---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0000950142-25-001161"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "RRGB"
cik: "0001171759"
company_name: "RED ROBIN GOURMET BURGERS INC"
filed_at: "2025-04-24T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-05-23T06:44:38.389652+00:00"
event_type: "leadership"
sentiment: "neutral"
materiality_score: 0.75
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.75
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Red Robin appoints David A. Pace as President & CEO; G.J. Hart to serve as advisor through Sept 2025

## Summary
- David A. Pace appointed President & CEO effective April 24, 2025; succeeds G.J. Hart who becomes senior advisor through Sept 2025.
- Anthony S. Ackil appointed Chairman of the Board; Pace remains on Board.
- Pace will receive base salary $750k, annual bonus target 200% of salary, and 750k RSUs plus 900k performance-based RSUs.
- Hart to receive $1.8M severance (18 months salary) plus pro-rata bonus; departures amicable, no policy disagreements.
- Q1 2025 outlook: comparable restaurant sales up ~3%, Adjusted EBITDA expected to exceed prior guidance of $18-19M.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0000950142-25-001161
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: RRGB
- cik: 0001171759
- company_name: RED ROBIN GOURMET BURGERS INC
- filed_at: 2025-04-24T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: leadership
- sentiment: neutral
- materiality_score: 0.75
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.75
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 5.02, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1171759/000095014225001161/0000950142-25-001161-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1171759/000095014225001161/eh250618999_8k.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000950142-25-001161
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000950142-25-001161.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000950142-25-001161.txt

## Key facts
- Executive change
  David A. Pace resigned as Chairman of the Board at RED ROBIN GOURMET BURGERS INC.
  - Action: resigned
  - Role: Chairman of the Board
  source text: He was serving as the Board’s Chairman and a member of each of the Compensation Committee and Nominating and Governance Committee, and in connection with his appointment, Mr. Pace has resigned from these roles.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1171759/000095014225001161/0000950142-25-001161-index.htm
- Executive change
  David A. Pace was appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer at RED ROBIN GOURMET BURGERS INC.
  - Action: appointed
  - Role: President and Chief Executive Officer
  source text: announced the appointment of David A. Pace to the position of President and Chief Executive Officer (“President and CEO”) of the Company, effective April 24, 2025
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1171759/000095014225001161/0000950142-25-001161-index.htm
- Executive change
  G.J. Hart departed as President and Chief Executive Officer at RED ROBIN GOURMET BURGERS INC.
  - Action: departed
  - Role: President and Chief Executive Officer
  source text: Mr. Pace replaces G.J. Hart as the Company’s President and CEO, who will also depart from the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of the Company as of the Effective Date.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1171759/000095014225001161/0000950142-25-001161-index.htm

This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.