Experience And Service At Outback Steakhouse

[Aphreal]

First off, the waitress was knowledable and patient with me. When I finally figured out what I could have (printed out a gluten-free list for outback) she told me they have a dedicated fryer that gets fresh oil every day, for their frenchfries and to ask for no seasoning. I did not ask for fries but she offered the info and since their hamburger is 100% pure... I now know I can have a burger and fries there.

A while later, the manager who I hadn't seen before comes and tells me they are taking special care with my meal to be sure it is gluten-free. They would not want me to become ill so they are reading the recipe cards. ANOTHER manager comes with my meal and tells me everything is gluten-free and asks if he could do anything for us.

They have a gluten-free desert. A flourless brownie made in a pan dusted with sugar! It was to die for, I thought I had died and went to heaven. The waitress again was knowledgeable about what could and could not be included in that desert. Coolwhip is not to be added.

I was so impressed. They took good care of me, They got the managers involved and did not at all make me feel funny for having an allergy. They understood the allergy and accomidated my needs happily.

It was the most satisfying meal I have had since going gluten-free. I am going to write a letter to them telling them how impressed I was with their service. Waitress got a nice fat tip

Tiff

[Emilushka]

That's awesome to know. Thanks for the report!

[jerseyangel]

I've always had wonderful service and food from Outback! So glad you had such a great visit

(that brownie is so good--if I don't have room for dessert at the restaurant I usually order a plain one to go)

[kitgordon]

I LOVE Outback! It is my very favorite place since gluten-free. I'm going tonight, AND having desert!

[K8ling]

so awesome! I want to try it but i am a chicken... I am afraid people here won't really "get" it.

[jerseyangel]

so awesome! I want to try it but i am a chicken... I am afraid people here won't really "get" it.

Call first and ask to speak with the manager (at a non-traditionally busy time). It's not a guarantee, but usually speaking with someone in charge directly gives you a good feeling about how well they understand.

[GypsyGirl]

Very glad to hear this, thanks for sharing! Outback is the only place near us that seems to work with gluten-free needs, so I'm trying to work up my nerve to make that my first "dining out" attempt since going gluten-free. I haven't called our local place yet, but I definitely will before trying it. If I get brave enough to try, I'll let you all know how it goes for me!

[fran641]

The Outback here in Tallahassee only has evening/dinner hours so it's hard for us to catch it open during the day when I'm usually up that way. GRRRRRR

[SGWhiskers]

Outback is one of my 3 safe restaraunts. I LOVE the dessert. It is served on their regular menue. When I get it to go, they send it with the chocolate sauce in a sealed little cup. I avoid the ice cream because of allergy.

I've had many great experiences at Outback and keep going back to my local one. I would try one on the road as long as I had emergency food in my purse just in case. With that said, I've had 2 bad experiences there. Once, I stopped in to pick up a dessert to go. They sent me to the to go station and I ended up dealing with less experienced people. I stated several times that my brownie needed to be gluten free and free of cross contamination. I was very specific and they had several people check on me and the food. When I opened the brownie later, I noticed that there were onion ring crumbles in the styrafoam. if they had put the chocolate sauce over the brownie, I would have eaten it without knoweing. Yikes. I won't deal with any one at the to go station anymore.

Also, I went to a retirement par`ty with 25 people on a Friday night. I did end up getting sick that night. I don't think it was from flying bread crumbs from my friends. I think the dinner was CCed in the back with all the craziness of a group meal. The plate was hot like it had been sitting under the warmer for a while. who knows what touched/spilled on it even if they were great in the prep. I broke my "don't eat during peak hours" with this one and paid for it.

The waitress on my first visit also informed me that the flourless brownie sat out on a table that had the possibility of accidental cross contamination. She has shellfish allergies and really "got it", so she was able to get a new pan of brownies opened or at least took one from the back that was still covered. Either way, I've passed that on to future servers and with the exception of the take out station, I have had great success.

Someone here also suggested that they get the serloin without the sauce even though it is gluten free. The one time I had the sauce (the retirement party) I got sick. I don't know it was the sauce. I wonder if they accidentally swapped dipping ladles or sauces on me. Either way, I liked the serloin without the sauce better anyway, but that's just me. Give me a rare steak and a knife and I'm all set.

Bottom line: Even though it is one of the safest places you can eat, the staff is human and errors can happen. Don't throw caution to the wind just because you walk through the doors, but if you have good people you will get one of the best meals without having to cook yet another dish. Mmmmm. I wan't to go out now.

[cap6]

I love Outback. They have a real laminated menu not just a piece of paper hot off the computer printer. Last two trips there the servers have been well acquainted with Celiac, one sat down to chat about her mother-in-law's Celiac. I feel very safe there.