Name: Pat Hafner
New title: Executive vice president, president, Outback Steakhouse
Previous title: President, Carrabba’s Italian Grill
Hafner has worked at Bloomin’ Brands for nearly 30 years, starting out as a server and cook at Outback Steakhouse, according to a press release. He rose through the ranks for 20 years, becoming a managing partner, joint venture partner and later regional vice president of operations for the steakhouse chain, per his LinkedIn profile. In February 2018, he became vice president of operations at Carrabba’s and was promoted to president in April 2022.
“Pat is an ‘operator’s operator’ who has held a variety of roles and led special projects at Bloomin’ Brands,” Mike Spanos, Bloomin’ Brands CEO, said in a statement. “He is a guest-centric leader who builds high-capability teams that deliver outstanding business results.”
Hafner will be contending with declining same-store sales at Outback Steakhouse, which were down 1.3% during the third quarter. The company has been focused on boosting traffic at Outback and offered value-oriented limited-time offerings during the third quarter that helped boost transactions, Bloomin’ Brands CFO Michael Healy said during an earnings call. Average checks rose 2.9% during that quarter, he added. Off-premise remains a significant channel for the chain, making up 23% of U.S. sales, he noted.
Bloomin’ Brands has been changing its leadership — Spanos joined the chain in August 2024 following David Deno’s retirement. Bloomin’ also promoted Healy to chief financial officer last April. In 2023, the company eliminated the casual dining COO position.
