Four Outback Steakhouse Locations Close in Colorado

Colorado now has eight Outback Steakhouse restaurants after four closures in late 2026.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Dining Out

Photograph of a vacant brick restaurant building with dark windows and an empty parking lot on a dry Colorado plain. — Outback Steakhouse closed four Colorado restaurants in late 2026, leaving eight locations in the state as of November. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Four Outback Steakhouse locations in Colorado closed in late 2026, leaving eight restaurants in the state as of November 2026. The closed sites include locations in Colorado Springs, Highlands Ranch, Aurora and Littleton.

Why it matters

Forbes reported that the four closed locations operated at a loss or at margins insufficient to cover their occupancy costs. Rising costs of goods and labor have taken a toll on many restaurants over the past few years.

Colorado had a baker's dozen of Outback Steakhouse locations at one point, and the state now has eight. Five states, including Maine, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Vermont and Hawaii, have no Outback locations at all.

The players

Outback Steakhouse

Outback Steakhouse is a casual dining chain known for its Australian-themed steakhouse concept, which operates restaurants across the United States.

Forbes

Forbes is a business and financial media company whose reporting on the restaurant industry prompted coverage of the closures.

The details

Outback Steakhouse opened its first Colorado location in Fort Collins in 1995, and the Colorado Springs and Littleton sites also opened that year. The Highlands Ranch location had been open since 2012, and the former Fort Collins site closed in 2021 and is now a Black-Eyed Pea.

1995: Fort Collins, Colorado Springs and Littleton Outback locations open.
2012: Highlands Ranch Outback location opens.
2021: Fort Collins Outback location closes.
Late 2026: Four Colorado Outback locations close.
November 2026: Colorado count stands at eight Outback locations.

Industry Dynamics

Outback Steakhouse's Colorado closures reflect the squeeze Forbes has documented on casual dining chains whose margins cannot cover rising occupancy costs. The pressure sits on top of higher food and labor prices that have strained restaurants across the country.

Diners in Colorado Springs, Highlands Ranch, Aurora and Littleton will need to find another restaurant for their Outback visits. The remaining eight Colorado locations are now the only places in the state to order the chain's menu.

The takeaway

Restaurants with thin margins can close quickly when occupancy and labor costs outrun revenue, so diners may see chain locations disappear with little notice. Checking a location before planning a visit can save a wasted trip.