The reduced footprint could enable Red Robin to speed up development in non-traditional locations that have not been previously available based on space requirements of the current prototype, as well as further leverage its brand as the gourmet burger experts over time, the company added.
In addition to the 10 full-sized restaurants that the company has previously announced it plans to open in fiscal 2011, it expects to have at least one smaller prototype location open before the end of this year. Several locations suitable for the smaller prototype have already been identified, primarily in the Denver area.
Red Robin Gourmet Burgers Inc., which operates through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Red Robin International Inc., operates more than 450 Red Robin restaurants located throughout the US and Canada.