Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc., more commonly known as Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and Brews or simply Red Robin, is an American chain of casual dining restaurants founded in 1969 in Seattle, Washington. In 1979, the first franchised Red Robin restaurant was opened in Yakima, Washington.[7] Red Robin's headquarters is in Greenwood Village, Colorado. As of December 2024, the company operated a total of 498 restaurants, with 91 being operated as a franchise.[8]
History
The first Red Robin was located at the corner of Furhman and Eastlake Avenues E. in Seattle, at the southern end of the University Bridge. This building dated from 1916 as a grocery store and was later converted into a restaurant in the 1920s; it was owned by 12 properties and known by various names. It was renamed to Sam's Red Robin Tavern in 1942, allegedly by owner Samuel Caston, who sang in a barbershop quartet and could frequently be heard singing the song "When the Red, Red Robin (Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin' Along)".[9][10]