Editor’s note: This piece originally stated that each Edmonton Red Robin location employs about 60 people, from statistics given out by the company. The company self-corrected the number later in the day to 75, and the story has been updated to reflect that.
American burger chain Red Robin says it will be closing all of its Alberta stores by Dec. 8.
Global News has spoken to all five locations the company currently operates in the Edmonton area and each location confirmed they have been told they will be shut down by that date.
A previous location in the city on 112 Street and 104 Avenue also closed earlier in the year.
The company, known for its bottomless fries and expansive burger choices, currently has a total of 17 Canadian locations. The other 12 stores operate in British Columbia.
In an email to Global News, Red Robin communications director Kevin Caulfield said that the closures are part of a “reassessment of Red Robin’s real estate portfolio.”
Caulfield said that each location employs about 75 people.
“Since there will be no restaurants in the Alberta market that represent opportunities for transfer, the restaurant management team communicated the closure plans to the Alberta restaurant teams in order to provide advance notice,” he said in the email.
According to a Red Robin employee in Edmonton who spoke anonymously to Global News, the company has not offered any severance pay, and broke the news to the employees with a general termination letter.
The employee said those who work at the Edmonton stores found out over the weekend.
Caulfield said employees will still have duties related to closing the Edmonton restaurants until Dec. 15, which will be their last official day of employment with Red Robin.
The B.C. restaurants will not be affected by the closures.
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