The Springfield Red Robin restaurant will close Aug. 22, part of the first round of 10-15 closures nationwide expected to take place this year for the casual dining chain. In February, Red Robin announced plans to close 70 underperforming locations over the next five years.
The casual dining chain known for its gourmet burgers and bottomless fries opened in Springfield in July 2013 at 2881 S. Veterans Parkway in White Oaks Plaza, replacing Lonestar Steakhouse, which had closed the prior year just shy of two decades at that location.
Red Robin had nearly 500 locations across the U.S. by the end of 2024. Ninety-one of the restaurants are owned and operated by franchisees and therefore not affected by the closings initiated by the Colorado-based corporate headquarters.
In 2024, the company reported total revenues of $1.25 billion, a decrease of $54.5 million compared to 2023. The company had a net loss of $77.5 million, compared to a net loss of $21.2 million that prior year.
“While financial results for 2024 fell well below our original expectations, we’ve made substantial improvements to the guest experience and believe we still have a significant opportunity ahead of us to reach the full potential of our iconic brand,” G.J. Hart, Red Robin’s president and CEO, said in a Feb. 26 press release.
A company spokesperson told SBJ that the closure list is still subject to change.
“There are potential closures over the course of five years, based on a review of our broader portfolio, of which 20 have turned profitable under our transformation efforts. Therefore, we are not sharing locations publicly at this time,” she wrote in an Aug. 18 emailed response to questions.
However, she did confirm that there are “no other planned closures in the area at this time.” Red Robin also has locations in Champaign, Fairview Heights and Edwardsville, in addition to restaurants in the Chicago area.
“We’ve enjoyed being part of the local community and look forward to continuing to serve guests at our other Illinois-based restaurants,” she wrote.
This article appears in SBJ August 2025.