Exhibit 10.9 FIRST AMENDMENT TO REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT This First Amendment to Registration Rights Agreement (this "Amendment") is entered into as of August 9, 2001, by and among Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("RRGB"), Red Robin International, Inc., a Nevada corporation ("RRI"), the Persons, including Skylark Company, Ltd., a Japan corporation ("Skylark"), listed in Schedule A hereto, RR Investors, LLC, a Virginia limited liability company ("Investors I"), RR Investors II, LLC, a Virginia limited liability company ("Investors II"), each of the Persons listed in Schedule B hereto (the "Other Shareholders"), and each of the Persons listed in Schedule C hereto (the "Snyder Group Shareholders"). The parties hereto, other than RRGB, are collectively referred to herein as the "Shareholders" and individually as a "Shareholder." R E C I T A L S - - - - - - - - A. Pursuant to that certain Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of May 11, 2000, by and among RRI and the Shareholders, RRI granted certain registration and other rights with respect to the common stock, $0.001 par value per share, of RRI (the "Common Stock") owned by the Shareholders; B. On January 23, 2001, RRI, RRGB and Red Robin Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly owned subsidiary of RRGB ("RRMS"), entered into a Merger Agreement (the "Merger Agreement") to provide for a corporate reorganization of RRI whereby RRMS would be merged with and into RRI (the "Merger"), with (a) RRI continuing as the surviving corporation of such merger, and (b) each outstanding share (or any fraction thereof) of the Common Stock being converted in such merger into a like number of shares of the common stock of RRGB, par value $0.001 per share; C. Concurrently with the consummation of the Merger in accordance with the terms of the Merger Agreement, the parties hereto desire to enter into this Amendment in order to provide that RRGB will replace RRI as a party to the Registration Rights Agreement and will accept and assume all of the rights and obligations of RRI set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement; NOW, THEREFORE, taking into account the foregoing recitals, and in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements contained herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereby agree as follows: 1. Joinder. RRGB hereby agrees (i) to replace RRI as a party to the Registration Rights Agreement with the same force and effect as if it had been an original signatory thereto, and (ii) to accept and assume all of the rights and obligations of RRI set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement. 2. Amendment to Registration Rights Agreement. The Registration Rights Agreement is amended by deleting each reference to "Red Robin International, Inc." and inserting "Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc." in its place, and by deleting each reference to "the Company" and inserting "the Holding Company" in its place. 3. Ratification of Registration Rights Agreement. (a) Except as specifically amended by this Amendment, the Registration Rights Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and the Shareholders hereby reaffirm all of the provisions of the Registration Rights Agreement as amended by this Amendment. (b) On and after the date hereof, each reference in the Registration Rights Agreement to "this Agreement", "hereunder", "hereof", "herein", or words of similar import referring to the Registration Rights Agreement, and each reference in any other document to the Registration Rights Agreement, "thereunder", "thereof", or words of similar import referring to the Registration Rights Agreement, will mean and be a reference to the Registration Rights Agreement, as amended by this Amendment. 4. Governing Law. The validity, meaning and effect of this Amendment shall be determined in accordance with the laws of the State of Colorado applicable to contracts made and to be performed in that state. 5. Further Assurances. The parties hereto agree to execute such other documents and perform such other acts as may be necessary or desirable to carry out the purposes of this Amendment. 6. Counterparts. This Amendment may be executed in counterparts, each of which when so executed and delivered shall be deemed to be an original for all purposes, but all such counterparts shall constitute but one in the same instrument. [Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank] 2 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned parties have caused this Amendment to be duly executed and delivered as of the date set forth above. RRGB: RED ROBIN GOURMET BURGERS, INC., a Delaware corporation By: /s/ Michael J. Snyder ----------------------------------- Name: Title RRI: RED ROBIN INTERNATIONAL, INC., a Nevada corporation By: /s/ Michael J. Snyder ----------------------------------- Name: Title: SHAREHOLDERS: SKYLARK COMPANY, LTD. By:___________________________________ Name: Title: GAISHOKU SYSTEM KENKYUJO COMPANY, LTD. By:___________________________________ Name: Title: 3 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned parties have caused this Amendment to be duly executed and delivered as of the date set forth above. RRGB: RED ROBIN GOURMET BURGERS, INC., a Delaware corporation By:_______________________________ Name: Title RRI: RED ROBIN INTERNATIONAL, INC., a Nevada corporation By:_______________________________ Name: Title: SHAREHOLDERS: SKYLARK COMPANY, LTD. By: /s/ Yasutaka Ito ------------------------------- Name: Yasutaka Ito Title: President GAISHOKU SYSTEM KENKYUJO COMPANY, LTD. By: /s/ Tadashi Yokokawa ------------------------------- Name: Tadashi Yokokawa Title: President 3 HIBARI GUAM CORPORATION By: /s/ M. Yamashita ---------------------------------- Name: Masataka Yamashita Title: President RR INVESTORS, LLC By:__________________________________ Edward T. Harvey, Jr. President RR INVESTORS II, LLC By:__________________________________ Edward T. Harvey, Jr. President KIWAMU YOKOKAWA /s/ Kiwamu Yokokawa ------------------------------------- Kiwamu Yokokawa MICHAEL J. SNYDER _____________________________________ Michael J. Snyder THE STEPHEN SNYDER INTERVIVOS TRUST _____________________________________ Stephen S. Snyder, as trustee of the Stephen S. Snyder Intervivos Trust 4 HIBARI GUAM CORPORATION By:___________________________________ Name: Title: RR INVESTORS, LLC By:___________________________________ Edward T. Harvey, Jr. President RR INVESTORS II, LLC By:___________________________________ Edward T. Harvey, Jr. President KIWAMU YOKOKAWA _______________________________________ Kiwamu Yokokawa MICHAEL J. SNYDER /s/ Michael J. Snyder -------------------------------------- Michael J. Snyder THE STEPHEN SNYDER INTERVIVOS TRUST ______________________________________ Stephen S. Snyder, as trustee of the Stephen S. Snyder Intervivos Trust 4 HIBARI GUAM CORPORATION By:___________________________________________ Name: Title: RR INVESTORS, LLC By:/s/ Edward T. Harvey ------------------------------------------- Edward T. Harvey, Jr. President RR INVESTORS II, LLC By:/s/ Edward T. Harvey ------------------------------------------- Edward T. Harvey, Jr. President KIWAMU YOKOKAWA ______________________________________________ Kiwamu Yokokawa MICHAEL J. SNYDER ______________________________________________ Michael J. Snyder THE STEPHEN SNYDER INTERVIVOS TRUST ______________________________________________ Stephen S. Snyder, as trustee of the Stephen S. Snyder Intervivos Trust 4 HIBARI GUAM CORPORATION By:____________________________________ Name: Title: RR INVESTORS, LLC By:____________________________________ Edward T. Harvey, Jr. President RR INVESTORS II, LLC By:____________________________________ Edward T. Harvey, Jr. President KIWAMU YOKOKAWA _______________________________________ Kiwamu Yokokawa MICHAEL J. SNYDER _______________________________________ Michael J. Snyder THE STEPHEN SNYDER INTERVIVOS TRUST /s/ Stephen S. Snyder --------------------------------------- Stephen S. Snyder, as trustee of the Stephen S. Snyder Intervivos Trust 4 THE LOUISE A. SNYDER INTERVIVOS TRUST /s/ Louise A. Snyder --------------------------------------------- Louise A. Snyder, as trustee of The Louise A. Snyder Intervivos Trust MICHAEL E. WOODS _____________________________________________ Michael E. Woods ROBERT MERULLO _____________________________________________ Robert Merullo SHAMROCK INVESTMENT COMPANY _____________________________________________ Name: Title: GEORGE D. HANSEN _____________________________________________ George D. Hansen DEBORAH HANSEN _____________________________________________ Deborah Hansen 5 THE LOUISE A. SNYDER INTERVIVOS TRUST _____________________________________________ Louise A. Snyder, as trustee of The Louise A. Snyder Intervivos Trust MICHAEL E. WOODS /s/ Michael E. Woods --------------------------------------------- Michael E. Woods ROBERT MERULLO /s/ Robert Merullo --------------------------------------------- Robert Merullo SHAMROCK INVESTMENT COMPANY _____________________________________________ Name: Title: GEORGE D. HANSEN _____________________________________________ George D. Hansen DEBORAH HANSEN _____________________________________________ Deborah Hansen 5 THE LOUISE A. SNYDER INTERVIVOS TRUST _____________________________________________ Louise A. Snyder, as trustee of The Louise A. Snyder Intervivos Trust MICHAEL E. WOODS _____________________________________________ Michael E. Woods ROBERT MERULLO _____________________________________________ Robert Merullo SHAMROCK INVESTMENT COMPANY /s/ George D. Hansen --------------------------------------------- Name: Title: GEORGE D. HANSEN /s/ George D. Hansen --------------------------------------------- George D. Hansen DEBORAH HANSEN /s/ Deborah Hansen --------------------------------------------- Deborah Hansen 5 THE LOUISE A. SNYDER INTERVIVOS TRUST _____________________________________________ Louise A. Snyder, as trustee of The Louise A. Snyder Intervivos Trust MICHAEL E. WOODS _____________________________________________ Michael E. Woods ROBERT MERULLO _____________________________________________ Robert Merullo SHAMROCK INVESTMENT COMPANY /s/ George D. Hansen --------------------------------------------- Name: Title: GEORGE D. HANSEN /s/ George D. Hansen --------------------------------------------- George D. Hansen DEBORAH HANSEN /s/ Deborah Hansen --------------------------------------------- Deborah Hansen 5 BEVERLY C. BROWN /s/ Beverly C. Brown --------------------------------------------- Beverly C. Brown L.V. BROWN, JR. /s/ George D. Hansen for L.V. Brown, Jr. --------------------------------------------- LV. Brown, Jr. GERALD KINGEN _____________________________________________ Gerald R. Kingen 6 BEVERLY C. BROWN _____________________________________________ Beverly C. Brown L.V. BROWN, JR. _____________________________________________ LV. Brown, Jr. GERALD KINGEN /s/ Gerald R. Kingen --------------------------------------------- Gerald R. Kingen 6 Schedule A Skylark Holders Skylark Co., Ltd. Kiwamu Yokokawa Gaishoku System Kenkyujo Company, Ltd. Hibari Guam Corporation 7 Schedule B Other Shareholders Gerald R. Kingen 8 Schedule C Snyder Group Shareholders Michael J. Snyder Stephen S. Snyder Intervivos Trust Louise A. Snyder Intervivos Trust Michael E. Woods Robert Merullo Shamrock Investment Company, a Washington general partnership George D. Hansen Deborah Hansen Beverly C. Brown L.V. Brown, Jr. 9