEP THE CHOPS. SO I MUST SAY, WE USED TO EAT THERE AT LEAST ONCE - SOMETIMES TWICE A WEEK, - BUT WE ONLY GO THERE NOW ONCE IN AWHILE WE WE FEEL LIKE A LOW QUALITY STEAK DINNER. SO MUCH FOR BUSINESS SENSE OR BUSINESS 101 PHILOSOPHY IN KEEPING YOUR CUSTOMERS HAPPY AS WE'VE BEEN FINDING NEW RESTAURANTS TO MEET OUR NEEDS. (AND WE DO SPEND A LOT OF MONEY EATING OUT A LOT) LOOKS LIKE CORPORATE IS WASTING THEIR MONEY ON A COUPLE OF IDIOTS UP THERE IN CORPORATE WITH THE MASTERS DEGREE IN "NOT COMMON SENSE" TRYING TO SAVE A BUCK AND MAKING THE ALMIGHTY BIG PROFIT. THEY MAY HAVE SAVED A LITTLE FOR NOW, BUT I BELIEVE IN THE LONG RUN, THEY'VE LOST AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF RETURNING CUSTOMERS. TOO BAD FOR THEM. | ||
| won't be back without 'em ! | ||
| I had a meltdown when I went to my favorite place for the chops and the waitress said "we don't carry those anymore". I told the waitrees I would eat there that evening because we were already seated but I would not be back unless the chops were back on the menu. That was about 2 months ago and we used to go almost weekly. Why fix it if its not broke I just don't understand. | ||
| I too am in mourning over the loss of the pork chops. Outback WAS one of my favorite places to eat!!! I'll miss you my sweet pork chops! | ||
| Outback has done it again. The have changed the menu and removed the Shrimp-on-the-Barbie with remoulade sauce. I also e-mailed them and told them to "look around any Outback on any weekend evening. There is 15 to 45 minute wait for tables. Does this mean something's wrong with the menu & it needs to be changed?" I have eaten my last meal at Outback. | ||
| The Jackeroo Chops and Cinnamon Apples were two of my favorite things at Outback. Our local Outback did away with the chops in lieu of "pork tenderloin" a few months ago, which I tried and did not like nearly as much, and now they've gotten rid of the apples. Several other restaurants make cinnamon apples but they aren't nearly as good. I'm running out of reasons to keep going back. | ||
| I just went to the Outback in Newark Calif. and the Menu is pathetic! They took off the Drover plater and their so called 15 items under 15 dollars is a joke. The portions are very small and the caramel apples are no longer on the plates. What a ripoff!!!!!!!!!! Im done with Outback unless they Add the items back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! | ||
| thiers no reason for me to come back to outback i am crushed that a will no longer enjoy those chop | ||
| I am in North Carolina and they now have a wonderful pork tenderloin meal. It is to die for. Wish I could find a recipe for it. The past few times I have been they were sold out of it. Pretty popular and good price too. | ||
| I work for outback and have for 4 years. I'm done with it. We have the pork chops here, but they changed the name a little over a year ago to just pork chops. They also took away the cinnamon apples a couple weeks ago. Outback is changing. Its not what it was when I first started. I read somewhere that they are making it more corporate and they are right. We had these priciples and beliefs that have changed and the founders didn't live up to what they said they were gonna do. I used to love this company and now I hate it. I even got food poisoning from a meal I ate for being head wait the other night. They should have not changed and they would of done fine. This company is going down the hill. | ||
| What about the spicy ranch that they serve with the cheese fries? I'd bathe in it if I could. It is great!!! | ||
| what is the lilac soap in the restrooms? I want to order it. Love it. Thanks for any help. | ||
| Outback is Shit.....not "the shit"...but "SHIT." All of you Outbackers and fans of the hellish nightmare of a restaurant are BRAINWASHED! Please, you flipping idiots, open up your stoned shut eyes and take a look around at how things run at Outback. I promise, it'll send you running once you do...and if you don't, it's already too late. (Editor's notes: What in the heck are you talking about?) |
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| dont do it | ||
| OUTBACK IS THE SHITTTTT | ||
| Next time you are in the Outback Steakhouse of Westbury, Please ask for Charlie if anybody tells you that we do not have the Jackaroo Chops please let me know. There is a No Rules JUst Right, motto that we abide by. IF it is in my ability and power to make any dish for a customer, I will personally do so.
To my knowledge these Jackarroo Chops have been on the menu from the begining. Why would we take these off the menu in the first place.
Sincerely
Managing partner of WEstbury.
(Editor's note: Where is Westbury?) |
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| I have only been to Outback once. I was "Happy" with it, but the service was a little poor(i think it was her first day). Despite all of that, i had the best food i ever got at a resturaunt. I don't remember what it was called, but i do remember what it consisted of. It was a nice piece of chicken breast with bacon strips on it. Then it was all smothered in cheese. Ooh, it was good.... I suggest you try it, you could look on the menu, or just ask the waiter/waitress. | ||
| Were did it go. I refuse to go to Outback anymore because it was my favorate | ||
| I don't know where you all are from but I work at an Outback in Maryland and we still serve the Jackaroo Chops and they are delicious. Sucks for you guys! | ||
| every restraunt has a bad night. It s highly unlikely that someone would take the time to try to pick on a bunch of kids. Gratuity is a policy at most outbacks on parties of eight or more. thats because servers have limited tables and as shocking as it may seem they work to make money. most frequently servers would prefer to not have to include a tip on parties but it would be wrong to treat groups differently. as for the chops. atleast to my knowledge it is the decision of the franchise to pull menu items. it probably wont do much good to write them but it also wouldnt do any harm | ||
| i am appauled at the low standard of service my son and his co-ed group of friends received from the staff and management . the location is westbury NY. they came as a group of 19 to celebrate a lady's birthday with an enjoyable dinner. not only was the time element of how they got served an issue, but the appetizer arrived after the main meal. the 19 dinners were set on a tray next to the table and the waitress walked away. the manager was called over and he proceeded to argue with the spokesperson for the group.they were told that the gratuity was built in to the bill so this group of friends had no recourse. i will make sure that the public is aware of this chain's treatment of their customers and take proper legal action against this resturaunt so that future incidences such as this will never occur again. by the way, the group i am referring to are all over 30 yrs. old. they arenot irresponsible kids. | ||
| andrew b. im sorry man, but why be vegan unless you just like the taste, plz dont pull that i hate killing animals story, then go love peta.....they kill over 45 percent of the animals they bring in due to overstocking anyways, and if its killing anything, plants live too...just dont express their feelings as well i guess. if its the hormones our livestock is recieving that bothers you, dont worry to much about it, just research g.e. crops and realize just how close to home they really are, and theres nothing wrong with them either. not eating meats can have advers effects on your health...so eat right or eat morally right may be your dillema, but like i said, if you enjoy the taste of the plants, stick with it, if its not the greatest and only due to a moral issue, go grub the hell out of a steak, it'll feel much better than bitching about an issue that has been well overstated for years and still shown no scientific or prosperous aspect of being better for health, society, or tastier than a large chunk of cow. | ||
| I am thrilled that you stopped serving the Jackaroo Chops! Now if you can stop serving all other meat products you will really be on the right track!
http://www.goveg.com
(Editor's note: Yeah, I bet that will happen real soon...) |
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| Aaron i stopped at the outback with my girlfriend the other night. now i normally get steak but after reading this i decided i'd order the chops in honor of my favorite mod. let me say they were good and i'm pissed at outback for deprioving a man with such an FC of his favorite dinner. if your ever in Montana drop me an email and i'll take you out for chops... on me!!!! | ||
| Hey there...I'm so sorry to hear that they've deprived you of our menus hidden jewel. I'm the manager at the Outback in Osage Beach, MO and I wish that I knew a reason for this suprise menu change...but I don't exactly. I can tell you that we have recently had to take the Lamb off of our menu due to import issues making the price sky-rocket!! I don't know if there would be import issues from US to Canada on pork, but maybe that's the case. Go to the website at www.outback.com and contact a Proprietor in your area to find out why...I'm sure there is a legitimate reason and that it was for your benefit that it happened, whether it be price or safety issues?!? | ||
| Thats sad, they take the jackaroo chops off the menu. thats just dumb. Sue them | ||
| I really enjoyed my steak and as a matter of fact am very much interested to start my own franchise outbacks overseas if the company will agree regards Antonis | ||
| They're pretty tasty. I'm going to have to go to Outback this evening. | ||
| I am unsure of how every Outback Steakhouse works, but the one in Rocky Mount, NC where I once worked had a proprietor who owned the place. Ultimate decisions were made by him for most of the processes in the steakhouse, with the franchise info from corporate being what he considered "suggestions". Needless to say, working for that man rocks! Lou Reda, and Outback in Rocky Mount, NC; if any 7 owner ever travels I-95 S, he will make you feel at home. | ||
| Why on earth would you even think about removing those fantastic Jackaroo Chops! That's the best item on the menu. Believe you me, we have tried many things but they are definitely the best ever!!! Please bring them back to Canada!!! | ||
| having worked at and managed several outbacks in florida for about 7 years, i was surprised when i saw your sig and the request in it. i'm afraid that the "corporate" mentality may be creeping into how outbacks are run, which is what the founders always swore would never happen. i hope that's not the case. as for your dillemma, i can only say that you are welcome to pm me if you are travelling south through new york and i'll meet you with my 7 at the outback in albany, where they still have chops. good luck with your request. | ||
| Hi. I'm 1RevvinFC3S, a member of RX7Club.com. You know, I've only eaten at Outback once before, and I got the rack of lamb. I did, however, get to try a bite or two of my brother's Jackaroo Chops and I must say, they are quite the oral nirvana. That sucks that Canada doesn't have them anymore. I'd be willing to send you some in the mail, but they probably wouldn't last very long and would be nice and foul once you got them and the stinch of rotting meat emmiting from your mail box would probably be enough to gag a maggot that works at a sewage refinery. | ||
| Our Outback has them - and they were great tonight! | ||
| I work at the Outback in Fort Wayne, IN. I sure hope we don't lose the chops, but if we do lose them from the menu, we'll probably keep making them anyway like we do every other dish! No Rules, Just Right. There are some kids that come in and order hot dogs...of course we don't have hot dogs, do what do we do? We send a busser across the street to the grocery to get a package of hot dogs and buns, cook 'em up and make 'em happy. I'm liking Outback for that reason (among many others). | ||
| I am still looking for the recipe to spice those chops! I gotta have it and so should EVERYONE else. Those chops are the greatest most infinitly delicious food ever. Why bother with steak when you can have Jackaroo Chops! I was looking for the recipe when I stumbled on this site. | ||
| i live in the united states. If they stop serving jackaroo chops at outback in the U.S., I will quit going to outback restaurants. | ||
| Perhaps this is why? http://edition.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/americas/03/10/crime.pigfarm.reut/ | ||
| I too am outraged at the loss of menu items from Outback. My favorite meal used to be the Brisbane Shrimp pasta bowl. The only meal in my life that has ever filled me up entirely before I got sick of the taste! I can sympathize because I had almost the exact same experience down here, I guess I will have to try the Jackaroo chops. Cheers to you Aaron I will down some in your honor! | ||
| Hello. Welcome to Outback Steakhouse. Can I start you off with a cold frosty Big Bloke of Fosters to cool your thirst and maybe a Bloomin' Onion to get your taste buds ready for the ride of their lives? My name is David and I found this site off of the RX-7 forum, which was kinda weird, but now was worth it. I work at Outback Steakhouse in Wichita Kansas, USA . I have worked there for over two years now and have tried many a steak and porkchop in many different places, but one thing remains the same. I love all of our food especially the steaks (hence "steak" house) and of course the savory flavors of the Jackaroo Chops. I am appalled at the message you have given to me about our brothers across the border. I say "NO RULES, JUST RIGHT" and I mean it whenever I serve a table. It doesn't just mean that we do what you say, but that you're satisfied at the end of your experience. If that means importing a few chops a week just to serve it to one customer, then SO BE IT! I hope I have shown you my feelings in this matter and maybe sent a message that others can follow behind. | ||
| Do you know the reason that they removed pork from the menu? That is pretty odd, I don't know of many resturaunts that dont have a pork item on their menu. | ||
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