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| Score Card | |
| Category | Casual
| | Taste | 
| | Presentation |
| | Meal (overall) |
| | TPM Score | 30/30 | | Service |
| | Atmosphere |
| | Price | 
| | Value Rating | 1.50 | | Experience | 90.90% | | Final Score | 108 | | | legend |
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Red Robin
Location:
Maple Rd, Amherst, NY
Time: 2:15pm, week
day.
Comments:
I'm excited to write this
review! Not only was RR a good experience, I got a little background on the
restaurant during our visit.
Initial impressions: It's a chain restaurant, TV's everywhere (no volume),
non-intrusive music playing, modern decor. Food was prompt (10 minutes, at best),
and our waitress was thorough. I ordered the Royal Burger ($8.49), which is
a fairly large burger with lettuce, tomato, pickles, onion, mayo, american cheese,
fried egg, and bacon. That's right, I said "fried egg". First, let
me say that the egg really gives something to the sandwich. In a good way, too.
I mean it! And here's the story behind it:
Red Robin started as a tavern near the University of Washington in the 1940’s.
In fact, becoming a full service bar/restaurant with burgers, fries, and standard
pub appetizers was an after thought. Now as the story goes, the original location's
owner wanted to open his bar earlier, but to get permission meant he had to
serve breakfast items, hence the bacon and eggs...
Red Robin also prides themselves on presentation/reputation. Anywhere you look
in the restaurant, and even on their website you'll find all sorts of propaganda
bragging about their gourmet burgers and commitment to quality. I will say it
- they live up to their self-proclaimed reputation. The burger comes half wrapped
in a paper wrapper and looks EXACTLY as pictured on the menu - which to me is
amazing considering the fact that most marketing schemes use fake foods and
professional touch-ups to make the photos look so appealing. Red Robin earns
the highest marks for presentation on the casual dining scale. I wish I had taken a picture.
RR also promises all-you-can-eat pub fries. While the burger was more than
enough, our waitress did offer additional fries if we wanted. Points were deducted
for atmosphere as chain restaurants lose that unique appeal, and for service
when our bartender proudly refused to attempt any "prefect pour" technique
for our beer. Still, Red Robin's scores are a solid indication that I look forward
to my next visit.
-the connoisseur
