This Chain Restaurant Used To Have A Hotline To Answer All Your Burger Questions

Each year, as warm weather settles in, Americans throw the covers off their grills, refill their propane cans, and start scheduling their barbecue parties. The unofficial grilling season starts on Memorial Day, second only to the Fourth of July as the most popular barbecuing day of the year. Several years ago, popular burger joint Red Robin decided to capitalize on the grilling season — the months between Memorial Day and Labor Day (the third most popular grilling day) — by reminding Americans that the folks at the restaurant chain are the burger experts. In May 2016, the restaurant announced that it would launch its new Yummm Hotline on Memorial Day, May 30. Callers, the restaurant boasted, could receive answers to all their burger-related questions.

The hotline was ideal for anyone who thought burgers taste better at restaurants than at home. From noon to 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time on major grilling holidays (Memorial Day, Father's Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day), anyone grilling at home could call 1-844-RR-YUMMM to ask any burger question they wished, whether they were wondering what type of meat to use, how to keep it moist, how to season it, how thick to make the patties, and so on. Considering Red Robin's reputation as a gourmet burger chain and its commitment to meat that's free of preservatives and never frozen, burger advice from Red Robin could be quite valuable.

Through the years, Red Robin has started a number of creative efforts to win the hearts, minds, and stomachs of customers. These have included offering over 100 burger toppings, bottomless french fries, and an allergy-friendly menu; selling its famous onion rings in grocery stores; creating a 2017 opportunity to buy a year's worth of Red Robin burgers for $99; and operating its Red Robin Royalty program, which offers customers perks like points for purchases and free appetizers. While it's unclear when or why the restaurant officially pulled the plug on the Yummm Hotline, there seems to be no evidence of it surviving beyond the 2016 grilling season.

The big burger chain seems to be constantly reinventing itself, which perhaps has been the key to its long-running success. However, in February 2025, its CEO announced that the restaurant's revenue had shrunk and the company would be closing 70 of its lowest-performing restaurants. The news isn't all bad, though. With the announcement of the closures came information about a plan to reimagine and grow the brand, which includes putting staff members back into jobs that had previously been cut in favor of efficiency measures (such as tablets on tables), family-friendly pricing deals, new advertising campaigns, and more. So while you might have to use Chowhound's own tips for cooking hamburgers instead of calling Red Robin's grilling hotline, you can be sure the restaurant itself is always looking for new ways to please burger lovers.