Online Man Overwhelmed By Price Of Outback Steakhouse Bloomin Onion, Leading To Impassioned Political Debate

All that political journalist Sean Trende (@SeanTrende) wanted to do was DoorDash his "two teenage boys" some food from Outback Steakhouse, including two of the chain's signature Bloomin' Onions. But the costs, at least according to him, added up quickly — totalling $125 for the large amount of Australian-themed meats he ordered for delivery.

Being a vigilant online American, he naturally chose to post about it on X / Twitter, probably not thinking that it would spark a viral debate in its wake.

Not all of us have two hungry boys to feed and a taste for Bloomin' Onion. But @SeanTrende's original post was relatable anyway and sparked a discussion that was, like much internet discourse, equal parts serious and silly.

It tied into a broader debate over rising consumer prices and inflation with some thinking that inflation under President Joe Biden is slowing down, while many are still feeling its effects. The data seems to show that inflation overall is stabilizing and may slow down soon, but in certain key sectors like food prices and fuel, it's still not so great.

Commentators have called this situation the "vibecession," essentially meaning that we feel in our day-to-day lives like the economy is bad, but the overall numbers say it's actually going okay.

Many found that the amount of food @SeanTrende got for the $125 he paid was actually pretty reasonable. Based on the tweet, he ordered five entrees and two appetizers, paid tax and also tipped.

One poster went so far as to estimate the total caloric value of @SeanTrende's meal at Outback Steakhouse, working out that each member of his family met almost their entire caloric needs for the day through that one DoorDash order.

Some took the post about Bloomin' Onion prices as evidence of what they see as America's supposed decline and moral decay. Others took it as a chance to meme alongside an ancient internet tradition: A main character post that everyone can dunk on.