A Red Robin customer expressed alarm about how inflation was affecting his experience at the chain restaurant.
In a TikTok video, creator Tom (@sidemoneytom) shared concerns about the cost of Red Robin burgers compared to just a year ago. The video went up late Wednesday, already getting more than 60,000 views.
“So, I went to Red Robin for the first time in about a year and I couldn’t believe the inflation on their menus,” Tom starts. “Completely insane. Check this out.”
He said it was the exact same restaurant he’d been to a year prior, and because his wife was arriving a little later, he took a picture of the menu. Comparing prices from then to now, he notes that burgers that were $6.99 then were going for anywhere from $9.99 to $11.29 now.
@sidemoneytom #fyp #redrobin #inflation ♬ original sound – TikTok Tom
“So that’s 20 to 65% inflation on menu items at Red Robin, in one year—one year!” he exclaims. “And what’s crazy is the biggest inflation numbers we see are on the bottom, just the same as what we’re seeing in the housing market with used cars, all those things. If prices go up even two more dollars, it’s not gonna be worth eating Red Robin anymore.”
He concluded that for $12 to $15, you could “eat at any restaurant in town,” which might be an overstatement—but his case still resonated with some viewers. The Daily Dot has reached out to the creator via TikTok comment and to Red Robin via email.
One commenter argued, “It’s not worth it for the price it is now.”
The creator reasoned, “True, unless you eat 5x basket of fries.”
“Ramen is looking better and better!” contended one person.
That led a commenter to retort, “Gonna be $2 a packet,” and the creator to chime in with, “Used to be 6 for a dollar when I was in [high school.]”
“You get out much?” one person challenged. “I support your content, but I’m in the service business and our purchasing costs are up 15 % in the same time span.”
Tom responded, “I don’t think you understand my post. I’m literally showing prices have increased x amount. No debating here it is fact.”