Red Robin’s hot and aromatic bait
The full-service burgers and fries chain doesn’t want consumers munching in front of the TV to forget where they got their meals. The food containers are Red Robin red, and they’re packed in transparent bags so takeout customers can visually check what they’re taking home without any effort or unpacking before they leave the restaurant. It’s an old trick from the quick-service sector, where both CEO Denny Post and COO Carin Stutz spent part of their long restaurant careers.
But the real differentiator is the fry cup, a combination amenity and deflection lure. A cup of the chain’s signature fries will be provided as a complimentary treat to whoever is picking up a takeout order, Post revealed during the chain’s annual investors’ day. But the treat purposely won’t be put in a bag with whatever else is going home with the guest.
When someone picks up a burger and fries, “The first thing you do is put your hand in that bag and start grabbing some fries and eating them on as you are taking them on your way to your office or to your house,” said Post. The cup “protects our product, because our guests aren’t going in, opening the box with the burger in it that we want to stay hot and fresh, and letting that cold air in to grab those fries.”