Dive Brief:
- Red Robin CFO Todd Wilson will leave the company on Dec. 12, the company said in a Wednesday press release. Wilson held this post for over three years, according to his LinkedIn profile. The company has begun a formal search for a replacement. Wilson will become the CFO at BJ’s Restaurants.
- Red Robin also promoted Jesse Griffith, who has been with the brand since March 2023, to chief operations officer from senior vice president of operations, the chain said.
- Griffith has significant operations experience and has already helped the casual dining brand improve operations over the course of its ongoing turnaround, CEO and President Dave Pace said in a statement. In his new role, Griffith will continue to help improve the chain’s four-wall operations and the guest experience under its First Choice strategic plan, Pace said.
Dive Insight:
Red Robin’s C-suite has undergone significant changes this year. G.J. Hart stepped down as CEO and president in April after two and a half years. In September, the chain hired Humera Kassem as chief people officer to oversee its organizational strategy and to strengthen the brand’s culture.
Griffith has over two decades of restaurant experience, according to his LinkedIn profile. Prior to joining Red Robin, he served as vice president of operations at Torchy’s Tacos, which doubled its unit count during Griffith’s three-year tenure. His tenure at Torchy’s overlapped with Hart’s leadership of that chain for some time. He also worked at California Pizza Kitchen for over seven years and held senior operations roles at Texas Roadhouse, Quaker Steak & Lube and Bennigan’s.
Red Robin has already made some progress with its First Choice plan, which it unveiled earlier this year as a successor to its North Star plan. That plan is focused on improving traffic, fixing restaurants and reducing expenses, among other initiatives. The company is planning to refranchise up to 15% of its company-owned stores and could close up to 70 underperforming units over the next five years.
Third-quarter results exceeded management’s expectation and the brand is seeing momentum building. Comparable sales are expected to be a negative 1.2%, which will be an improvement compared to negative 3.2% during the second quarter.
