Popular Steakhouse Chain Closes Stores in Wisconsin—Is Illinois Next?

A popular national steakhouse chain has started quietly closing restaurants across the country and one of the most recent shutdowns happened just up the road in Madison, Wisconsin. Anytime a major chain starts trimming locations in the Midwest, the question naturally becomes: Could Illinois be next?

And for Rockford, the stakes feel even higher, because we only have one location.

A Wave of Restaurant Closures

The company behind the closures has been eliminating select locations as part of a larger turnaround plan, citing factors like:

• Sales performance
• Restaurant traffic
• Local market conditions
• Investment needs

Several restaurants in Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Maryland, New York, and now Wisconsin have already gone dark.

Wisconsin's Loss Hits Close to Home

The Wisconsin closure included a long-running location in Madison’s East Towne area — plus another restaurant from the same parent company nearby (Bonefish Grill). When a Midwest market gets cut, it’s hard not to look south and wonder if Illinois could be next in line.

So who are we talking about? Outback Steakhouse.

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Rockford’s Lone Location Stands… For Now

There’s no official word about closures in Illinois, including Rockford’s one Outback location in the Forest Plaza on East State Street. But, with the company tightening its footprint, it’s definitely on the radar.

👉 Outback Location Finder

If It Closed, Then What?

Be honest… would you be devastated if Rockford lost its Outback?
And if that spot opened up… what restaurant chain would you want to replace it?

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