Restaurant company to open new concept at area mall

TAMPA — Bloomin’ Brands Inc. plans to bring a new fast-casual restaurant concept to Tampa’s International Plaza shopping mall in late April.

According to a statement from company spokeswoman Elizabeth Watts, Aussie Grill by Outback was developed primarily for international growth. Its fast-casual service model allows franchisees to operate in a smaller footprint, with lower investment while still serving high-quality food.

The first two Aussie Grill locations opened in January in Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong, the statement says. The brand’s menu focuses primarily on hand-held sandwiches.

Bloomin’ Brands plans to open additional Aussie Grills in the Tampa area “to monitor and fine-tune the concept as needed,” Watts states.

Based in Tampa, Bloomin’ Brands is the parent company of Outback Steakhouse, Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Bonefish Grill and Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar. Earlier this month, longtime CEO Liz Smith stepped down and was succeeded by former CFO David Deno.

The publicly traded company has seen its revenues dip over the past few years, from $4.38 billion in 2015 to $4.13 billion last year, though it reported a 4% increase in comparable restaurant sales in 2018.