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 G’day, mates. There’s a new steakhouse in town.
Outback Steakhouse opened its doors at the Royersford interchange of Route 422 Monday night, Nov. 5. The new restaurant’s opening night served the community in more than just food.
Managing partner Henry Dustman explained that 50 percent of the restaurant’s sales were donated to the Royersford Area Community Chest. Dustman noted that every time an Outback opens, the first night is a charity benefit.
The Royersford resident and New Jersey native said he interviewed several charities and like the Community Chest because of the way it gives money to other organizations, with all the donations staying in the town and surrounding communities.
Community Chest President Ty Savage said the Community Chest gives money to about 30 organizations. “All the money we bring in goes to the community, stays here in the Spring-Ford area,” he remarked.
The Community Chest was founded in 1937 and has no paid staff. The all-volunteer organization solicits funds from area businesses and the community at large. For example, the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, besides benefiting from the chest, help support it. When the Scouts distribute bags for the November food drive, the bags also contain envelopes for monetary donations to the Community Chest.
“The community and the Bard Foundation are our biggest contributors,” Savage commented. People can also donate to the Community Chest through the United Way by selecting the donor’s choice option.
Dustman reported Outback’s opening night donation to the Community Chest came to $3600. “It’s a very nice thing they’re doing,” Savage said. “We will in turn distribute the money to the organizations we donate funds to.”
Dustman described the new restaurant as “an Australian-themed steakhouse with dinner only.” He said over 90 percent of the menu items are made fresh daily at the restaurant, even the croutons and chocolate sauce. “We just basically make everything homemade,” he said.
The 260-seat restaurant employs between 90 and 100 people said Dustman. Monday’s opening night came 97 days after the ground-breaking, he added.
Dustman has been in the restaurant business for 21 years and with Outback for nine and a half years. This is the 10th Outback store on his resume. He began as an hourly employee, he said, and worked his way up through kitchen manager, then manager and now partner.
“I think it’s great that they have a new restaurant in the area,” commented Limerick resident Rebecca Mest as she finished her meal on opening night. “There’s definitely not a lot of selections out there now. I am really happy to see the area growing, to be honest.”
“It’s delicious,” said Collegeville resident Tracey Hanson. “Glad to have it up here, in this area.”
Dustman said 410 people were served on opening night, and he was “very pleased” with the opening.
The new Outback is open Monday to Thursday, 4 to 10 p.m.; Friday, 4 to 11 p.m.; Saturday, 3 to 11 p.m., and Sunday, 2 to 9:30 p.m. The restaurant offers call-ahead seating. The phone number is 610-792-4300.
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