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Red Robin International Corporate Office

6312 S Fiddlers Green Cir
Greenwood Village, CO 80111

April 18, 2016

Patty Cady
English 402 Professor
Washington State University
Emily Rusdal, Cara Carpenter, Rose Dang, Tanner Varrin, and Spencer Koszarek
Recommendation Report for Red Robin to come to the Quad-Cities (Pullman,
Moscow, Lewiston, Clarkston)

Attached is the report for our Collaborative Research and Repurposing Recommendation Report.
We have completed this feasibility report in order to assess the viability of a Red Robin
restaurant opening in the Quad-city area, specifically in Pullman, WA. We created this report by
initially researching information on the company of Red Robin in order to determine whether or
not the company would be successful in the area. From there we proposed a location we believed
would be the most successful for this area, then we conducted a market analysis and a marketing
plan for the possible opening of the restaurant.
Our group divided up the research in order to complete this report. Each member of our group
was in charge of a specific section and they had to do whatever research it took to obtain all of
the imperative information. Finding information about the company was done by researching the
Red Robin website, which gave us most of the information we needed. There were other sources
that we used as well in order to gather our information, but it was accumulated together in order
to help us decide whether or not a Red Robin restaurant would survive in Pullman, WA.
All in all, we decided that a Red Robin restaurant would do very well in the quad-city area. We
thought that the old Dennys location on Bishop Boulevard would be the most ideal location
because of the hotel as well as the movie theater in close proximity to the building. Customers
would be more inclined to visit the restaurant in this specific location. There would be some
competition between a Red Robin and other restaurants in the area, although we feel that a Red
Robin would do well because it offers something that none of the other restaurants have.

Recommendation Report
Emily Rusdal
Cara Carpenter
Rose Dang
Tanner Varin
Spencer Koszarek

April 18, 2016

Project 4: Collaborative Research and Repurposing

Recommendation Report

Prepared for: Patty Cady

English 402 Professor
Washington State University
Prepared by: Emily Rusdal, Cara Carpenter, Rose Dang, Tanner
Varin, and Spencer Koszarek

April 18, 2016

Red Robin International Corporate Office

6312 S Fiddlers Green Cir
Greenwood Village, CO 80111

Table of Contents
Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................... 5
Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 6
Problem Statement........................................................................................................................ 6
Company Overview .................................................................................................................. 6-9
Business Goals ............................................................................................................................ 7
Historical Direction and Results .............................................................................................. 7-8
Customer Base/Analysis ............................................................................................................. 8
Location of Operations ............................................................................................................ 8-9
Market Analysis ....................................................................................................................... 9-12
Industry .................................................................................................................................. 9-10
SWOT Analysis ........................................................................................................................ 10
Competition Analysis........................................................................................................... 11-12
Target Market............................................................................................................................ 12
Growth Opportunities ............................................................................................................... 12
Location Proposals ................................................................................................................. 12-14
Location Information and Renovations ............................................................................... 12-14
Marketing Plan....................................................................................................................... 14-17
Strategies and Tactics .......................................................................................................... 14-15
Positioning ................................................................................................................................ 15
Channels of Distribution ...................................................................................................... 15-16
Rationale .............................................................................................................................. 16-17
Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 17
References .................................................................................................................................... 18
Appendices ................................................................................................................................... 19
Survey Results .......................................................................................................................... 20
Original Pitch Proposal ................................................................................................................................... 20

Deliverables ................................................................................................................................. 21
Flyer .......................................................................................................................................... 21

Executive Summary
Red Robin is a restaurant that opened in the 1940s and has recently opened its 400th store; it is a
very large business that has restaurant locations around the world. Within the Quad-city area
there is a lack of variety in restaurant options, therefore our group is proposing that a Red Robin
restaurant open in Pullman, WA. We felt that Pullman would be a prime location over Moscow,
ID, Lewiston, ID or Clarkston, WA because Pullman is home to Washington State University
where there are students that would come to a Red Robin restaurant. Moscow, ID is around 10
miles from Pullman and is home of the University of Idaho, which would bring even more
students to our restaurant. The families within each of these towns would also be potential
customers, so we believe that there would be plenty of demand for a Red Robin restaurant.
Honor, Integrity, Continually Seeking Knowledge, Having Fun, and random acts of kindness are
the key values that Red Robin bases their business upon. These values will be a very good
addition to the area because they coincide with the small-town fell that Pullman brings. The
proposed location that we believe will be the most profitable will need some renovations prior to
the opening of a Red Robin restaurant because of the required brand look but we believe the
costs as well as the work necessary will pay off in the end as highlighted throughout our report.

We as a group have decided that the best business to bring to the Quad-city area would be a
restaurant, specifically Red Robin. The lack of choices within the area bring about a need for a
new restaurant and we believe that a Red Robin would do very well because of the choices that it
offers as well as their fun, friendly, and inviting atmosphere their business provides for families
and students alike. Throughout this report we will discuss some history and information about
the company and then research and determine whether or not a Red Robin restaurant would be an
option feasible in the area.
Problem Statement
Red Robin is a well-known gourmet burger and beverage establishment in Seattle, Washington.
We believe that Pullman is the proper place to expand the Red Robin brand due to the vast
amount of students in the Quad-city area as well as the lack of any large established restaurants
(and lack of variety) in the area. This is a great opportunity because a majority of the population
in the Palouse is students, and, quite frankly, most of us dont know how to cook a good meal.
Red Robin would be perfect for the area because it provides another place to eat as there arent
many food places around, or the lack of variety is clearly evident. On big game days and mom or
dads weekend it will provide an alternative to overcrowded smaller restaurants. Red Robin
provides a quality service of burgers, milkshakes, and other such gourmet American foods at
quality prices comparable to other joints in the area with the added bonus of it being a nice sitdown atmosphere able to hold a large amount of customers. This is what we based our main
opportunity criteria off ofprice, quality, space, and jobs. With the price area being that of
Cougar Country or a meal at McDonalds, its not too expensive and easily attainable to students
and locals alike. The quality of food, especially the burgers and sauces, is also high. Each burger
is crafted and created uniquely, providing much needed variety to the area. A full restaurant and
sports bar area would make this one of the larger restaurants in the area, helping alieve waiting
times on large customer nights. And of course the addition of another restaurant would create
new jobs and internship opportunities for students.
Company Overview
Like any businesses, Red Robin stands by their mission statement and values. Like any
businesses, Red Robin stands by their mission statement and values. Red Robin wants to bring
the best customer service for their guests. They want to create a friendly atmosphere so
customers would feel that Red Robin is their second home. The values they stand by are honor,
integrity, continually seeking knowledge, and having fun. They want their employees to
understand that they are fortunate to create memories for their customers. Integrity plays a role
because Red Robin only seek for people who are willing to go above and beyond to serve the
customers and the company will train them to do so. Also continually seeking knowledge is
important because the company wants the employees to share their knowledge in order to
become a clever and quick individual. Lastly, having fun is one of the values because it will help
to make the jobs more enjoyable. Random act of kindness is one of the core to the mission
statement. Typically, people tend to think random act of kindness is about giving out free things
such as free products or free meals. However in the food industry, its different because the
company needs to survive but they can still incorporate random act of kindness. To Red Robin is
about going out of their ways to make their customers comfortable and satisfy. On Red Robins
website, they included a section for Burger stories and it helps represent what Red Robins
culture is about. One of the stories is called Helping a Family and this was located in Frederick
Maryland. The second story goes A little girl came in for her sixth birthday. Her parents, one of

which just transferred from Fort Brag, were very happy she made it to her sixth birthday because
she was born with only one chamber in her heart. Since then, she has had 14 surgeries and many
more to come. The parents also adopted a 4-year-old who has cancer and four other diseases.
Their server, Sara, donated ten dollars of her own money to the family to help the kids. She even
wrote them a note telling them how brave they were. When they were leaving, the kids were so
thankful that they have Sara a hug and a kiss on the cheek goodbye. Red Robin is more than a
simple dining place but also where you can connect with others. The second story happened in
Auburn Super Mall in Washington. It goes I ate a lovely dinner at Red Robin last night and the
service was excellent. Afterward a friend and I sat outside in my vehicle until late visiting and
catching up. Then, very inconveniently in the dark, my car battery died and my window was
stuck down with my valuables inside the car. Your employee, Brian, very generously came out,
took a look at the car, tried jumping it and quickly determined I needed a new battery. We were
near a Wal-Mart so I went there with my friend in her car, purchased a battery and he quickly
installed it for me! A lifesaver! I felt like I was back in the old days when people cared about
strangers. Thank you for having such great caring employees with great work ethic and all
around big hearts, citizenship and integrity. Their mission of statement is more than words on a
website but for the employees to live by it.
Business Goals
Red Robin has many goals that they would love to accomplish. Its more than just making
money but also making a difference for people. The company realized that a lot of people out
there has food allergies so they are limited on what they can eat and Red Robin wants to have a
menu that are also dedicated towards them. Red Robin wants to bring family together by having
weekly free meals for children, calling it Kids Night. Also to increase parental and student
company awareness, Red Robin want to promote student brand ambassadors. Red Robin wants
to increase brand loyalty and word of mouth by providing the customers the best service and
care. The company wants to reach out to different potential customers by working with local
companies to create advertisements. And lastly, be involved with the community by giving back
as such hosting charity events and sponsorships for youth athletic. The companys objective is to
have an increase of 10% for total number of customers, and non-burger dinner entre sale. Also
annually, the goal is to have an increase of 5% of net income. Red Robin was estimated the
amount of money of $1,234,784 that will need to be spent in order to achieve their
goals.
Historical Direction and Results
In 1969, Gerald Kingen near University of Washington founded Red Robin in Seattle,
Washington. Before it was called Red Robin, it had a few other names, which were Sams
Tavern, and Sams Red Robin They served gourmet burgers and it became a big hit, and so
Kingen had the idea to expanding the restaurants in different areas. An important person, Mike
Snyder from Yakima became Red Robins franchisee in 1979 because Kingen sold the rights to
Snyder to open a Red Robin in Yakima. It lead to great success so Synder open another one and
another one. While Kingen continued to open more restaurants as well. Years later, Snyder
became part of Red Robin franchises. Kingen sold his company to Skylark Co. Ltd, a Japanese
owned restaurant operator. Under Skylark Co. Ltd control, the company expanded however Red
Robin lost its focus and concept, which lead to a huge decrease in profits. But Snyder helped
Skylark Co. Ltd and in 1996, Snyder became the president and chief operating officer of the

chain. In 1997, he became the chairman of board because he helped Red Robin get back on its
feet. The sales start booming because Snyder had a clear objective of what Red Robin should be
like. For example, the employees were given bonuses when they reach their sales goals. Within
the 5 years Snyder had control over, the average annual sales was $3 million and the profit
margins increase to 19.2%. In 2000, Quad-C, a private firm invested $25 million in Red Robin,
which made them the largest stockholder of the company. And over the years, Red Robin has
continued to expand their chains around the states, and as well as out of the country. On June 16,
2008 Red Robins opens their 400th restaurant in Covington, Washington. Also in 2008, Red
Robin gave Ohios Milford Junior High School $20,000. Its for promoting kindness and Red
Robin wants the students at Milford Junior High to understand thats an important aspect in life.
And this is not the only school that received money from Red Robin; theyve helped many
schools all over the states. As for awards, Red Robin has received many and one of them is being
part of the 10 Best Restaurant Chains in the United States from Parents
magazine.

(The original Red Robin5)

(The original logo5)

Customer Base/Analysis
Customers of Red Robin seeks a healthy, and gourmet dining. The company provides a friendly
environment to welcome all of their customers because the company is well known to all ages
and ethnicities groups. Red Robin believes their customer base consists of families who enjoy
delicious gourmet burgers and simple dining experience at an affordable price with the best
service. Red Robin is known for hosting birthday parties and other social events because it ties in
with their values; honor, integrity, continually seeking knowledge, and having fun. Like many
companies, they want their customers to spread the news about how great they are to other
people, thats exactly what Red Robin want their customers to do; spread the word about them.
Location of Operations
Currently, the closest Red Robin to Pullman is an hour and half way in Spokane. There are 3 Red
Robin in Spokane. The second closest location to Pullman is in Coeur d'Alene, ID and theres
only 1 Red Robin there. Red Robin operates in 31 cities in Washington. Also they are operating

in 45 states of 478 locations. As for outside of the United States, they have some locations in
Alberta and British Columbia.
Future outlooks/projections
Red Robin is a well-known restaurant so people often wonder if a Red Robin would open in their
area. The company doesnt disclose any information about new restaurants because sometime
things may not go as planned. However, Red Robin does share that information in a few months
before opening. And they advertise through local newspapers and radio, mails, website, and
social media. Since 2012, Red Robin has remodeled the program and what Red Robin looks like.
Some of the changes may not be extreme but reports have proven that the changes do make a
difference. These changes are necessary because there are a lot of competitors so Red Robin
wants to do their very best. With these changes, their goal is to serve more guests more often
and leave them more delighted (Jennings, 2013). The bar is a good feature inside a restaurant so
Red Robin has invested $400,000 in the remodeling which also includes better service, food
presentation, and dcor. Also in 2013, the company asked all employees to reapply for their
position due to the new hiring criteria. Red Robin is setting the bar high so they can continue to
do well in the food industry. Recently, Red Robin as added a new burger to the menu however is
it only for a limited time. Its called Red Ramen Burger. What is considered to be the buns are
crispy noodles topped with Teriyaki and Chiu Chow aioli, fried jalapeo coins, a medley of
chili-infused shredded cabbage, carrot and onion and garnished with fresh basil (Red Robin,
2016). Red Robin will continue to add new dishes to their menu to keep the customers intrigued.
And its hard to know when new items will be on the menu, before within few weeks before
launching it, Red Robin will make an announce.
Market Analysis
Industry
The obvious industry we are entering into in the Palouse area is the food and beverage industry.
While the area does have some choices, stemming from both sit-down establishments to fastfood joints, they are bleak and often provide lower than satisfactory food. The establishments
that Red Robin would be primarily competing with would include Southfork, Zips, Cougar
Country, McDonalds, Ricos, Valhalla, Applebees, Buffalo Wild Wings and The Coug,
although they will realistically be competing with every other place that offers food and alcohol.
With the exception of Southfork and Applebees however, majority of these places that offer
similar burgers are not family environments and are primarily for quick eats or to get a couple
beers at. Red Robin not only has a large space big enough to seat above 100 customers
(including families), and while the majority of the customer base will likely be college and high
school age students there would never be a problem for families to come in and feel both
welcome.
On the beverage level, there are several other places that Red Robin would compete with. These
include Ricos, The Coug, My Office, The Sports Page, Mikes, Valhalla, and Etsi Bravo. While
these are all well-established bars and well-liked by the community in the area, we feel that the
amount of bar space, laid-back atmosphere and lack of loud and rowdiness separates Red Robin
from the rest of the bars in the area. Whereas some bars people welcome being bumped into and
beer spilled all over themselves with the constant overbearing feel of people coming to the bar
with the simple intention of leaving with a stranger, Red Robin just doesnt give that feel. With a

vast amount of quality drinks ready to be served quickly at the bar, including signature
margaritas and the like, it would create a place that is still comfortable for customers and
students to unwind at with a much lower chance of being bumped around and spilt on.
Another industry that Red Robin breaks into in the Palouse area is the arcade industry. As far as
our group has seen, there hasnt been a Red Robin build that doesnt have a decent sized arcade
near the front doors of their restaurant. While this would not be the main focus of the
establishment, it could bring in a different sort of clientele. The main aim of the arcade would be
toward younger kids, usually in between the ages of 3-12, but we as a group have also found that
parents (specifically fathers), and potential drunk customers would more often than not spend a
couple dollars on some arcade games per visit. This would create more traffic of families with
children, as well as that of adults with the feeling of nostalgia to play some games before they eat
one of our fine burgers.
SWOT Analysis
One of the nice things about Red Robin is that it has much strength as far as a restaurant goes. It
has decent, quality food for non-outrageous prices. The bar has a plethora of various drinks ready
to be made at the whim of a customer of age, all with a variety of price ranges and qualities of
alcohol to be served. The sports bar and grill feel is welcoming to a wide variety of customer
base, making it ideal for a college area such as this that fosters a variety of people to come
together into one area. With the availability of the customary televisions around the entirety of
the establishment, it would create the perfect place for students from both Moscow and Pullman
to watch Vandal and Coug games respectively. This would create a much-needed space for fans
to watch away games for football, baseball, and basketball games that arent shown on regular
television (you might be surprised by how many complexes dont offer that cable option, nor
how many students refuse to pay for cable television at all). This would draw in a large amount
of business on away game weekends from both of the major college cities in the quad city area,
making up for nights and weekends that would otherwise not make the establishment as much
money. Not only would this increase food sale on bleak weekends, but also with the constant
teeter-totter of Cougar football, among other sports, alcohol sales would skyrocket during game
times.
Some weaknesses we discussed include the lack of people that do not eat out during weekdays in
the Palouse area. While in other areas that have Red Robin have a larger population to appeal to,
the Palouse is largely limited to college students with a small population of local
folks. Unfortunately, most of the population made up in the Pullman and Moscow area is of
college students. This limits the disposable income available to be spent at Red Robin
immensely during the weekdays as well as during the summer months of the years. While there
would obviously be outliers during the year that may make up for the known deficits described
above, it should be known that the establishment may not do as well during those times of the
year. Another limitation of Red Robin could include their all-you-can-eat French fries that are
sold to anyone who gets fries with their meals or sides. While in other areas people may eat their
fill of fries and leave, it can be assumed in a college town that students may come in and order a
side of fries and proceed to eat for them for the rest of the evening exclusively. While there is
most certainly cost accounting put in place for such practices that would otherwise avoid losses
in profit, that cost allocation may or may not take into account strict college towns such as this.
Some opportunities available to Red Robin include the bleak amount of restaurants in the area.
Due to the limited amount of places to eat, the quality food provided by a well-known

10

establishment would be a welcome addition to the area. This could provide students a good
feeling of home to remind them of something that is more prevalent on the west side. Also, as
described above, the most major opportunity available to Red Robin is the away games to be
broadcasted on less-available channels.
Finally, the threats to Red Robins break into the restaurant market in the Palouse area include
the already established restaurants in the area. These restaurants have been listed above. The
only other threat would be other entering restaurants, specifically those that deal with American
food and burgers.
Competition Analysis
Our competition includes most of the sit-down and fast-food restaurants in the Quad-City area,
which include but are not limited to include Southfork, Zips, Cougar Country, McDonalds,
Ricos, Valhalla, Applebees, Buffalo Wild Wings and The Coug. We have chosen to not include
the sit-down and fast food restaurants in the Lewiston/Clarkston area due to the site being in the
Pullman area. While several of our competitors offer similar, and some may say superior food
and drink options, we believe that Red Robin has something that the other guys dont have
brand name. For obvious reasons, there is a population of people that would rather go to a
restaurant that they have been to before and have a larger presence than say Southfork has in our
area. The closest major competition that has a nationwide basis is Buffalo Wild Wings and
Applebees. Although both of those restaurants offer similar menu options, and Applebees
offers similar drink options, it is safe to say that Red Robin is usually thought of higher end than
either Applebees or Buffalo Wild Wings. Aside from burgers, which all of the given restaurants
serve in bulk, Red Robin has a plethora of other options that make the menu better-rounded than
the other two. They offer many more salad options, making them an option for a group of people
that require a variety of food types to eat (the variety being junkier bar foods to eat for the
normal type of people that like to have fun and healthier options for those who are dieting or
require other types of foods to eat.) Finally, Red Robin hits that happy medium area between fast
food and a sit down restaurantthey offer the comfort and atmosphere of a sit down restaurant
and the speedy turn out of food similar to a fast food place.
Target Market
Our target market includes the people of the Quad-City area, but extends beyond that. Our main
group of people is the college students with a sort of disposable income that is used on eating
out. We decided that they were our primary target due to the concentration of them in the area as
well as the type of food that is offered at the establishment. Since students make up more than
half of the population in the Pullman and Moscow area, it is logical to think that they would
make up at least half or better of the customer base for the new restaurant. Other groups that we
were aiming at include the locals that live in the Palouse year round, locals from the surrounding
smaller towns, visiting friends, parents, or relatives, and families that are looking to have a nice
family meal. While the our group agrees that the restaurant should try to cater most to the
students, we also believe that families will create a large amount of business for us, and therefore
should be welcomed into the restaurant in the most embracing way possible. With the pleasing
atmosphere that can help hold young childrens attention as well as bring a feeling of nostalgia to
parents, we believe that it will create a large draw.

11

The third major customer base we believe will spend the most money at Red Robin is alumni and
visiting parents and relative for Mom/Dads Weekends. Although football weekends are limited
and Parents weekends are only two weekends out of the year, we believe that they older folks
are more willing to spend larger amounts of money and stay for longer durations, helping level
any deficits in the off seasons (summer and winter break).
Growth Opportunities
Although our group believes that the growth opportunities in the Palouse area for Red Robin are
limited, we believe that it is possible to expand our operations to the Lewiston/Clarkston area
given the eventual success of a Pullman Red Robin. While this may take away from some of the
business from the Pullman restaurant, we believe that it would actually just make the opportunity
more available to a larger group of people, namely those that dont want to drive from the
Lewiston/Clarkston area to get a burger or shake from Red Robin. This creates more of an
opportunity for others to get one of the restaurants burgers when they are in Lewiston or
Clarkston for shopping, or the like.
The second opportunity that could be broken into, which seems much more profitable, would be
to start including a region exclusive menu for our clientele. It should include fresh local beef in
the burgers and Idaho potatoes to be used in the fries. Not only would this become a draw for the
people that believe in both organic and local uses of nearby resources. This may be hard to
convince corporate to incorporate for a single or a few restaurants, but given the opportunity we
believe that it would increase our sales and amount of customer traffic in the doors.
Location Proposal
Currently there are 478 Red Robin locations existing in 48 different states. However despite
there being so many existing locations, the Red Robin closest to the Palouse is in Spokane nearly
an hour and twenty one minutes north of Pullman, Washington. In Spokane, there are three
locations within 15 minutes of each other. Considering there are many other food options already
existing in the Palouse, the likelihood of someone driving nearly an hour and a half for Red
Robin is very slim. With this information in mind, Pullman, Washington would be an ideal
location for a new full-sized Red Robin Restaurant. Red Robin considers numerous factors when
deciding on expanding its restaurant base. The primary factors include general economic
conditions, forecasted financial performance, the availability of buildings that are appropriate,
the competition in local markets and the availability of a team to manage the new location. With
these factors in mind, Pullman, Washington would be a great location for a new Red Robin.
Location Information and Renovations
The old Dennys restaurant location would be ideal for Red Robin because it fits the essential
criterion that is necessary for a new location. The address of the Dennys building is 1170 SE
Bishop Blvd., Pullman, WA 99163.This location is currently vacant and is listed under property
type as retail and for property sub-type as restaurant. The size of this building is 5,675 square
feet with the lot size being 27,000 square feet. The building was built in 1995 so it is now 21
years old. Because of the age and the requirements necessary for a Red Robin restaurant,
renovations will be essential. The price for this location before renovations is $725,000 equating
to $127.75 per square foot.

12

(Arial map view of proposed building location6)

(The

current building in which Dennys used to reside1)

(What the location could possibly look like once it were remodeled and turned into a Red Robin
restaurant4)

13

There are many benefits regarding the old Dennys building that would make a new Red Robin
restaurant successful. Included with the cost, this location contains a fully equipped commercial
kitchen, a large dining area, a banquet room and a bar area. There is also a large private off-street
parking lot included. This location is also adjacent to the new Holiday Inn Express, which could
bring a lot of business to the restaurant from people visiting. Considering there are many events
nearby this location at Washington State University, which will cause the Holiday Inn express to
be booked, there will be a lot of traffic around the proposed Red Robin location. Examples of
some of the more mentionable events are freshman orientation, Dads weekend, Moms weekend
and fall and spring graduation. This will increase the success of the proposed Red Robin
restaurant because it is very close to both the Holiday Inn Express and the campus of
Washington State University. Another benefit to this location is that it would be located within
minutes from downtown Pullman where much of residential Pullman exists. Also, the mentioned
location is within one minute of the Village Centre Cinemas, which is the only movie theatre in
Pullman. This would help attract more customers because it would be easy and convenient for
people to eat a meal or get drinks at Red Robin before going to see a movie.
Another location that could be viable for Red Robin exists just across the street from the old
Dennys building. The old Fireside restaurant shares many of the same benefits as the old
Dennys building although it has newer amenities and is considerably larger. This location
however is not for sale but for rent at $1.22 per square foot per month. Because this building is a
rental, we decided that it would not be a fit location for a Red Robin restaurant. Also at 9,000
square feet, the price to rent this building equates to $10,980 per month or $131,760 per year,
which makes it highly undesirable.
Marking Plan
Red Robin has extensively looked through its values, mission statements, target audience, and
competition analyses in order to position themselves high up in the market and create a
recognizable name for themselves. They use a marketing mixture of price, product, place and
promotion. In 1969, the old Red Robin Tavern converted in order to serve any and all people
who love a gourmet burger. This opened many doors for them especially within the marketing
world. In this last year, 47 years later, the company is moving forward with reaching out to
individuals to customize the dining experience. With over 400 locations, the company has
provided satisfactory services and we will take a look into the positioning and rationale Red
Robin takes for all its marketing strategies and channels of distribution to reach its intended
audience.
Strategies and Tactics
In Pullman, Red Robin would continue reaching out to its target market audience, including
families, children, students, businessmen or sporting fans, those looking for healthy options and
those looking for a pleasant dining experience with food allergies. They are an all American
dining experience with gourmet food at affordable price. In a marketing strategy they focus on
attracting these target customers and maintain relationships that will advocate for them to attract
an even larger customer base. One marketing strategy Red Robin is extremely famous for is their
bottomless fries. This includes a lower cost for a side dish, which would entice people to order
drinks as well. This could always become a weakness when considered in profits but overall it
attracts more than it takes away. Red Robin seeks to appeal towards family and is geared towards

14

family oriented dining. Along with reaching out to these specific customers, they double-team a
celebration as a route to customers hearts. The Red Robin birthday song with free dessert/burger
and balloons has always attracted not only families but those looking to celebrate in a friendly
casual restaurant with staff who are going to get you excited to turn another year old. Their
strategies include their all American trend in design and dcor attracting those sporting fans and
those over 21 into their sports bar that represents all American teams and entertainment. This
might be very useful when coming to a college town such as Pullman because students, their
parents or even locals are looking for a bar/restaurant showing the PAC12 games with affordable
food and beverages around them. The last strategy Red Robin has implemented more recently
has been their healthier menu along with their allergy conscious menu. They are taking
advantage of new technologies to get apps out there for you to customize your meal in order to
still get a quality dining out experience without having to worry whether you will interact with
something you are allergic to. This strategy would work great around a populated area such as
Pullman/Moscow for student looking for healthier options and a dining experience for families
worried about the quality of their childrens meals. In marketing these new tools Red Robin now
offers, they showcase the new products and how they will benefit you through Facebook,
Instagram, and word-of-mouth.
Positioning
Red Robin Gourmet Burgers intended position in the market is to establish itself as a healthy and
delicious substitute for the casual dining experience. Red Robin Gourmet Burgers strives to
provide the highest quality ingredients in a family friendly environment to help promote an
individually satisfying dining experience for every lifestyle. One example of how Red Robin has
established their position in the market is identifying its brand and burgers with a slogan. Red
Robin, Yummm has been a staple for many children when they see the brand name or the
mascot as well. It is targeted to a wide range of people as a simple slogan and easy to recall.
When evaluating where to go with its marketing plan specifically to Pullman, Red Robin would
keep its main values front and center to connect with the target audience within our population.
The four main values are honor, integrity, having fun, and continually seeking knowledge. When
it comes to positioning in the market knowledge is key to getting your services out there, the
more the audience knows about what needs the client would like fulfilled then we can position
our advertisement and products towards fulfilling those needs. The two major subjects to gear
towards are location and pricing. Red Robin runs many TV commercial advertisements and
affordable pricing at a location that is incredibly convenient will entice anyone to remember Red
Robin as their one night out for the week or a casual dinner during the week day. When
marketing the position Red Robin has taken within Pullman, the target audience, families and
students, would be offered discounts and the knowledge that the location is convenient and wont
break your bank.
Channels of distribution
There are many ways in which Red Robin has chosen to distribute their products and services.
One way we would love to utilize when bringing Red Robin to Pullman is their social media.
Each location Red Robin constructs has their own Facebook page that is released before opening
to initiate there will be a grand opening but it will also be structured identical to the corporate
Facebook page so there are preset items we would need to follow when conducting advertising
and marketing through Facebook. The company might also pay for a special announcement to

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commercialize on Television for a grand opening in the Pullman/Moscow area. Within the
college, we believe that flyers are a big way to reach out and get responses from the students.
Especially with advertising the affordable prices along with student discounts. On a more local
side, the Chamber of Commerce puts out a monthly newspaper with updates on the local market
and events. Red Robin would catch a lot of attention among local families and anyone around the
town. Red Robin continues to implement its values when opening its brand in different locations.
They value honor within a community. They have action plans that will help connect their
audience who also values the same ideals. (Burns, etc.) I believe that Pullman would benefit
from these channels of distribution because it involves an environmentally stable practice, and
exclusive offers for students and even military discounts which veterans account for a portion of
the WSU population. The action plans consist of continuous organizations and fundraising
opportunities Red Robin is participating in as well as before construction, during and after. The
construction would include high communication with city council, chamber of commerce, and
any businesses affected will be contacted in a friendly way to let them know Red Robin is an
addition to the community not a replacement for certain businesses established already. The
advertisement through social media, newspapers, and campaigning through flyers would start
about a month before the grand opening. After the opening there would be continuous action
plans towards community involvement as well as discounts and special offers to attract new
customers to Red Robins products and services. These would advertise the gourmet burgers and
the fun loving environment Red Robin has established as their own recognizable reputation.

(Example of Facebook page used for advertising)

Rationale
Every year Red Robin reevaluates its marketing plans and the rationale that goes into these
strategies and executions. Each year holds new market needs that can be targeted to fulfill with

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Red Robin certain products or if they were lacking the needs of todays consumer, what they
would need to implement to continue their hold on the market. One thing Red Robin has come
up with in order to better position themselves in the market is their Customizer app. Each meal
can be individually tailored to your preferences before you even walk into the establishment.
This makes a gourmet meal become quick and easy. Red Robin is branded as a casual dining
experience, this would be their rationale to try to target individuals rather than a specific
audience because their foods and services can be for a broad range of individuals. They are set
out to serve as many as possible and this helps them tailor to anyone and everyone needs from
the busy student to the busy mom. Each advertisement should be focused more towards your
product than solutions because problems and trends change but your brand will always be
remembered in one light. Red Robin has a light of friendly, fun, and affordable. These main
rationales for advertising wont change much but the products that are invented can be refocused
in each market to help fulfill their current needs. Red Robin has recently started making alcohol
milkshakes. This product is targeted to 21 and over. They would they target those who love
dessert and want to enjoy an alcoholic drink. This would be one example product first, so we
rationale our advertisement to fulfilled the craving for a milkshake and for an alcohol beverage.
Red Robin is primarily looking at families and children to market their all American menu. This
is the reason they offer an extensive childrens menu, a friendly mascot, balloons, and affordable
items for families. Their goal is to increase profits and satisfaction at the same time. Another
value that Red Robin has incorporated in random acts of kindness. To show this is a true value,
they have community outreach programs and offer special values such as a free birthday dessert
and decorations for the table. The rationale portion of the marketing plan also looks into their
competitive advantages against those who compete as casual dining restaurants. They have
honest to goodness service, high quality ingredients and meal options, they are a made to order
company and it is served with pleasure. They are most known for their awards in best burger.
There are very few companies that can offer really low costs without forgoing the gourmet food
and quality that goes into the dining experience.
After our extensive research into Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and Brews, we are confident in
saying our report is highly feasible to take into action bringing the company to Pullman,
Washington. The location is effective in numbers, size, pricings, and an easy to advertise.
Pullman is the largest city in the Whitman county area, with a total of close to 50,000 people
populating these areas, Red Robin should have no trouble in finding customers who know their
brand or would love to start a relationship with the brand. Pullman is home to Washington State
University, which would expand its target market to almost 30,000 college students, and 26 local
schools as an after school treat or a family outing to catch up on daily lives. Red Robin has
expanded immensely over the last 40 years from one location to over 400 locals in the U.S.A and
Canada. They are completely open to expanding and we believe the report has outlined how
Pullman, WA can be a great addition to its success stories.

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References
1. 1170 SE Bishop Blvd. 2013. Pullman. LoopNet. Web. 17 Apr. 2016.
2. About Us, and Our History. Retrieved April 10, 2016, from
http://www.redrobin.com/about
3. Burns, Johnny, Chris Grosser, Garret Guzman, Saul Marin, and Sasha Wallace. "Red
Robin Marketing Plan." Dictionary of Marketing Communications (n.d.): n. pag. Web. 10
Apr. 2016, from
https://findingsasha.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/final-red-robin-marketing-plan.pdf
4. Employment Security Department. Washington State. Labor Area Summaries. N.p., n.d.
Web. 10 Apr. 2016, from
https://fortress.wa.gov/esd/employmentdata/reports-publications/regional-reports/laborarea-summaries
5. Employment Security Department. Washington State. Whitman County Profile. By Doug
Tweedy. N.p., Aug. 2015. Web. 10 Apr. 2016, from
https://fortress.wa.gov/esd/employmentdata/reports-publications/regional-reports/countyprofiles/whitman-county-profile
6. "Google Maps." Google Maps. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.
7. Jennings, Lisa. "Red Robin Focuses on Upgrades." Red Robin Gourmet Burgers Inc.
Focuses on Upgrades. N.p., 22 May 2013. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.
8. Madenewusernameinwakeofrecentevents. "Good-bye Original Red Robin." Imgur. N.p.,
2014. Web. 6 Apr. 2016, from
http://imgur.com/gallery/YYOqq
9. "Red Robin Gourmet Burgers." Red Robin. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Apr. 2016.
10. Red Robin Gets Ready to Open. 2015. Pantagraph. Web. 17 Apr. 2016.
11. "Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc. History." History of Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc.
FundingUniverse. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2016, from
http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/red-robin-gourmet-burgers-inchistory
12. Red Robin Gourmet Burgers. (n.d.). Retrieved April, 2016, from
http://www.wikinvest.com/stock/Red_Robin_Gourmet_Burgers_(RRGB)

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Appendices
Do you want a Red Robin in Pullman?
Yes

No

Don't Care

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Each of the members in our group surveyed 5 people they knew in order to
complete these results.

Above: Results for if people want a Red Robin in Pullman.

Below: Results for is people would go to the Red Robin restaurant if there were to
be one in Pullman.

Would you go to a Red Robin restaurant

if there was one in Pullman?
Yes

No

25

19

Original Pitch Proposal

To:
From:
Subject:
Date:

Classmates and P. Cady, ENGL 402

Cara Carpenter, CC
Pitch Proposal
2/29/2016

The purpose of this memo is to introduce a pitch proposal on bringing Red Robin, Americas
Gourmet Burgers and Spirits, to the wonderful town of Pullman. I will outline where and how
this should occur and the characteristics of those I need to get involved.
Summary
Red Robin is an American style restaurant that will bring Pullman together as a weekend
destination for families and those 21+. It was founded in Seattle, WA in 1969. We are keeping
our northwestern roots by bringing in Americas gourmet burgers and spirits.
Discussion
To create a future for Red Robin in Pullman we would need to examine our competitors, a good
location, and communicate with the corporation for our best financial options. Around Pullman,
there are fast food restaurants that serve burgers who could be thought of as an alternative. South
Fork, Birch and Barley, and/or Black Cyprus which is a more upscale but any restaurant could be
a potential competitor. The closest Red Robin is in Spokane, WA and then in the Seattle area
next. I would renovate the old Dennys lot on Bishop Blvd. It would be a complete
transformation of the building with all new equipment since the restaurant has been doormat for
a while. There will be high communication between corporate Red Robin to follow their
standards of service and implementing their menus, uniforms, and complete style.
To complete these steps I will need expertise and skills associated with business, entrepreneurial
spirit, and hospitable characteristics. I would need those who want to carry on the kindness and
energy of the brand we would represent. There would be a need for financial skills. Those with a
passion for American burgers, family, and brews.
If you were to work towards this project you would have a role in the operations. This would
give management skills, business communication skills, and become sales savvy when working
with a corporate entity.
Recommendation
Any concerns, comments, or interest in the task of bringing Red Robin, American gourmet
burgers and spirits. Please participate in the discussions and the project, by contacting me at my
email cara.carpenter@wsu.edu or my cell (425) 736 2832. Lets create some fun!

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Deliverables

Above is an example of a flyer that would be posted on social media cites as well
as around the WSU and UofI campuses. We wanted to also put it into the local
newspapers for the other part of the community in which does not attend one of
the local colleges, such as families.

21