We may not have realized it then, but the closure of Red Robin's first location in 2010 was a harbinger of bad luck for the company. It was just one spot — a tavern-like restaurant in Seattle — but it harkened back to the casual dining chain's humble origins as a university bar. The location served as a focal point for how much the burger restaurant expanded since opening in the 1970s, and losing it was a bit like losing the little red bird's identity.
As laid-back as it may have been, the original spot had character (it had juke boxes and popcorn machines for Pete's sake) — something Red Robin has gradually lost in its transition to just another corporate casual-dining chain. Despite its more standardized look now, Red Robin still managed to worm its way into our collective memory. While it may not be as popular as in its heyday in the early 2000s, who doesn't remember the bottomless steak fries, the gourmet milkshakes, and the classic, resonating, "Yummmm"? We may recall its quirks, but the chain has been steadily losing locations and traffic throughout the last decade, not to mention its special knack for self-destruction.
, and while it's far from the only full-service chain in poor health, the iconic burger restaurant is showing some clear signs of struggle. The restaurant chain is closing locations left and right One of the most apparent signs of a struggling chain is shuttered doors and "permanently closed" labels on Google Maps. In 2025, it was announced that be.
