Red Robin Gourmet Burgers Appoints Chief Accounting Officer Tiffany Dutton

What Happened

• Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc. filed an 8-K (Sept 17, 2026) announcing the appointment of Tiffany Dutton as Chief Accounting Officer and principal accounting officer, effective September 21, 2026. Ms. Dutton (age 46) will report to CFO Mark Graff. She has served as an accounting consultant since February 2022 and supported Red Robin as interim Chief Accountant since October 2025. Ms. Dutton is a CPA with prior public-company experience, including roles at Capital Senior Living (now Sonida Senior Living), Adeptus Health, RealPage, Pier 1 Imports, and began her career at Ernst & Young LLP.

Key Details

• Annual base salary: $300,000.
• Annual bonus: eligible with a target of 60% of base salary (prorated for 2026); actual payment based on Company targets set by the board.
• Equity and long-term incentive: one-year restricted stock unit award with a target value of $100,000 (vesting after one year); eligible for Long-Term Incentive plan with a 2027 target opportunity equal to 60% of base salary.
• Employment protections: standard company indemnification agreement and eligibility under the Executive Severance Plan (1.0 cash severance multiplier; 12-month benefits continuation; 12-month restricted period for both change-in-control and non-change-in-control qualifying terminations).
• No related-party transactions or family relationships disclosed in connection with the appointment.

Why It Matters

• This appointment fills the principal accounting officer role with an experienced CPA who has already been serving as interim Chief Accountant, which can provide continuity for Red Robin’s financial reporting and internal control oversight.
• The compensation package (salary, bonus target, RSUs, and LTI eligibility) aligns Ms. Dutton’s incentives with company performance and retention.
• Investors should note there are no disclosed related-party concerns and that the company formalized severance and indemnification protections common for senior finance executives.