Popular Burger Chain Looks to Close 70 Restaurants – How Will it Affect Michigan?

It's been a struggle for the restaurant business as of late, and a popular burger chain with 19 locations in Michigan is looking to tighten its belt.

Red Robin was originally known as 'Sam's Red Robin' as it got its start in a converted grocery store building in Seattle Washington in 1969. From there, the chain began to expand, reaching a peak of about 570 locations in the summer of 2020. Some locations have been closed in the last few years, with Red Robin now operating just under 500 locations.

Red Robin in Michigan

The first Red Robin restaurant opened in Michigan in 1993. According to its website, there are currently 19 Michigan locations including Flint, Ann Arbor, Brighton, Novi, and Troy.

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The Michigan locations are operated by the Ansara Restaurant Group, which also owns 2Booli, Daily Jam, (both in Farmington Hills) and Burgrz in Rochester, Michigan.

Red Robin Facing Financial Struggles

In 2024, Red Robin gained some financial traction by looking hard at its operational infrastructure and improving its menu. However, the chain's CEO G.J. Hart said he feels Red Robin is not reaching its full potential.

According to Nation's Restaurant News, the chain's 500 or so locations generated a restaurant-level operating loss of about $6 million last year.

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The Street reports that Red Robin shuttered one of its underperforming restaurants during the last quarter of 2024 and is evaluating about 70 restaurants where leases will expire. Those locations could be in danger of closing within the next five years with 10 to 15 closures expected in 2025.

Will Michigan Restaurants be Closing?

The company has yet to release a list of the locations being evaluated, so the fate of Michigan's 19 locations is unknown at this time.