In June 2009, when Red Robin announced in a press release that it was making the transition to cage-free eggs, I was thrilled! They wrote that Red Robin “intends to serve only cage-free eggs in its more than 300 company-owned restaurants by the end of 2010.” Sounds pretty great, right? They even talked about their partnership with The Humane Society of the United States. But over the past few years, it’s become evident that they were all talk. Their website doesn’t mention a thing about that commitment to 100% cage-free sourcing. Instead, they boast that the eggs they serve in California are cage-free (about 20% of their total supply) when it’s literally illegal NOT to serve cage-free eggs there. 

When a company makes a commitment to its customers (like me) and to the public to do something—especially something as important as treating animals better—I expect them to follow through! When they made this cage-free promise, Red Robin got all the perks that come with positive press. Now they’ve quietly reneged on their promise with no repercussions. I’m not okay with that.

I don’t know if you know this, but most eggs come from hens who are crammed together into small, filthy, and barren wire cages. Each hen is forced to live in a space about the size of an iPad. They don’t even have room to spread their wings. These social, intelligent animals are forced to live their entire lives in misery. That is why it is so important for Red Robin to reinstate its cage-free egg promise and lay out exactly how they’ll fulfill it. 

On its website, Red Robin says, “We are committed to doing the right thing – even when no one is looking. That includes our commitment to farm animal welfare -- seeking and supporting suppliers that exceed the highest industry standards for humane farming.” Well, Red Robin, you’re not doing the right thing for farm animals and I am looking.

It’s time for Red Robin to do the right thing. They owe it to their customers and to the animals.