Outback Steakhouse is the splurge-steakhouse a lot of offices reach for when a team lunch should feel like a celebration: hand-seasoned steaks, fall-off-the-bone ribs, the Bloomin’ Onion, and loaded baked potatoes turn an ordinary Tuesday into an event. But offices that try to make Outback a regular catering choice keep running into the same walls. It is heavy, dinner-style food that sits heavy before an afternoon of work, and steak is genuinely hard to cater because it keeps cooking in a hot box and arrives overdone while fried items go soft in transit. Catering runs roughly $15 to $25 per person, with steak and seafood at the top end, so it is one of the pricier options. The menu is meat-forward and thin on lighter, vegetarian, and vegan depth for a mixed team. And catering is available only at participating locations, with around 700 U.S. restaurants clustered in suburban and mall-adjacent areas and a $100 delivery minimum, so plenty of offices are out of range. Below are 8 Outback catering alternatives that each solve at least one of those problems, ordered from the closest hearty-hot-meal swaps to the lighter, broader, and more flexible upgrades. For everything Outback does offer, see our Outback Steakhouse Catering Guide.
In This Guide
Why Look Beyond Outback Catering?
Outback earns its spot for the big moments: the steaks are genuinely good, the Bloomin’ Onion is a crowd-pleaser, and a steakhouse spread makes a team lunch feel special. But five issues come up again and again when offices try to make it a regular catering choice.
- Heavy, dinner-style food. Steaks, ribs, fried onion, and loaded baked potatoes are rich and filling, which is great for a celebration but can leave a team sluggish for the rest of the workday. It is dinner food served at lunch.
- Steak does not travel. A steak keeps cooking in a hot box and arrives overdone, and the Bloomin’ Onion and fries lose their crunch in transit. Steakhouse food is built to be served the minute it leaves the kitchen, which works against catering.
- Premium pricing. At roughly $15 to $25 per person, with steak and seafood at the top end, Outback is one of the more expensive catering choices, especially for a recurring team lunch rather than a one-off event.
- Meat-forward, thin on lighter and plant-based options. There is a gluten-friendly menu, but the spread is built around beef and other proteins, with limited depth for vegetarian, vegan, and lighter eaters on a mixed team.
- Participating locations only, $100 delivery minimum. Catering runs from participating restaurants, and with around 700 U.S. locations clustered in suburban and mall-adjacent areas, plenty of offices are simply out of range, with a $100 delivery minimum on top.
If any of those sound familiar, here are 8 alternatives worth trying. Outback is strong on the celebration-steak experience, so the bar for a swap is keeping that hearty, satisfying quality while fixing weight, travel, price, dietary range, or reach.
8 Outback Catering Alternatives for Your Office
1. Texas Roadhouse: The Closest Casual-Steakhouse Swap
Texas Roadhouse is the closest swap when you specifically want steak but Outback is not nearby or you simply prefer it. Hand-cut steaks, fall-off-the-bone ribs, country sides, and its famous fresh-baked rolls come packaged in Family and Party Packs built to feed a group.
Quick stats: $15 to $25 per person | Hand-cut steaks + ribs + country sides + fresh rolls | 24 to 48 hours lead time for large orders | Locations nationwide, open 7 days
Texas Roadhouse plays the same casual-steakhouse note as Outback, so it is the natural pick when the team wants steak and an Outback location just is not convenient. The Family and Party Packs scale for a group, and the fresh-baked rolls travel better than most steakhouse sides. Be honest with yourself, though: it is the same rich, dinner-style food at a similar price, so it solves availability and variety, not weight or budget. For a celebration lunch or a team milestone, see our Corporate Event Catering Checklist.
2. Dickey’s Barbecue Pit: Hearty Hot Meat That Actually Travels
Dickey’s Barbecue Pit is the move when you want a hearty, meat-forward hot meal that holds up in transit. Smoked brisket, pulled pork, ribs, and chicken with classic sides ship in big-box catering packages built for offices, and barbecue stays tender in a chafing dish in a way steak never will.
Quick stats: $12 to $18 per person | Smoked brisket, pulled pork, ribs, chicken + sides | 24 hours lead time | Locations across the U.S., open 7 days
If the appeal of Outback is a satisfying plate of meat, barbecue delivers the same comfort while solving the steakhouse’s biggest catering flaw: it is designed to be smoked low and slow and held warm, so it arrives tender instead of overcooked, usually at a lower per-head price. Dickey’s runs national catering with familiar packages, and you can order at dickeys.com/catering. See our Dickey’s Barbecue Pit Catering Guide for the full breakdown.
3. Local BBQ & Grill Caterers via Zerocater: Fresh Smoked Proteins, Flexible Pricing
A local barbecue or grill caterer is the most direct hearty-meat peer to Outback: smoked and grilled proteins with real depth of flavor, made by a pitmaster who lives and dies by their meat, often at a lower and more flexible per-head price than a national steakhouse.
Quick stats: $13 to $20 per person | Smoked meats + grilled proteins + scratch sides, buffet or boxed | 24 to 48 hours lead time | Local in most metros, available 7 days
If the team wants hearty hot meat but Outback is too pricey, too heavy, or out of range, an independent BBQ or grill caterer hits the same note, usually with more character. The food flexes to your budget and headcount, holds heat for an office buffet, and ordering through Zerocater means managed delivery instead of a shop-by-shop order. Browse barbecue caterers on Zerocater, including City Smoke House in San Francisco, Mighty Quinn’s BBQ in New York, Bell Heirs BBQ in Chicago, Roaming Buffalo BBQ in Denver, Oak Ember BBQ in Atlanta, and Smokey Joe’s BBQ in Dallas.
4. Jason’s Deli: A Lighter, Broader, Budget-Friendly Midday Lunch
Jason’s Deli is the swap when a steakhouse spread is simply too heavy and too pricey for a regular lunch. Sandwiches and wraps, a salad bar, soups, hot box lunches, and free soft-serve cover a mixed team with a nationwide footprint and clean, preservative-free ingredients.
Quick stats: $11 to $16 per person | Sandwiches + salad bar + soups + hot box lunches | 24 hours lead time | Locations across major U.S. markets, open 7 days
Jason’s Deli trades the celebration-steak feel for something far easier on an ordinary workday: lighter, cheaper, and broad enough to please a sandwich crowd and a salad crowd at once. The box lunches travel well and the salad bar gives dietary-restricted guests an easy build. It is a strong pick when Outback’s weight and price are the sticking points. See our Jason’s Deli Catering Alternatives for where it fits and where a local caterer does better.
5. Mediterranean & Bowl Caterers: Protein-Forward but Lighter
Mediterranean and bowl caterers are the upgrade when you want a satisfying, protein-rich meal without the steakhouse heaviness. Grilled chicken and shawarma, falafel, grain bowls, rice, salads, hummus, and mezze are filling and fresh, and they cover more diets naturally.
Quick stats: $12 to $20 per person | Bowls and platters + mezze, buffet or family-style | 24 to 48 hours lead time | Local in most metros, available 7 days
This is the swap for teams that want real protein but not a brick of red meat before an afternoon of meetings: a Mediterranean spread is hot, fresh, and built around lean proteins and vegetables, and it covers gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan eaters far more naturally than a steakhouse menu. For more ideas, see our Healthy Office Catering guide. Browse Mediterranean catering and Greek catering on Zerocater, including SAJJ Mediterranean in the Bay Area, Zazu Mediterranean in New York, Olive Mediterranean Grill in Chicago, and Boston Shawarma in Boston.
6. Build-Your-Own Taco or Fajita Bar: A Hot, Communal, Customizable Lunch
A build-your-own taco or fajita bar from a local caterer is a livelier, more flexible take on Outback’s build-your-own stations. One hot, interactive spread of proteins, tortillas, beans, rice, and toppings that the whole team builds from, often staffed.
Quick stats: $12 to $18 per person | Self-serve taco or fajita bar, often staffed | 24 to 48 hours lead time | Local in most metros, available 7 days
Outback offers cheeseburger, baked potato, and grilled chicken sammie bars, but those stay in the same heavy American-comfort lane. A taco or fajita bar is hot, fresh, and genuinely fun for a team lunch, and because everyone builds their own plate it covers meat-eaters, vegetarians, and gluten-free guests from a single layout. For the full playbook, see our Build Your Own Taco Bar guide. Browse Mexican catering on Zerocater, including Tio Luis Tacos in Chicago, El Jefe’s Taqueria in the Boston area, Tia’s Taqueria in Denver, and El Gallo Taqueria in New York.
7. Healthy & Salad-Forward Caterers: The Fix for the Afternoon Slump
A healthy, salad-forward caterer is the most direct answer to the steakhouse’s biggest downside: it keeps the team energized instead of weighed down. Lean proteins, grain bowls, big composed salads, and roasted vegetables make for a lunch you can work after.
Quick stats: $12 to $18 per person | Composed salads + grain bowls + lean proteins | 24 to 48 hours lead time | Local in most metros, available 7 days
If the recurring complaint about Outback is that everyone is sluggish by 2 p.m., a salad-forward caterer flips that: protein-rich but light, fresh, and easy to scale for a mixed team. It is the right call for a working lunch, a board meeting, or any day when the afternoon matters. See our guides to healthy office catering and board meeting catering, and order with dietary needs scoped through mixed dietary needs in mind.
8. Local Caterers via Zerocater: The Full Upgrade
The biggest limitation of every chain on this list is that you are still ordering from a single restaurant with a fixed menu, fixed format, and whatever price and reach it sets. When you order through Zerocater, you get access to 1,000-plus vetted caterers across every style, including barbecue and grill, delis, Mediterranean and bowl kitchens, taco and fajita bars, and full hot-entree spreads, all available seven days a week with managed delivery and setup, in metros where Outback has no participating location at all.
Quick stats: Varies by caterer | Same-day ordering available | Setup, serving staff, and cleanup options | Available in major metro areas, 7 days
What sets local caterers apart from a chain: pricing that flexes to your budget rather than a fixed steakhouse menu, hot and global options alongside the hearty ones, a build-your-own bar in whatever cuisine fits the room, dietary needs (vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free) scoped per order, staffed setup for client-facing lunches, and coverage anywhere Zerocater operates. For a lunch program that stays interesting week to week, see our Office Manager’s Guide to Ordering Catering and our guide to the best boxed lunch catering companies.
With CaterAi, you describe your event (headcount, budget, dietary needs) and get custom menu suggestions from multiple restaurants in minutes. Try CaterAi now.
Outback Alternatives at a Glance
| Alternative | Style | Price/Person | Lighter Than a Steakhouse? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas Roadhouse | Steaks + ribs + country sides | $15–$25 | No, same rich steakhouse food | Closest steak swap, broader reach |
| Dickey’s Barbecue Pit | Smoked brisket, pork, ribs, chicken | $12–$18 | Hearty, but travels far better | Hot meat that holds, lower cost |
| Local BBQ & Grill | Smoked + grilled proteins, scratch sides | $13–$20 | Hearty, flexible portions | Hearty meat, fresher and flexible |
| Jason’s Deli | Sandwiches + salad bar + soups | $11–$16 | Yes, lighter and cheaper | Easy, broad daily lunch |
| Mediterranean & Bowls | Shawarma, falafel, grain bowls, mezze | $12–$20 | Yes, protein-forward + strong GF/veg | Filling but light, diet coverage |
| Build-Your-Own Taco Bar | Self-serve taco or fajita station | $12–$18 | Lighter, customizable per guest | Communal, fun, mixed-diet teams |
| Healthy & Salad-Forward | Composed salads + grain bowls + lean protein | $12–$18 | Yes, the lightest option | Working lunches, no afternoon slump |
| Local via Zerocater | Any style, managed | Varies | Yes, scoped per order | The full upgrade, anywhere |
Skip the Chain: Order Local Through CaterAi
Every chain on this list solves one or two of Outback’s gaps, but none solves all of them, and you are still locked into a single restaurant’s menu, format, and footprint. The real upgrade is to stop thinking chain-first. Outback is a fine celebration steak lunch, but a barbecue caterer fixes the travel and price, a deli or Mediterranean spread fixes the weight, a taco bar fixes the format, and a local caterer reaches offices the chain cannot. CaterAi lets you get all of those in one place.
Tell CaterAi your headcount, budget, and dietary needs, and it builds custom lunch menus from 1,000-plus local caterers in minutes, then lets you chat to swap items, add staffing or setup, and check out. For ongoing lunch programs, see corporate catering; for a one-off client lunch or all-hands, see corporate event catering; and for the full picture, see how Zerocater works.
Plan Your Office Lunch with CaterAi
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best alternative to Outback Steakhouse for office catering?
It depends on what is pushing you off Outback. If you still want a hearty, meat-forward hot meal but one that travels better and costs less, a barbecue caterer like Dickey’s Barbecue Pit or a local BBQ and grill caterer is the closest swap, since smoked brisket, pulled pork, and chicken hold heat in transit far better than steak. Texas Roadhouse is the nearest casual-steakhouse swap when you want steak but Outback is not nearby. If steakhouse food is simply too heavy for a working lunch, a broad deli like Jason’s Deli, a Mediterranean or bowl caterer, or a salad-forward caterer is a lighter, cheaper choice. The biggest upgrade is ordering through Zerocater, which connects you with 1,000-plus local caterers across every cuisine, with staffed setup, in metros where Outback has no participating location.
What is a cheaper alternative to Outback catering?
Outback catering runs roughly $15 to $25 per person, with steak and seafood at the top end, so most alternatives come in lower. A barbecue caterer or a broad deli like Jason’s Deli typically feeds a team for less while still serving a hearty hot meal, and a build-your-own taco or fajita bar self-portions across the whole group at a lower per-head cost than premium steak platters. The biggest savings come from booking a local caterer through Zerocater, which lets you set a per-person budget and get menus that hit it. Always compare all-in pricing including the delivery fee, and watch Outback’s $100 delivery minimum.
What is a lighter, healthier alternative to Outback catering?
Outback catering is steak, ribs, Bloomin’ Onion, and loaded baked potatoes, which is rich, dinner-style food that can leave a team sluggish before an afternoon of work. For a lighter midday lunch, a Mediterranean or bowl caterer builds plates around grilled chicken, shawarma, falafel, grain bowls, and salads; a salad-forward caterer leads with greens, lean proteins, and grains; and a broad deli like Jason’s Deli adds a salad bar and soups. All three are easier on the afternoon than a steakhouse spread, and ordering through Zerocater lets you filter for healthy, vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free coverage. See our healthy office catering guide.
Is Texas Roadhouse or Outback better for office catering?
They are close cousins: both are casual American steakhouses serving hand-cut or grilled steaks, ribs, sides, and fresh bread, and both are rich, dinner-style spreads better suited to a celebration lunch than a daily one. Texas Roadhouse leans into hand-cut steaks, fall-off-the-bone ribs, and its famous fresh-baked rolls through Family and Party Packs, so it is the natural swap when you specifically want steak but there is no participating Outback nearby or you simply prefer Texas Roadhouse. If your real issue is that steakhouse food is too heavy, too pricey, or travels poorly, a barbecue, deli, or Mediterranean caterer through Zerocater is the better fix.
What is a good Outback alternative that travels and reheats well?
Steak is the hardest food to cater well, because it keeps cooking in a hot box and arrives overdone, and fried items like the Bloomin’ Onion go soft in transit. Barbecue is the hearty-meat option built to hold: smoked brisket, pulled pork, and chicken stay tender in a chafing dish, so a national chain like Dickey’s Barbecue Pit or a local BBQ and grill caterer is a more reliable hot spread for an office. Saucy braises, grain bowls, and Mediterranean platters also travel far better than a steak dinner. Ordering through Zerocater lets you pick caterers whose food is designed to be delivered and held.
What is an Outback alternative with vegetarian and vegan options?
Outback has a gluten-friendly menu, but as a steakhouse it is meat-forward and thin on vegetarian and vegan depth for a mixed team. A Mediterranean or bowl caterer naturally covers more diets with falafel, hummus, grain bowls, salads, and grilled vegetables; a build-your-own taco or fajita bar lets each guest build a plant-based or meat plate from the same layout; and a salad-forward caterer leads with produce and grains. Ordering through Zerocater lets you scope an order so vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free guests are all covered from the start. See our guides to vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free office catering.
What can I order instead of Outback if there is no location near my office?
Outback catering is available only at participating locations, and with around 700 U.S. restaurants concentrated in suburban and mall-adjacent areas, plenty of offices are out of range. National chains like Dickey’s Barbecue Pit and Jason’s Deli cover more of the country, but the most reliable fix is ordering through Zerocater, which connects you with 1,000-plus local BBQ, deli, Mediterranean, and full-service caterers across every metro, including cities where Outback has no participating location, with managed delivery and setup.
What is an Outback alternative with a build-your-own bar?
Outback does offer build-your-own cheeseburger, loaded baked potato, and grilled chicken sammie bars, but those stay inside the same heavy, American-comfort lane. For more variety and a lighter, livelier team lunch, a build-your-own taco or fajita bar from a local caterer gives everyone a hot, customizable plate that covers meat-eaters and plant-based diets from one layout, and a deli or salad bar does the same on the lighter end. Ordering through Zerocater lets you book a staffed build-your-own bar in whatever cuisine fits the room. See our Build Your Own Taco Bar guide.
Related guides: Outback Steakhouse Catering Guide | Dickey’s Barbecue Pit Catering Guide | Jason’s Deli Catering Alternatives | Build Your Own Taco Bar | Healthy Office Catering | Vegetarian Office Catering | Vegan Office Catering | Gluten-Free Office Catering | Mixed Dietary Needs | Board Meeting Catering | Office Manager’s Guide | Best Boxed Lunch Catering Companies | Corporate Event Catering Checklist
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