Top restaurant Outback shuts nine Hong Kong steak houses, lays off 300 as diners head to mainland China

The Australia-themed, American restaurant Outback Steakhouse announced it will close nearly half its branches in Hong Kong, blaming high rents and weak sales, as the city’s consumers troop to mainland cities like Shenzhen for shopping and entertainment amid easier cross-border travel.

Outback will shut nine of the 19 stores it owns in the city, with more than 300 of its staff affected by the closures, it said. The chain has outlets located across the city, from Hong Kong Island to New Territories, and opened its newest branch, spread over a 3,800 square feet in Central, in April.