Posted on 10/26/2016 1:35:00 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Red Robin Burger Works is closing all of its Chicago fast casual locations, according to Crains Chicago Business.
Crains reports that the fast food changed closed all of its fast casual restaurants over the weekend, including two locations that were only open for six months.
Crains said the original "sit down" Red Robins restaurants, which are scattered across the suburbs, will stay open.
(Excerpt) Read more at abc7chicago.com ...
The burgers are pedestrian. Overpriced for what you get.
Minimum wage fallout or are they just leaving a war zone?
I disagree.
Hmmmmmmmm. Downtown locations closed, suburbs staying open. Says a lot about the inner city clientele or maybe the employees got tired of getting robbed every night when they left work.
“leaving a war zone?”
Yup.
There’s no market for their product in the city. There are cheaper burgers available at the standard fast food places, and better burgers for the same price available at the local burger bistros.
What’s the difference between “fast casual” and “sit down”?
It was pretty mediocre. For the 15 bucks or so that it cost me to eat there, I can make one heck of a hamburger, and still have plenty of cash left over.
Fast learners on the management team, and willing to quickly correct mistakes. Poor decision to open them, but wise enough to cut their losses quickly.
Red Robin never had any locations where people were likely to get robbed leaving work, they were all in high end neighborhoods. This is all about a failure of the company to properly assess the market they were trying to compete in.
Guess they didn’t care for the local flavor.
Never had the desire to go to one. Heard they are over priced and burgers are nothing special. I’ll stick with homemade burgers or a drive thru special.
We went twice and found the menu items way overpriced compared to other places in our area.
Article from Oct 2nd
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20161002/BLOGS09/161009999/red-robin-shutters-all-five-chicago-burger-works-restaurants
A spokesman for the Greenwood Village, Colo.-based casual-dining chain said in an email that Red Robin shuttered nine of its 12 Burger Works restaurants, including spots in Washington, D.C.; Boulder, Colo., and Fort Collins., Colo. The three remaining locations—two in Denver and another in Clackamas, Ore.—will remain open but under a new nameplate, Red Robin Express.
“The smaller format remains one of Red Robin’s service platforms, and we are taking a fresh look at a strategy that is best from both a brand and operational perspective,” Kevin Caulfield, a spokesman, said in an email. “We will continue to explore smaller units that meet the growing demand for carryout and delivery.”
Red Robin targeted Chicago as one of three U.S. markets to test its fast-casual subsidiary. It opened its first Burger Works concepts in Chicago in 2014, with outlets on Michigan Avenue and on Chicago Avenue in the Gold Coast. Three restaurants followed in 2015, though one of them, at 204 N. Wells St., closed earlier this year for what the company said was “a temporary kitchen renovation,” but it never reopened.
The Burger Works restaurants were Red Robin’s attempt to pair its gourmet burgers with a quick-service format. Most of the stores were clustered in high-traffic lunch areas and had both takeout and sit-down service.
The closings do not affect Red Robin’s 17 full-scale restaurants in the Chicago area, all of which are in the suburbs.
Perhaps they hadn’t budgeted enough for shakedowns by the inspectors.
I think we have eaten there only once, and it was several years ago. $11 or more for a very average burger on a dried-out bun. Then had to leave a tip.
Pullout of all chicago metro urban locations, keeping the suburb spots. I totally understand why.
I tend to like culvers butterburgers if we go anywhere. I get them to go.
Yes, Culvers are good. We only get them when the buy-one/get one free coupons come out. YUM.
I'm landlocked in OK....There was a guy here in the small town I live near...that made GREAT BURGERS...and my gosh the fries!! He would right in front of you..wash a potato..then make fries...and then cook them..!!! Out of this world...and out of a trailer.
I go to T-Town...fairly often..and I've heard of this place...but never been. Might have to try them out..... https://www.yelp.com/biz/hanks-hamburgers-tulsa
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