red robin report

8/17/2019 Red Robin Report

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Date: April 18, 2016To: Patty CadyEnglish 402 ProfessorWashington State University

From: Emily Rusdal, Cara Carpenter, Rose Dang, Tanner Varrin, and Spencer KoszarekSubject: 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 Robinrestaurant 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 ornot the company would be successful in the area. From there we proposed a location we believedwould 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 groupwas in charge of a specific section and they had to do whatever research it took to obtain all ofthe imperative information. Finding information about the company was done by researching theRed Robin website, which gave us most of the information we needed. There were other sourcesthat we used as well in order to gather our information, but it was accumulated together in orderto 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. Wethought that the old Denny’s 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. Customerswould be more inclined to visit the restaurant in this specific location. There would be somecompetition between a Red Robin and other restaurants in the area, although we feel that a RedRobin would do well because it offers something that none of the other restaurants have.

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Recommendation ReportEmily Rusdal

Cara CarpenterRose Dang

Tanner VarinSpencer Koszarek

April 18, 2016


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Project 4: Collaborative Research and RepurposingRecommendation Report

Prepared for: Patty CadyEnglish 402 ProfessorWashington State University

Prepared by: Emily Rusdal, Cara Carpenter, Rose Dang, TannerVarin, and Spencer Koszarek

April 18, 2016

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Table of Contents

Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................... 5

Introduction ............................................... .................................................................................... 6

Problem Statement ........................................................................................................................ 6

Company Overview .................................................................................................................. 6-9Business Goals ............................................................................................................................ 7Historical Direction and Results .............................................................................................. 7-8Customer Base/Analysis ............................................................................................................. 8Location of Operations ............................................................................................................ 8-9

Market Analysis ....................................................................................................................... 9-12Industry .................................................................................................................................. 9-10SWOT Analysis ........................................................................................................................ 10Competition Analysis ........................................................................................................... 11-12Target Market ............................................................................................................................ 12Growth Opportunities ............................................................................................................... 12

Location Proposals ................................................................................................................. 12-14Location Information and Renovations ............................................................................... 12-14

Marketing Plan ....................................................................................................................... 14-17Strategies and Tactics .......................................................................................................... 14-15Positioning ................................................................................................................................ 15Channels of Distribution ...................................................................................................... 15-16Rationale .............................................................................................................................. 16-17

Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 17

References .................................................. .................................................................................. 18

Appendices ................................................. .................................................................................. 19Survey Results .......................................................................................................................... 20

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


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Executive Summary

Red Robin is a restaurant that opened in the 1940’s and has recently opened its 400 th store; it is avery large business that has restaurant locations around the world. Within the Quad-city areathere is a lack of variety in restaurant options, therefore our group is proposing that a Red Robinrestaurant 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 Universitywhere there are students that would come to a Red Robin restaurant. Moscow, ID is around 10miles from Pullman and is home of the University of Idaho, which would bring even morestudents to our restaurant. The families within each of these towns would also be potentialcustomers, 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 arethe key values that Red Robin bases their business upon. These values will be a very goodaddition 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 thecosts as well as the work necessary will pay off in the end as highlighted throughout our report.


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We as a group have decided that the best business to bring to the Quad-city area would be arestaurant, specifically Red Robin. The lack of choices within the area bring about a need for anew restaurant and we believe that a Red Robin would do very well because of the choices that itoffers as well as their fun, friendly, and inviting atmosphere their business provides for familiesand 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 anoption feasible in the area.

Problem StatementRed 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 vastamount 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 populationin the Palouse is students, and, quite frankly, most of us don’t know how to cook a good meal.Red Robin would be perfect for the area because it provides another place to eat as there aren’tmany food places around, or the lack of variety is clearly evident. On big game days and mom ordad’s 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 atquality prices comparable to other joints in the area with the added bonus of it being a nice sit-down atmosphere able to hold a large amount of customers. This is what we based our mainopportunity criteria off of—price, quality, space, and jobs. With the price area being that ofCougar Country or a meal at McDonald’s, it’s not too expensive and easily attainable to studentsand locals alike. The quality of food, especially the burgers and sauces, is also high. Each burgeris crafted and created uniquely, providing much needed variety to the area. A full restaurant andsports bar area would make this one of the larger restaurants in the area, helping alieve waitingtimes on large customer nights. And of course the addition of another restaurant would createnew 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 bringthe best customer service for their guests. They want to create a friendly atmosphere socustomers 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 tounderstand 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 thecustomers and the company will train them to do so. Also continually seeking knowledge isimportant 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 helpto make the jobs more enjoyable. Random act of kindness is one of the core to the missionstatement. Typically, people tend to think random act of kindness is about giving out free thingssuch as free products or free meals. However in the food industry, it’s different because thecompany needs to survive but they can still incorporate random act of kindness. To Red Robin isabout going out of their ways to make their customers comfortable and satisfy. On Red Robin’swebsite, they included a section for “Burger stories” and it helps represent what Red Robin’sculture is about. One of the stories is called “Helping a Family” and this was located in FrederickMaryland. The second story goes “A little girl came in for her sixth birthday. Her parents, one of


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which just transferred from Fort Brag, were very happy she made it to her sixth birthday becauseshe was born with only one chamber in her heart. Since then, she has had 14 surgeries and manymore 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 evenwrote 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 asimple dining place but also where you can connect with others. The second story happened inAuburn Super Mall in Washington. It goes “I ate a lovely dinner at Red Robin last night and theservice was excellent. Afterward a friend and I sat outside in my vehicle until late visiting andcatching up. Then, very inconveniently in the dark, my car battery died and my window wasstuck 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 werenear a Wal-Mart so I went there with my friend in her car, purchased a battery and he quicklyinstalled it for me! A lifesaver! I felt like I was back in the old days when people cared aboutstrangers. Thank you for having such great caring employees with great work ethic and allaround 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 GoalsRed Robin has many goals that they would love to accomplish. It’s more than just makingmoney but also making a difference for people. The company realized that a lot of people outthere has food allergies so they are limited on what they can eat and Red Robin wants to have amenu that are also dedicated towards them. Red Robin wants to bring family together by havingweekly free meals for children, calling it “Kids Night”. Also to increase parental and studentcompany awareness, Red Robin want to promote student brand ambassadors. Red Robin wantsto increase brand loyalty and word of mouth by providing the customers the best service andcare. 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 backas such hosting charity events and sponsorships for youth athletic. The company’s objective is tohave an increase of 10% for total number of customers, and non-burger dinner entrée sale. Alsoannually, the goal is to have an increase of 5% of net income. Red Robin was estimated theamount of money of $1,234,784 that will need to be spent in order to achieve theirgoals.

Historical Direction and ResultsIn 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 Sam’sTavern, and Sam’s Red Robin They served gourmet burgers and it became a big hit, and soKingen had the idea to expanding the restaurants in different areas. An important person, MikeSnyder from Yakima became Red Robin’s franchisee in 1979 because Kingen sold the rights toSnyder to open a Red Robin in Yakima. It lead to great success so Synder open another one andanother one. While Kingen continued to open more restaurant’s as well. Years later, Snyder

became part of Red Robin franchises. Kingen sold his company to Skylark Co. Ltd, a Japaneseowned restaurant operator. Under Skylark Co. Ltd control, the company expanded however RedRobin lost its focus and concept, which lead to a huge decrease in profits. But Snyder helpedSkylark Co. Ltd and in 1996, Snyder became the president and chief operating officer of the


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chain. In 1997, he became the chairman of board because he helped Red Robin get back on itsfeet. The sales start booming because Snyder had a clear objective of what Red Robin should belike. For example, the employees were given bonuses when they reach their sales goals. Withinthe 5 years Snyder had control over, the average annual sales was $3 million and the profitmargins 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 hascontinued to expand their chains around the states, and as well as out of the country. On June 16,2008 Red Robin’s opens their 400 th restaurant in Covington, Washington. Also in 2008, RedRobin gave Ohio’s Milford Junior High School $20,000. It’s for promoting kindness and RedRobin wants the students at Milford Junior High to understand that’s an important aspect in life.And this is not the only school that received money from Red Robin; they’ve helped manyschools 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 Robin 5) (The original logo 5)

Customer Base/AnalysisCustomers of Red Robin seeks a healthy, and gourmet dining. The company provides a friendlyenvironment to welcome all of their customers because the company is well known to all agesand ethnicities groups. Red Robin believes their customer base consists of families who enjoydelicious gourmet burgers and simple dining experience at an affordable price with the bestservice. Red Robin is known for hosting birthday parties and other social events because it ties inwith their values; honor, integrity, continually seeking knowledge, and having fun. Like manycompanies, they want their customers to spread the news about how great they are to other

people, that’s exactly what Red Robin want their customers to do; spread the word about them.

Location of OperationsCurrently, the closest Red Robin to Pullman is an hour and half way in Spokane. There are 3 RedRobin in Spokane. The second closest location to Pullman is in Coeur d'Alene, ID and there’sonly 1 Red Robin there. Red Robin operates in 31 cities in Washington. Also they are operating


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in 45 states of 478 locations. As for outside of the United States, they have some locations inAlberta and British Columbia.

Future outlooks/projectionsRed Robin is a well-known restaurant so people often wonder if a Red Robin would open in their

area. The company doesn’t disclose any information about new restaurants because sometimethings 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, andsocial 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 adifference. These changes are necessary because there are a lot of competitors so Red Robinwants to do their very best. With these changes, their goal “is to serve more guests more oftenand leave them more delighted” (Jennings, 2013). The bar is a good feature inside a restaurant soRed Robin has invested $400,000 in the remodeling which also includes better service, food

presentation, and décor. 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 isit only for a limited time. It’s called Red Ramen Burger. What is considered to be the buns arecrispy noodles “topped with Teriyaki and Chiu Chow aioli, fried jalapeño coins, a medley ofchili-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 it’s hard to know when new items will be on the menu, before within few weeks beforelaunching it, Red Robin will make an announce.

Market AnalysisIndustryThe 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 fast-food joints, they are bleak and often provide lower than satisfactory food. The establishmentsthat Red Robin would be primarily competing with would include Southfork, Zips, CougarCountry, McDonald’s, Rico’s, Valhalla, Applebee’s, 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 Applebee’s however, majority of these places that offersimilar 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 highschool age students there would never be a problem for families to come in and feel bothwelcome.

On the beverage level, there are several other places that Red Robin would compete with. Theseinclude Rico’s, The Coug, My Office, The Sports Page, Mike’s, Valhalla, and Etsi Bravo. Whilethese are all well-established bars and well-liked by the community in the area, we feel that theamount of bar space, laid-back atmosphere and lack of loud and rowdiness separates Red Robinfrom 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 barwith the simple intention of leaving with a stranger, Red Robin just doesn’t give that feel. With a


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vast amount of quality drinks ready to be served quickly at the bar, including signaturemargaritas and the like, it would create a place that is still comfortable for customer’s andstudents 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 asour group has seen, there hasn’t been a Red Robin build that doesn’t have a decent sized arcade

near the front doors of their restaurant. While this would not be the main focus of theestablishment, it could bring in a different sort of clientele. The main aim of the arcade would betoward 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 acouple dollars on some arcade games per visit. This would create more traffic of families withchildren, as well as that of adults with the feeling of nostalgia to play some games before they eatone 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. Ithas decent, quality food for non-outrageous prices. The bar has a plethora of various drinks readyto be made at the whim of a customer of age, all with a variety of price ranges and qualities ofalcohol 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 cometogether into one area. With the availability of the customary televisions around the entirety ofthe establishment, it would create the perfect place for students from both Moscow and Pullmanto watch Vandal and Coug games respectively. This would create a much-needed space for fansto watch away games for football, baseball, and basketball games that aren’t shown on regulartelevision (you might be surprised by how many complexes don’t offer that cable option, norhow many students refuse to pay for cable television at all). This would draw in a large amountof 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 muchmoney. Not only would this increase food sale on bleak weekends, but also with the constantteeter-totter of Cougar football, among other sports, alcohol sales would skyrocket during gametimes.

Some weaknesses we discussed include the lack of people that do not eat out during weekdays inthe 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 localfolks. Unfortunately, most of the population made up in the Pullman and Moscow area is ofcollege students. This limits the disposable income available to be spent at Red Robinimmensely during the weekdays as well as during the summer months of the years. While therewould obviously be outliers during the year that may make up for the known deficits describedabove, it should be known that the establishment may not do as well during those times of theyear. Another limitation of Red Robin could include their all-you-can-eat French fries that aresold to anyone who gets fries with their meals or sides. While in other areas people may eat theirfill of fries and leave, it can be assumed in a college town that students may come in and order aside of fries and proceed to eat for them for the rest of the evening exclusively. While there ismost certainly cost accounting put in place for such practices that would otherwise avoid lossesin 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


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establishment would be a welcome addition to the area. This could provide students a goodfeeling of home to remind them of something that is more prevalent on the west side. Also, asdescribed 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 Robin’s break into the restaurant market in the Palouse area includethe already established restaurants in the area. These restaurants have been listed above. Theonly other threat would be other entering restaurants, specifically those that deal with Americanfood and burgers.

Competition AnalysisOur 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, McDonald’s,Rico’s, Valhalla, Applebee’s, Buffalo Wild Wings and The Coug. We have chosen to not includethe sit-down and fast food restaurants in the Lewiston/Clarkston area due to the site being in thePullman area. While several of our competitors offer similar, and some may say superior foodand drink options, we believe that Red Robin has something that the “other guys” don’t have—

brand name. For obvious reasons, there is a population of people that would rather go to arestaurant that they have been to before and have a larger presence than say Southfork has in ourarea. The closest major competition that has a nationwide basis is Buffalo Wild Wings andApplebee’s. Although both of those restaurants offer similar menu options, and Applebee’soffers similar drink options, it is safe to say that Red Robin is usually thought of higher end thaneither Applebee’s or Buffalo Wild Wings. Aside from burgers, which all of the given restaurantsserve in bulk, Red Robin has a plethora of other options that make the menu better-rounded thanthe other two. They offer many more salad options, making them an option for a group of peoplethat require a variety of food types to eat (the variety being junkier bar foods to eat for thenormal type of people that like to have fun and healthier options for those who are dieting orrequire other types of foods to eat.) Finally, Red Robin hits that happy medium area between fastfood and a sit down restaurant—they offer the comfort and atmosphere of a sit down restaurantand 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 maingroup of people is the college students with a sort of disposable income that is used on eatingout. We decided that they were our primary target due to the concentration of them in the area aswell as the type of food that is offered at the establishment. Since students make up more thanhalf of the population in the Pullman and Moscow area, it is logical to think that they wouldmake up at least half or better of the customer base for the new restaurant. Other groups that wewere aiming at include the locals that live in the Palouse year round, locals from the surroundingsmaller towns, visiting friends, parents, or relatives, and families that are looking to have a nicefamily meal. While the our group agrees that the restaurant should try to cater most to thestudents, we also believe that families will create a large amount of business for us, and thereforeshould be welcomed into the restaurant in the most embracing way possible. With the pleasingatmosphere that can help hold young children’s attention as well as bring a feeling of nostalgia to

parents, we believe that it will create a large draw.


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The third major customer base we believe will spend the most money at Red Robin is alumni andvisiting parents and relative for Mom/Dad’s Weekends. Although football weekends are limitedand Parent’s weekends are only two weekends out of the year, we believe that they older folksare more willing to spend larger amounts of money and stay for longer durations, helping levelany deficits in the off seasons (summer and winter break).

Growth OpportunitiesAlthough our group believes that the growth opportunities in the Palouse area for Red Robin arelimited, we believe that it is possible to expand our operations to the Lewiston/Clarkston areagiven 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 opportunitymore available to a larger group of people, namely those that don’t want to drive from theLewiston/Clarkston area to get a burger or shake from Red Robin. This creates more of anopportunity for others to get one of the restaurants burgers when they are in Lewiston orClarkston for shopping, or the like.

The second opportunity that could be broken into, which seems much more profitable, would beto start including a region exclusive menu for our clientele. It should include fresh local beef inthe 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 toconvince 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 despitethere being so many existing locations, the Red Robin closest to the Palouse is in Spokane nearlyan hour and twenty one minutes north of Pullman, Washington. In Spokane, there are threelocations within 15 minutes of each other. Considering there are many other food options alreadyexisting in the Palouse, the likelihood of someone driving nearly an hour and a half for RedRobin is very slim. With this information in mind, Pullman, Washington would be an ideallocation for a new full-sized Red Robin Restaurant. Red Robin considers numerous factors whendeciding on expanding its restaurant base. The primary factors include general economicconditions, 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. Withthese factors in mind, Pullman, Washington would be a great location for a new Red Robin.

Location Information and RenovationsThe old Denny’s restaurant location would be ideal for Red Robin because it fits the essentialcriterion that is necessary for a new location. The address of the Denny’s building is 1170 SE

Bishop Blvd., Pullman, WA 99163.This location is currently vacant and is listed under propertytype as retail and for property sub-type as restaurant. The size of this building is 5,675 squarefeet with the lot size being 27,000 square feet. The building was built in 1995 so it is now 21years 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 equatingto $127.75 per square foot.


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(Arial map view of proposed building location 6)

(The current building in which Denny’s used to reside 1)

(What the location could possibly look like once it were remodeled and turned into a Red Robinrestaurant 4)


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There are many benefits regarding the old Denny’s building that would make a new Red Robinrestaurant successful. Included with the cost, this location contains a fully equipped commercialkitchen, 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 ofsome of the more mentionable events are freshman orientation, Dad’s weekend, Mom’s weekendand fall and spring graduation. This will increase the success of the proposed Red Robinrestaurant because it is very close to both the Holiday Inn Express and the campus ofWashington State University. Another benefit to this location is that it would be located withinminutes from downtown Pullman where much of residential Pullman exists. Also, the mentionedlocation is within one minute of the Village Centre Cinemas, which is the only movie theatre inPullman. 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 oldDenny’s building. The old Fireside restaurant shares many of the same benefits as the oldDenny’s building although it has newer amenities and is considerably larger. This locationhowever is not for sale but for rent at $1.22 per square foot per month. Because this building is arental, we decided that it would not be a fit location for a Red Robin restaurant. Also at 9,000square feet, the price to rent this building equates to $10,980 per month or $131,760 per year,which makes it highly undesirable.

Marking PlanRed Robin has extensively looked through its values, mission statements, target audience, andcompetition 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 peoplewho love a gourmet burger. This opened many doors for them especially within the marketingworld. In this last year, 47 years later, the company is moving forward with reaching out toindividuals 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 RedRobin takes for all its marketing strategies and channels of distribution to reach its intendedaudience.

Strategies and TacticsIn Pullman, Red Robin would continue reaching out to its target market audience, includingfamilies, children, students, businessmen or sporting fans, those looking for healthy options andthose looking for a pleasant dining experience with food allergies. They are an all Americandining experience with gourmet food at affordable price. In a marketing strategy they focus onattracting these target customers and maintain relationships that will advocate for them to attractan 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 orderdrinks as well. This could always become a weakness when considered in profits but overall itattracts more than it takes away. Red Robin seeks to appeal towards family and is geared towards


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family oriented dining. Along with reaching out to these specific customers, they double-team acelebration as a route to customer’s hearts. The Red Robin birthday song with free dessert/burgerand balloons has always attracted not only families but those looking to celebrate in a friendlycasual restaurant with staff who are going to get you excited to turn another year old. Theirstrategies include their all American trend in design and décor attracting those sporting fans and

those over 21 into their sports bar that represents all American teams and entertainment. Thismight 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 affordablefood and beverages around them. The last strategy Red Robin has implemented more recentlyhas been their healthier menu along with their allergy conscious menu. They are takingadvantage of new technologies to get apps out there for you to customize your meal in order tostill get a quality dining out experience without having to worry whether you will interact withsomething you are allergic to. This strategy would work great around a populated area such asPullman/Moscow for student looking for healthier options and a dining experience for familiesworried about the quality of their children’s meals. In marketing these new tools Red Robin nowoffers, they showcase the new products and how they will benefit you through Facebook,

Instagram, and word-of-mouth.PositioningRed Robin Gourmet Burgers intended position in the market is to establish itself as a healthy anddelicious 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 anindividually satisfying dining experience for every lifestyle. One example of how Red Robin hasestablished their position in the market is identifying its brand and burgers with a slogan. “RedRobin, Yummm” has been a staple for many children when they see the brand name or themascot 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. Whenit comes to positioning in the market knowledge is key to getting your services out there, themore the audience knows about what needs the client would like fulfilled then we can positionour advertisement and products towards fulfilling those needs. The two major subjects to geartowards are location and pricing. Red Robin runs many TV commercial advertisements andaffordable pricing at a location that is incredibly convenient will entice anyone to remember RedRobin as their one night out for the week or a casual dinner during the week day. Whenmarketing the position Red Robin has taken within Pullman, the target audience, families andstudents, would be offered discounts and the knowledge that the location is convenient and won’t

break your bank.

Channels of distributionThere 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 openingto initiate there will be a grand opening but it will also be structured identical to the corporateFacebook page so there are preset items we would need to follow when conducting advertisingand 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 thecollege, 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 localside, the Chamber of Commerce puts out a monthly newspaper with updates on the local marketand 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 theiraudience who also values the same ideals. (Burns, etc.) I believe that Pullman would benefitfrom these channels of distribution because it involves an environmentally stable practice, andexclusive offers for students and even military discounts which veterans account for a portion ofthe WSU population. The action plans consist of continuous organizations and fundraisingopportunities Red Robin is participating in as well as before construction, during and after. Theconstruction would include high communication with city council, chamber of commerce, andany businesses affected will be contacted in a friendly way to let them know Red Robin is anaddition to the community not a replacement for certain businesses established already. The

advertisement through social media, newspapers, and campaigning through flyers would startabout 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 newcustomers to Red Robin’s products and services. These would advertise the gourmet burgers andthe fun loving environment Red Robin has established as their own recognizable reputation.

(Example of Facebook page used for advertising)RationaleEvery year Red Robin reevaluates its marketing plans and the rationale that goes into thesestrategies 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 today’s consumer, what theywould need to implement to continue their hold on the market. One thing Red Robin has comeup with in order to better position themselves in the market is their “Customizer app”. Each mealcan 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 specificaudience because their foods and services can be for a broad range of individuals. They are setout to serve as many as possible and this helps them tailor to anyone and everyone needs fromthe 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 beremembered in one light. Red Robin has a light of friendly, fun, and affordable. These mainrationales for advertising won’t change much but the products that are invented can be refocusedin each market to help fulfill their current needs. Red Robin has recently started making alcoholmilkshakes. This product is targeted to 21 and over. They would they target those who lovedessert and want to enjoy an alcoholic drink. This would be one example product first, so werationale 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. Thisis the reason they offer an extensive children’s menu, a friendly mascot, balloons, and affordableitems for families. Their goal is to increase profits and satisfaction at the same time. Anothervalue 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 dessertand decorations for the table. The rationale portion of the marketing plan also looks into theircompetitive advantages against those who compete as casual dining restaurants. They havehonest to goodness service, high quality ingredients and meal options, they are a made to ordercompany 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 foodand quality that goes into the dining experience.

After our extensive research into Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and Brews, we are confident insaying 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 StateUniversity, which would expand its target market to almost 30,000 college students, and 26 localschools as an after school treat or a family outing to catch up on daily lives. Red Robin hasexpanded immensely over the last 40 years from one location to over 400 locals in the U.S.A andCanada. They are completely open to expanding and we believe the report has outlined howPullman, WA can be a great addition to its success stories.


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References1. 1170 SE Bishop Blvd . 2013. Pullman. LoopNet . Web. 17 Apr. 2016.

2. About Us, and Our History. Retrieved April 10, 2016, fromhttp://www.redrobin.com/about

3. Burns, Johnny, Chris Grosser, Garret Guzman, Saul Marin, and Sasha Wallace. "RedRobin Marketing Plan." Dictionary of Marketing Communications (n.d.): n. pag. Web. 10Apr. 2016, fromhttps://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, fromhttps://fortress.wa.gov/esd/employmentdata/reports-publications/regional-reports/labor-area-summaries

5. Employment Security Department. Washington State. Whitman County Profile . By DougTweedy. N.p., Aug. 2015. Web. 10 Apr. 2016, fromhttps://fortress.wa.gov/esd/employmentdata/reports-publications/regional-reports/county-

profiles/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, fromhttp://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, fromhttp://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/red-robin-gourmet-burgers-inc-history

12. Red Robin Gourmet Burgers. (n.d.). Retrieved April, 2016, fromhttp://www.wikinvest.com/stock/Red_Robin_Gourmet_Burgers_(RRGB)


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Appendices

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Original Pitch ProposalTo: Classmates and P. Cady, ENGL 402From: Cara Carpenter, CCSubject: Pitch ProposalDate: 2/29/2016

The purpose of this memo is to introduce a pitch proposal on bringing Red Robin, America’sGourmet Burgers and Spirits, to the wonderful town of Pullman. I will outline where and howthis 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 weekenddestination for families and those 21+. It was founded in Seattle, WA in 1969. We are keepingour northwestern roots by bringing in America’s gourmet burgers and spirits.

Discussion To create a future for Red Robin in Pullman we would need to examine our competitors, a goodlocation, 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. SouthFork, Birch and Barley, and/or Black Cyprus which is a more upscale but any restaurant could bea potential competitor. The closest Red Robin is in Spokane, WA and then in the Seattle areanext. I would renovate the old Denny’s lot on Bishop Blvd. It would be a completetransformation of the building with all new equipment since the restaurant has been doormat fora while. There will be high communication between corporate Red Robin to follow theirstandards of service and implementing their menus, uniforms, and complete style.To complete these steps I will need expertise and skills associated with business, entrepreneurialspirit, and hospitable characteristics. I would need those who want to carry on the kindness andenergy 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 wouldgive management skills, business communication skills, and become sales savvy when workingwith 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 myemail [email protected] or my cell (425) 736 2832. Let’s create some fun!


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Deliverables

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red robin report

Documents