Popular Burger Chain Closes Morris Co. Location

MORRIS COUNTY, NJ — An embattled burger chain has closed another one of its restaurants, this one in Morris County.

The Red Robin in Rockaway Townsquare has permanently closed, following several dozen stores that have already shut down across the country. Other NJ locations that have been shuttered include Secaucus, Brunswick, and Woodbridge.

It’s not yet clear what will replace the space at 301 Mt. Hope Avenue in Rockaway Townsquare.

Earlier this year, Red Robin announced that it planned to close roughly 70 stores across the country in an effort to combat its debt. Last fiscal third quarter, the chain saw a loss of around $9.5 million in revenue.

Red Robin President and CEO Dave Pace says that the chain’s new plan to close underperforming stores, among other marketing strategies, is yielding promising results so far.

“While we're still in the early innings of our transformation, the progress across all pillars of our First Choice plan gives me tremendous confidence that we're on the right track to make Red Robin the first choice for guests, team members, and investors,” Pace said in a statement.

Several other New Jersey locations remain open for now, including stores in Brick, Hamilton, and South Plainfield, according to Red Robin’s website.

Red Robin's shedding of underperforming stores is the latest in chain restaurant closures across the country.

In April, Jack in the Box said it planned to close as many as 200 of its locations as part of a plan to improve the company's financial outlook.

Wendy's also announced it would be closing hundreds of locations across the United States as part of an effort to improve profitability and reverse declining sales, according to reports.