National Restaurant Chain With Many IL Locations Considers Downsizing

A national restaurant chain with over 10 Illinois locations has said it is considering closing more locations.

Twenty Red Robin restaurant locations formerly considered for closure were moved off the closure list; about 20 additional underperforming units remain targeted for portfolio review in fiscal 2026. The move was mentioned in an earnings call last week.

A representative for the chain said the potential closures include only corporate locations, not franchise locations. All locations in Illinois are corporate, the company said.

"I think in terms of the restaurant (franchise) size, we are still trying to optimize the portfolio," Red Robin CEO David Paces said.

Red Robin closed 23 restaurants last year, finishing 2025 with 475 in the U.S., according to Restaurant Business. A Plainfield location and a Springfield location closed last year, and the Orland Park location closed in January.

Red Robin said it is not publicly sharing the corporate locations that could potentially close.

Despite the closure announcement, Red Robin remains optimistic about its future.

In January, the chain introduced a new menu featuring six meal options across a tiered price range of $9.99 to $16.99, extending beyond burgers into categories such as our hand-breaded Classic Crispy Chicken Sandwiches, Donatos pizza, and Whiskey River barbecue wraps.

Each meal includes signature bottomless sides and beverages.

Early results indicate that the menu is performing as expected, and that average check has increased and remains healthy as guests engage across the menu, Paces said.

Red Robin has 14 restaurants in Illinois, including Algonquin, Champaign, East Peoria, Edwardsville, Fairview Heights, Gurnee, Hoffman Estates, Norridge, Oswego, Rockford, Schaumburg, Skokie, South Elgin and Warrenville.

In recent years, several Illinois locations have closed, including Plainfield, which closed in July, and Orland Park, which announced it would close in January.