5 Chain Restaurant Steaks To Order, 4 To Avoid - Tasting Table

"Because we know how frustrating it can be to attempt dining out for a great steak dinner, we compiled a list of chain restaurants that deliver the best cuts and those that missed the mark. Not surprisingly, The Capital Grille, Ruth's Chris, and Smith & Wollensky are solid choices for finding a satisfying cut of steak. Places like Texas Roadhouse, LongHorn Steakhouse, and Outback Steakhouse can be a little bit trickier when perusing the menu. But we've got you covered - these are some of the best chain restaurants to order steak and some to avoid."

"Outback Steakhouse offers a 13-ounce ribeye or a 20-ounce bone-in ribeye, but you're better off avoiding either. In a Tasting Table ranking of chain restaurant ribeye steaks, Outback Steakhouse came in dead last because patrons were so disappointed with their meal, stating the ribeye was over-seasoned, dry, tough, and chewy. I haven't had good luck ordering a ribeye either at multiple Outback locations, and I'll only order it so many times before I call it pointless to try again."

"When you want to go out to eat, your decision about what restaurant to visit should be a simple one. But we all know it isn't. Though we wish every restaurant delivered top-notch food, unfortunately, not all of them do. And when you're looking to specifically order, what is hopefully a big, juicy, well-seared steak, we tend to be even pickier about where to get it. No one wants a blah piece of meat, especially when you've taken the time to physically go to a restaurant, spend more money than is necessary, and just want to enjoy a nice, peaceful, and tasty dinner."

Choosing where to order steak requires careful selection because not every restaurant delivers high-quality meat. Upscale chains such as The Capital Grille, Ruth's Chris, and Smith & Wollensky consistently provide satisfying cuts. Midscale chains like Texas Roadhouse, LongHorn Steakhouse, and Outback Steakhouse produce mixed results and can be hit-or-miss depending on location and preparation. Outback's ribeye in particular earned poor reviews for being over-seasoned, dry, tough, and chewy, prompting recommendations to avoid it and opt for alternatives like ahi tuna when dining there. Corporate changes at Bloomin' Brands followed a significant stock decline.

Read at Tasting Table