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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 14A

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No.          )

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RED ROBIN GOURMET BURGERS, INC.
6312 South Fiddler's Green Circle, Suite 200N
Greenwood Village, CO 80111
(303) 846-6000

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
To Be Held On May 18, 2017

To our Stockholders:

        The annual meeting of stockholders of Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc. will be held at 8:00 a.m. MDT, on Thursday, May 18, 2017, at our corporate headquarters, located at 6312 South Fiddler's Green Circle, Suite 200N, Greenwood Village, Colorado 80111, for the following purposes:

1)

To elect Robert B. Aiken, Cambria W. Dunaway, Kalen F. Holmes, Richard J. Howell, Glenn B. Kaufman, Steven K. Lumpkin, Pattye L. Moore, Stuart I. Oran, and Denny Marie Post as directors of the Company for one-year terms;



2)

To approve, on an advisory basis, the compensation of our named executive officers;



3)

To approve, on an advisory basis, the frequency of holding an advisory vote on executive compensation;



4)

To approve our 2017 Performance Incentive Plan, as described in the attached proxy statement;



5)

To approve the Amended and Restated Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as described in the attached proxy statement;



6)

To ratify the appointment of KPMG LLP as the Company's independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2017; and



7)

To transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting.

        We direct your attention to the proxy statement, which includes information about the matters to be considered at the annual meeting and certain other important information and which we encourage you to review carefully. Our board of directors recommends that you vote FOR the board's nominees for director, FOR approval of our executive compensation, FOR the option of annually as the frequency with which stockholders are provided an advisory vote on compensation of our named executive officers, FOR approval of our 2017 Performance Incentive Plan, FOR approval of the Amended and Restated Employee Stock Purchase Plan, and FOR ratification of the independent auditor. Your vote is important.

        Stockholders of record at the close of business on March 27, 2017 are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the annual meeting or any postponement or adjournment thereof. This Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders and related proxy materials are being distributed or made available to stockholders beginning on or about April [    ], 2017.

        This year, we have again elected to provide access to our proxy materials on the Internet under the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's "notice and access" rules. Our proxy materials are available at the following website:

http://www.redrobin.com/eproxy

        We cordially invite you to attend the annual meeting. Whether or not you plan to attend, it is important that your shares be voted at the meeting. Please refer to your proxy card or Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for more information on how to vote your shares at the meeting and return your voting instructions as promptly as possible.

        Thank you for your support.

Greenwood Village, Colorado
April [    ], 2017

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PROXY STATEMENT

        The Board of Directors ("board" or "board of directors") of Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc. ("Red Robin" or the "Company") is providing this proxy statement to stockholders in connection with the solicitation of proxies on its behalf to be voted at the annual meeting of stockholders. The meeting will be held on Thursday, May 18, 2017, beginning at 8:00 a.m. MDT, at our corporate headquarters, located at 6312 South Fiddler's Green Circle, Suite 200N, Greenwood Village, Colorado 80111. The proxies may be voted at any time and date to which the annual meeting may be properly adjourned or postponed.

PROPOSAL 1
ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

General

        As of the date of this proxy statement, our board of directors consists of ten directors, all of whom are independent except our CEO and Director Robert B. Aiken. Therefore, currently, 80% of our board is independent. One of our current directors, Mr. Lloyd Hill, will retire and conclude his board service on the date of the annual meeting, and accordingly is not standing for reelection to the board. The board of directors has reduced its size from ten to nine members effective as of the date of the annual meeting. Consequently, the board will consist of nine directors following the annual meeting, seven of whom will be independent. The board may decide at a later time to add one or more directors who possess skills and experience that may be beneficial to our board and the Company. All of our directors are elected on an annual basis for a one-year term.

        The directors elected at this annual meeting will serve in office until our 2018 annual meeting of stockholders or until their successors have been duly elected and qualified, or until the earlier of their respective deaths, resignations, or retirements. Each nominee has consented to serve if elected and we expect that each of them will be able to serve if elected. If any nominee should become unavailable to serve as a director, our board of directors can name a substitute nominee, and the persons named as proxies in the proxy card, or their nominees or substitutes, will vote your shares for such substitute nominee unless an instruction to the contrary is written on your proxy card.

Selecting Nominees for Director

        Our board has delegated to the nominating and governance committee the responsibility for reviewing and recommending nominees for director. The board determines which candidates to nominate or appoint, as appropriate, after considering the recommendation of the committee.

        In evaluating a director candidate, the nominating and governance committee considers the candidate's independence, character, corporate governance skills and abilities, business experience, industry specific experience, training and education, commitment to performing the duties of a director, and other skills, abilities, or attributes that fill specific needs of the board or its committees. While there is no policy for consideration of diversity in identifying director nominees, the nominating and governance committee considers diversity in business experience, professional expertise, gender, and ethnic background, along with various other factors when evaluating director nominees. The nominating and governance committee will use the same criteria in evaluating candidates suggested by stockholders.

        The nominating and governance committee is authorized under its charter to retain, at our expense, outside search firms and any other professional advisors it deems appropriate to assist in identifying or evaluating potential nominees for director.

Directors and Nominees

        Below, you can find the principal occupation and other information about each of the director nominees standing for re-election at the annual meeting. Information related to each director nominee's key attributes, experience, and skills, as well as their recent public company board service is included with each director's biographical information.

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Vote Required

        Proposal No. 1 requires the approval of a majority of the votes cast for each director.

Board Recommendation

        Our board of directors recommends that you vote FOR the election of each of the nominees for director.

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CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND BOARD MATTERS

Governance Principles

        The board of directors seeks to ensure that good governance and responsible business practices are part of our culture and values. To ensure that we achieve this goal, the board of directors has previously established corporate governance guidelines that it follows with respect to corporate governance matters, which are available on the investor relations section of our website at www.redrobin.com. The board of directors reviews the governance guidelines annually to ensure that they are timely, effective, and supportive of the board's oversight and other responsibilities.

Executive Development and Management Succession

        Executive development and succession is an important responsibility of the board of directors. Under the Company's corporate governance guidelines, the board maintains an ongoing policy and plan for the development and succession of the CEO and other senior officers. The board has delegated some of this responsibility to the nominating and governance committee. As provided in our corporate governance guidelines, the succession policy and plan has a multi-year focus that encompasses, among other things, the following attributes:

•

criteria that reflect the Company's ongoing business strategies;



•

identification and development of potential internal candidates;



•

formal assessment processes to evaluate such potential internal candidates and their development; and



•

an emergency succession component to address the unforeseen loss of the CEO or other key executives through death, disability, or other similar emergency.

        The nominating and governance committee and the board work closely with management to ensure that development and succession are anticipated, planned for, and addressed in a timely manner. Under the guidance of the committee, Ms. Post and each of the executive officers conduct annual succession planning activities. This process includes annual performance reviews, evaluations, and development plans of the CEO and executive officers, who also conduct evaluations and development of their direct reports.

        Ms. Post regularly meets with the full board on her performance, and her annual performance evaluation is conducted under the oversight of the compensation committee. Ms. Post conducts annual and interim performance and development evaluations of the other senior executives and reviews these evaluations with the compensation committee or full board.

        At least annually, and when otherwise necessary, the nominating and governance committee reviews, makes recommendations for, and reports to the board on programs that have been implemented by management for executive and leadership team development and succession planning.

Stockholder Engagement

        The board and management believe that the Company's relationships with our stockholders and other stakeholders are an important part of our corporate governance responsibility, and recognize the value of continuing communications. Among other things, engagement with our stockholders helps us to:

•

understand and consider the issues that matter most to our stockholders;



•

share and discuss our strategy and objectives; and

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assess stockholder feedback and any emerging issues related to our governance practices, business, operations, or compensation.

        This approach has resulted in our receiving essential input and additional perspectives from our stockholders. We regularly engage with our stockholders through attendance at investor conferences, issuance of press releases and quarterly conference calls, other stockholder communications, and individual meetings throughout the year. We spoke to holders of more than 34% of our outstanding shares since the last annual meeting to discuss our business and solicit feedback.

        We also recognize the connection between good corporate governance and our ability to create and sustain value for our stockholders. In response to evolving governance practices, regulatory changes, and concerns of our stockholders, the Company has made a number of changes to our corporate governance practices over the past several years.

        Highlights of our governance program include:

•

Fully declassified board of directors.



•

Independent chair of the board of directors.



•

All director nominees are independent other than our CEO and one other director.



•

All current members of our audit, compensation, and nominating and governance committees are independent.



•

Frequent engagement by management with institutional investors.



•

Majority voting standard for uncontested director elections.



•

Annual review of our succession plan and talent development plan.



•

Directors receive regular governance updates to stay well-informed and evaluate governance trends.



•

Limits on outside board service.



•

Formal policy prohibiting hedging and pledging of Company securities by executive officers and directors.



•

Directors regularly engage in in-boardroom and outside director education.



•

Robust board, committee, and director self-evaluation process completed annually instead of age or term limits.



•

No poison pill in place.

Board Leadership Structure

        The board recognizes that one of its key responsibilities is to evaluate and determine the optimal leadership structure so as to provide independent oversight of management. Accordingly, at this time, we believe it is appropriate for our board to maintain the separation of the roles of board chair and chief executive officer. Pattye L. Moore currently serves as chair of the board due to, among other things, her prior experience on public company boards of directors, as well as her extensive leadership experience within the restaurant industry.

        We believe that having a non-executive, independent board chair is in the best interests of the Company and our stockholders at this time. The separation of the roles of board chair and chief executive officer allows Ms. Post to focus on managing the Company's business and operations, and allows Ms. Moore to focus on board matters, especially in light of the high level of regulation and scrutiny of public company boards. Further, we believe that the separation of these roles ensures the

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independence of the board in its oversight role of evaluating and assessing the chief executive officer and management generally.

Role in Risk Oversight

        Our executive officers have the primary responsibility for enterprise risk management within our Company. Our board actively oversees the Company's risk management and regularly engages in discussions of the most significant risks that the Company faces and how these risks are being managed. The board receives regular reports on enterprise risk areas from senior officers of the Company, including the areas of food safety and data security. The board delegates certain risk oversight functions to the audit committee. Under its charter, the audit committee is responsible for oversight of the enterprise risk assessment and management process framework and ensures that the board or a designated committee is monitoring the identification, assessment, and mitigation of significant enterprise risks. The audit committee oversees policies and guidelines that govern the process by which major financial and accounting risk assessment and management may be undertaken by the Company. The audit committee also oversees our corporate compliance programs and the internal audit function. In addition, the other board committees receive reports and evaluate risks related to their areas of focus. The committees regularly report to the full board on the assessment and management of these risks. The board believes that the work undertaken by the audit committee, together with the work of the other committees, the full board, and the senior officers of the Company, enables the board to effectively oversee the Company's risk management.

Board Membership and Director Independence

        Our board of directors has determined that each of our directors, except our CEO, Ms. Post, and Mr. Aiken qualifies as an independent director under the rules promulgated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and The Nasdaq Stock Market® ("Nasdaq") listing standards. Therefore, currently 80% of our board is independent. Mr. Aiken is disqualified from being an independent member of our board based on Nasdaq listing standards because his brother-in-law is a current partner of KPMG LLP ("KPMG"), the Company's outside auditor. Mr. Aiken's brother-in-law is not involved in the audit of Red Robin. Pursuant to these rules, only independent directors may serve on the board's audit committee, compensation committee, and nominating and governance committee. Currently, all members of each of these committees are independent in accordance with SEC rules and Nasdaq listing standards. There are no family relationships among any of our executive officers, directors, or nominees for directors.

Director Attendance

        The board of directors held thirteen meetings in 2016, including five in-person meetings. Each of our current directors attended at least 75% of the aggregate total of meetings of the board of directors and committees during their period of service in 2016. The non-management directors of the Company meet at least quarterly throughout the year and as necessary or appropriate in executive sessions at which members of management are not present.

        The board of directors strongly encourages each of the directors to attend the annual meeting of stockholders. All of our directors serving at the time attended our 2016 annual meeting.

Committees of the Board of Directors

        Our board of directors has four standing committees: an audit committee, a compensation committee, a finance committee, and a nominating and governance committee. Each of our standing committees generally meets at least once each quarter. In addition, other regular and special meetings

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are scheduled as necessary and appropriate depending on the responsibilities of the particular committee. Each committee regularly meets in executive session without management present.

        Each board committee operates pursuant to a written charter. The charter for each committee is available on the corporate governance section of the investor relations tab of our website at www.redrobin.com. The committee charters are reviewed at least annually by the respective committee to revise and update the committee duties and responsibilities as necessary.

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Stockholder Submission of Director Nominees

        A stockholder may submit the name of a director candidate for consideration by the nominating and governance committee by writing to: Nominating and Governance Committee, Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc., 6312 South Fiddler's Green Circle, Suite 200N, Greenwood Village, CO 80111.

        The stockholder must submit the following information in support of the candidate: (a) all information relating to such person as would be required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for the election of such nominees as directors pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and such person's written consent to serve as a director if elected; and (b) as to the stockholder giving the notice and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made (i) the name and address of such stockholder, as they appear on the Company's books, and of such beneficial owner, (ii) the class and number of shares of the Company that are owned beneficially and of record by such stockholder and such beneficial owner, (iii) a description of any agreement, arrangement, or understanding (including any derivative or short positions, profit interests, options, warrants, convertible securities, stock appreciation or similar rights, hedging transactions, and borrowed or loaned shares) that has been entered into as of the date of such stockholder's notice by, or on behalf of, such stockholder and such beneficial owner, whether or not

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such instrument or right shall be subject to settlement in underlying shares of capital stock of the Company, the effect or intent of which is to mitigate loss to, manage risk of share price changes for, or increase or decrease the voting power of, such stockholder or such beneficial owner, with respect to shares of stock of the Company, and (iv) whether either such stockholder or beneficial owner intends to deliver a proxy statement and form of proxy to holders of, in the case of a proposal, at least the percentage of the Company's voting shares required under applicable law to carry the proposal or, in the case of a nomination or nominations, a sufficient number of holders of the Company's voting shares to elect such nominee or nominees.

Communications with our Board of Directors

        You may communicate with any director, the entire board of directors, the independent directors, or any committee by sending a letter to the director, the board of directors, or the committee addressed to: Board of Directors, 6312 South Fiddler's Green Circle, Suite 200N, Greenwood Village, CO 80111, or by sending an e-mail to: Board@redrobin.com. The Company's chief legal officer will review all communications, categorize them, and forward them to the appropriate board member(s). Messages pertaining to administrative matters, ordinary business matters, personal grievances, and similar issues will be forwarded to the appropriate member of management.

        With respect to issues arising under the Company's Code of Ethics, you may also communicate directly with the chair of the audit committee, vice president of internal audit, or the compliance officer in the manner provided in the Company's Problem Resolution and Whistleblower Policy and Reporting Procedures. Both the Code of Ethics and the Problem Resolution and Whistleblower Policy and Reporting Procedures may be found on the corporate governance section of the investor relations tab of our website at: www.redrobin.com.

Certain Relationships and Related Transactions

Transactions with Related Persons

        For 2016, we had no material related party transactions which were required to be disclosed in accordance with SEC regulations.

Review, Approval, or Ratification of Transactions with Related Persons

        The board of directors recognizes that transactions between the Company and certain related persons present a heightened risk of conflicts of interest. To ensure that the Company acts in the best interest of our stockholders, the board has delegated the review and approval of related party transactions to the audit committee. Pursuant to our Code of Ethics and the audit committee charter, any related party transaction required to be disclosed in accordance with applicable SEC regulations must be reviewed and approved by the audit committee. In reviewing a proposed transaction, the audit committee must:

•

satisfy itself that it has been fully informed as to the related party's relationship and interest, and as to the material facts of the proposed transaction, and



•

consider all the relevant facts and circumstances available to the committee.

        After its review, the audit committee will only approve or ratify transactions that are fair to the Company and not inconsistent with the best interests of the Company and our stockholders.

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Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

        During the last completed fiscal year, Robert B. Aiken, Lloyd L. Hill, Kalen F. Holmes, Richard J. Howell, and Glenn B. Kaufman each served as members of the Company's compensation committee. None of the members of the compensation committee is or has been an officer or employee of the Company. None of our current executive officers serves as a director of another entity that has an executive officer who serves on our Board.

Director Compensation

        Set forth below are the elements of our director compensation for 2016.

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2016 Director Compensation

        The following table sets forth a summary of the compensation earned by our non-employee directors in fiscal 2016.

        As of the end of the fiscal year 2016, the aggregate number of options and restricted stock units outstanding for each non-employee director is set forth below. Options are considered outstanding until exercised and restricted stock units are considered outstanding until vested and paid.

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Director Stock Ownership Guidelines

        The compensation committee has had stock ownership guidelines in place for non-employee directors since March 2009 (see "Compensation Discussion and Analysis—Executive Compensation Policies and Guidelines—Executive Stock Ownership Guidelines" for discussion of the ownership guidelines for executive officers). The current ownership guidelines require non-employee directors to own Company securities with a cumulative cost basis of at least five times the director's annual retainer. Based on the current annual retainer for non-employee directors, that dollar amount is $350,000. The value of the director's holdings is based on the cumulative cost basis of securities held, which is calculated using the price of the Company's common stock at the date of acquisition. All forms of equity owned of record or beneficially, including vested in-the-money options, are credited toward the guidelines. New non-employee directors have five years from the time the director joins the board to reach the minimum ownership threshold. Non-employee directors may not sell, transfer, or otherwise dispose of common stock that would decrease such director's cumulative cost basis below the ownership guideline amount. All our directors are currently in compliance or on track to be in compliance with the minimum ownership threshold.

        The following table sets forth the ownership guidelines and the holdings of the non-employee directors as of March 9, 2017, valued at the acquisition dates pursuant to our director stock ownership guidelines:

Indemnification of Directors

        The Company has entered into agreements to indemnify its directors, executive officers, and certain other key employees. Under these agreements, the Company is obligated to indemnify its directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted under the Delaware General Corporation Law for expenses, including attorneys' fees, judgments, fines, and settlement amounts incurred by them in any action or proceeding arising out of their services as a director or officer. The Company believes that these agreements are necessary in attracting and retaining qualified directors and officers.

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STOCK OWNERSHIP INFORMATION

        Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with the rules of the SEC and generally includes voting or investment power with respect to securities. Except as indicated by footnote, and except for community property laws where applicable, the persons named in the tables below have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares of common stock shown as beneficially owned by them. The percentage of beneficial ownership for each table is based on 12,864,453 shares of common stock outstanding as of March 9, 2017.

Stock Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners

        The following table sets forth information regarding beneficial owners of more than 5% of our common stock as of March 9, 2017. All information is taken from or based upon ownership filings made by such persons with the SEC or upon information provided by such persons to the Company.

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Stock Ownership of Directors and Management

        The following table contains information about the beneficial ownership (unless otherwise indicated) of our common stock as of March 9, 2017 by:

•

each of our directors, including the board's nominees for election,



•

each named executive officer set forth in the Summary Compensation Table, and



•

all directors and current executive officers as a group.

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Equity Compensation Plan Information

        We maintain two equity based compensation plans—the Second Amended and Restated 2007 Performance Incentive Plan (the "2007 Plan"), and the Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the "ESPP"). Our stockholders have approved each of these plans.

        The following table sets forth for our equity compensation plans in the aggregate, the number of shares of our common stock subject to outstanding options and rights under these plans, the weighted average exercise price of outstanding options, and the number of shares remaining available for future award grants under these plans as of December 25, 2016:

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COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

        In this Compensation Discussion and Analysis, we provide an analysis and explanation of our executive compensation program and the compensation derived from this program by our executive officers, including our "named executive officers." For 2016, our named executive officers were:

•

Denny Marie Post, President and Chief Executive Officer



•

Guy J. Constant, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer



•

Jonathan A. Muhtar, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer



•

Carin L. Stutz, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer



•

Michael L. Kaplan, Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer



•

Terry Harryman, Interim Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer



•

Stephen E. Carley, Former Chief Executive Officer



•

Stuart B. Brown, Former Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Overview

        Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, primarily develops, operates, and franchises full-service restaurants in North America and focuses on serving an imaginative selection of high quality gourmet burgers in a fun environment welcoming to guests of all ages. Red Robin's goal is to differentiate itself from typical casual dining establishments based on quality, service, and value. To differentiate on quality, we offer a large and varied selection of highly craveable and customizable burgers. To differentiate on service, our goal is to be highly attentive to guests of all ages, serving food and beverages quickly so they can spend more time enjoying their food and less time waiting. We also strive to deliver tremendous value by providing delicious food at a range of price points, accompanied with our bottomless steak fries and other sides with every meal. Red Robin guests give us credit for these key points of differentiation and we seek to build on them every day by living our B.U.R.G.E.R. values: Bottomless Fun, Unwavering Integrity, Relentless Focus on Improvement, Genuine Spirit of Service, Extraordinary People, and Recognized Burger Authority.

        To ensure the continued success of Red Robin in a rapidly evolving marketplace, we focus on four strategic areas:

•

Building Team Member engagement.  We emphasize and support Team Member engagement, retention, and culture that will foster the development of great leaders. We cultivate leaders aligned to our culture to improve Team Member engagement, retention, and climate in our restaurants. Our goal is to enhance clarity with our Team Members by consistently communicating our strategy and ensuring we remain narrowly focused on our strategic initiatives. We continually strive to develop extraordinary people and encourage Team Member performance through appreciation, recognition, and respect.



•

Regaining operational edge.  Our strategy in regaining operational edge includes delivering consistently great burgers, accurately customized, and served quickly by our caring Team Members. Our goal is to deliver exceptional service to our guests through promoting a "Better for Being Here" environment and continually strive to enhance our guest's dining experience with a focus on guests of all ages and their occasions. We respect our guests' need for the "gift of time" and remain committed to improving both speed of service and order accuracy.



•

Becoming our guests' go-to for great burgers.  We continue to focus on being our guests' go-to for great burgers by offering craveable burgers and "bottomless" side options at attractive prices wherever and however our guests want. We plan to enhance value through a balance of quality,

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quantity, price, and experience. This includes providing high quality core menu items, delivering value through new products and abundance, and enhancing loyalty offerings to drive guest traffic. Additionally, we are focused on driving guest preference by offering our products through alternate platforms. As part of this strategy, we are currently testing and deploying online ordering, to-go, and catering services and developing partnerships with and deploying third-party delivery services.

•

Delivering great shareholder value.  We are committed to delivering shareholder value by improving profitability and investing capital wisely. Our goal is to optimize our capital structure, pace development activities, and improve our EBITDA margin through revenue growth and targeted cost savings.

        We believe these strategic initiatives will provide the foundations for scalable and sustainable long-term growth, profitability, and increased stockholder value.

        Our executive compensation program supports this focus through several key objectives:

•

Attracting, retaining, and motivating the best possible executive talent who have the experience and leadership skills capable of driving performance and top-line growth in sales;



•

Creating value for our stockholders by linking executive compensation to the achievement of measurable corporate objectives and the minimization of unreasonable or excessive risk-taking; and



•

Paying for superior results through a program that incents and rewards for achievement of both short-term and long-term organizational and functional objectives with a mix of compensation elements that place a significant portion of cash and equity compensation at risk.

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2016 Performance and Impact on Pay

        Mr. Carley joined the Company in late 2010 as chief executive officer and served in that role until August 2016. In August 2016, Ms. Post became our chief executive officer after serving as president and chief concept officer. Under Ms. Post's leadership, the Company continues to pursue improvement in performance designed to drive top-line growth in sales and lay the foundation for scalable and sustainable long-term growth, profitability, and increased stockholder value. Our compensation objectives are designed to link incentives and rewards with current and long-term sustained achievement of these goals. Our performance in 2016 was below our expectations and the compensation awarded for 2016 is reflective of such performance. We believe we are poised to return to higher levels of performance with our strategic initiatives. Our performance for 2016 is summarized below:

•

Annual revenues were $1.3 billion in 2016, an increase of 3.1% over 2015.



•

Comparable restaurant revenue fell by 3.3%.



•

GAAP earnings per diluted share were $0.87 compared to $3.36 in 2015.



•

We outperformed the casual dining industry in guest traffic for the 2016 fiscal year by approximately 30 basis points, making it the fifth consecutive year of outperformance.



•

We repurchased $46.1 million of our common stock in fiscal 2016 under our stock repurchase program, thereby returning cash to our stockholders.

        Based on this performance, our named executive officers did not meet the performance goals necessary to achieve payout of the annual corporate bonus. In addition, only a small portion of the three-year long-term incentive that covered the last three fiscal years paid out despite relative outperformance in the two prior years.

Executive Compensation Decision-making

        The compensation committee determines target total direct compensation for named executive officers by establishing base salaries and setting long-term and annual incentive compensation targets. When appropriate, the committee also approves special awards and relatively modest perquisites. When determining target total direct compensation, the committee considers the following:

•

Company performance and our pay for performance compensation program design.



•

Benchmarking data for our restaurant peer group for target total direct compensation (base salaries, short-term incentives, and long-term incentives), based on disclosure in peer proxies and other applicable survey data.



•

Individual performance and areas of responsibility relative to the market data.



•

Compensation relative to other executive officers in the Company.



•

Advice from the committee's independent compensation consultant.



•

The CEO's recommendations with respect to the compensation of the executives who report directly to her, including the other named executive officers.



•

Whether our compensation program encourages unnecessary or excessive risk taking.



•

Results of the Company's say-on-pay votes in prior years.

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Pay for Performance Alignment

        Our compensation program is designed to pay for performance and link incentives to current and long-term sustained achievement of Company strategic goals. Accordingly, a significant portion of our named executive officers' compensation, excluding base salary, is incentive based, and is comprised of performance-based short-term and long-term awards. Such compensation therefore varies in value and is at-risk of forfeiture or reduced payout if performance goals are not achieved for cash-based incentives, or loss of value if our performance does not drive increases in our stock price. Financial measures such as EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) and ROIC (return on invested capital) used for the annual bonus and cash incentive grants are linked to the Company's strategic business plans that are reviewed and approved by our board of directors. Minimum financial targets must be achieved for any payouts of cash to be made under both the annual bonus and long-term incentive grants. Restricted stock units and stock options vest ratably over four years, the value of which is dependent, in whole or in part, on an increase in the Company's stock price.

        The compensation committee believes that the annual incentives (which are generally based on annual Company EBITDA or other financial targets) and the long-term incentives (the cash portions of which are currently based on three-year cumulative EBITDA and ROIC targets) place a large portion of the executive's pay at risk because such pay will fluctuate or vary in value based upon the level of performance achieved by the Company. Because incentive awards are performance-based, they are at risk of forfeiture or reduced payout if performance goals are not achieved. Moreover, long-term equity awards are at risk of forfeiture if the executive does not remain with the Company until the equity vests, and are at risk of reduced realized value based upon Company stock price at the date of exercise.

        Risk Profile of 2016 Named Executive Officer Compensation.    In 2016, "at-risk" or "variable pay" (subject to forfeiture or partial or complete loss of value) made up 80% of total target compensation for CEO compensation and 67% of total target compensation for the other named executive officers as a group and included short-term and long-term incentives. Short-term incentive pay, aligned with achievement of annual business results based on EBITDA, comprised 24% and 23% of our CEO's and other named executive officers' total target compensation opportunity, respectively. Long-term incentive ("LTI") awards that are designed to maximize retention and to link compensation to the Company's long-term stock price performance comprised 56% and 44% of our CEO's and other named executive officers' total target compensation, respectively. LTI awards are based on achievement of longer-term business goals adopted as part of our multi-year strategy.

        The charts below reflect the portion of the executives' 2016 compensation that is considered at risk or variable, because it is subject to forfeiture or partial or complete loss of value based on our compensation structure. The charts below represent the target total compensation.

CEO

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Other Named Executive Officers

Benchmarking

        Restaurant Peer Group.    Restaurant peer group companies are selected by the compensation committee upon recommendation of its compensation consultant, Aon Hewitt, and are based on their similarity to us with respect to several criteria, including revenue, size, and scope. Specifically, peers include U.S. public companies within the restaurant industry that have similar revenue and market value. The peer group used for 2016 compensation benchmarking consists of the 20 restaurant companies identified in the chart below. The Company ranked in the 53rd percentile for its peer group in sales and 41st percentile in market value based on Aon Hewitt compensation analysis conducted in 2015.

        2016 Compensation Setting.    The compensation committee uses competitive compensation data from the annual total compensation study of peer and other restaurant companies and other relevant survey sources to inform its decisions about overall compensation opportunities and specific compensation elements. Additionally, the compensation committee uses multiple reference points when establishing targeted compensation levels. The committee applies judgment and discretion in establishing targeted pay levels, considering not only competitive market data, but also factors such as company, business unit, and individual performance, scope of responsibility, critical needs and skill sets, leadership potential, and succession planning.

Independent Compensation Consultant

        The compensation committee has retained Aon Hewitt as its independent compensation consultant. Aon Hewitt assists with the compensation committee's annual review of our executive compensation program, cash and equity compensation practices, ongoing development of our executive compensation philosophy, and acts as an advisor to the compensation committee on compensation matters as they arise. Aon Hewitt also advises the compensation committee on compensation for the

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board of directors. In 2016, Aon Hewitt received $229,794 in fees for executive compensation consulting services provided on behalf of the compensation committee, and an additional $145,968 for other services provided by Aon Hewitt not related to executive compensation, at the request of management. The compensation committee evaluated Aon Hewitt's independence as its compensation consultant by considering each of the independence factors adopted by Nasdaq and the SEC. Based on such evaluation, the compensation committee believes that no conflict of interest exists that would prevent Aon Hewitt from independently representing the compensation committee.

Risk Mitigation

        The compensation committee considers, in establishing and reviewing our executive compensation program, whether the program encourages unnecessary or excessive risk taking. The factors considered by the committee include:

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the general design philosophy of our compensation policies and practices for employees whose behavior would be most affected by the incentives established by our compensation policies and practices, as such policies and practices relate to or affect risk taking by employees on our behalf, and the manner of their implementation;



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our risk assessment and incentive considerations in structuring our compensation policies and practices or in awarding and paying compensation;



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how our compensation policies and practices relate to the realization of risks resulting from the actions of employees in both the short term and the long term;



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our policies regarding adjustments to our compensation programs and practices to address changes in our risk profile; and



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material adjustments that we have made to our compensation policies and practices as a result of changes in our risk profile.

        The compensation committee believes that it has mitigated unnecessary risk taking in both the design of the compensation plans and the controls placed upon them because:

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payouts under our annual and long-term incentive compensation plans are capped;



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the compensation committee has the ability to reduce payouts under our annual incentive compensation plans in its discretion;



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executives are subject to robust stock ownership guidelines;



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executives are subject to anti-hedging policies with respect to our common stock;



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the performance goals under our incentive programs relate directly to the business plan approved by the board of directors; and



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there is an appropriate balance between our annual operating achievements and longer-term value creation, with a particular emphasis on longer-term value creation for our executives.

        The compensation committee completes this evaluation annually. Accordingly, based upon the foregoing, the Company believes that the risks arising from its compensation policies and practices are not reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on the Company.

Consideration of Prior Say-on-Pay Votes

        At our 2016 annual meeting of stockholders, holders of approximately 98.2% of the votes cast on such proposal approved the advisory vote ("say-on-pay") on the 2015 compensation of our named

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executive officers, which was consistent with the level of support we received in 2015 and 2014, when 99.0% and 99.5%, respectively, of stockholders voted for our "say-on-pay" proposal.

        We believe the level of support we received from stockholders for the last three years was driven in part by our sustained and continued improvement in performance and our commitment to pay for performance and link incentives to current and long-term sustained achievement of Company strategic goals. Based on our say-on-pay results, the compensation committee did not make significant structural changes to our executive compensation program for 2016. The compensation committee will continue to consider the results of the advisory vote on executive compensation in future executive compensation policies and decisions.

Key Components of our Executive Compensation Program

Base Salary

        Base salary provides a minimum level of remuneration to our named executive officers for their efforts. The compensation committee sets base salaries for our executives to reflect the scope of each executive's responsibilities, experience, and performance. The compensation committee reviews base salaries annually, and adjusts them from time to time to account for relevant factors such as market changes, as documented by the compensation consultant. The compensation committee also considers the CEO's evaluation of each executive's performance and reviews her salary recommendations for our executives.

Incentive-Based Compensation

        For our incentive-based compensation, the compensation committee utilizes a mix of performance metrics and time and tenure. Each type of metric serves a different purpose. The short-term (annual bonus) and the cash component of the long-term incentive awards are performance-based and require achievement of certain financial targets, measured over either one or three years. If the financial metrics are not achieved at a minimum threshold level at the end of the performance period, no payment is earned or made. The equity portion of the grants vests ratably over four years. The time-based vesting of the restricted stock units, a comparatively lesser portion of the total long-term incentive awards, is used primarily for retention purposes and to encourage stock ownership by executives, thereby aligning their interests with our stockholders. The stock options vest over time, but require improved stock price performance to realize value.

        Annual Performance-Based Incentive (Cash Bonus).    Annual performance-based cash bonuses are intended to reward achievement of short-term operating goals and financial performance that are incremental to long-term, sustained creation of stockholder value. Our annual bonuses are established with reference to the annual portion of our multi-year strategic plan and, although measured in one-year increments, are designed to tie each year's results into a long-term target. As the Company's business evolves and develops, the long-term targets may be revised with concurrent impact on each year's annual planning. Generally, the annual performance metrics are financial-based measures that the compensation committee believes are highly correlated to our strategic goals described above. The compensation committee continually evaluates the measures against which we gauge our performance and may incorporate additional or alternative metrics to incentivize executives to achieve appropriate performance targets and respond to industry changes or market forces.

        Each of our executives is eligible to receive an annual cash bonus based on achievement of certain performance objectives, predominantly based on annual EBITDA. The EBITDA measure was selected because we believe it best captures our operating results without reflecting the impact of decisions related to our growth, non-operating factors, and other matters. The EBITDA goal is intended to be a "stretch" goal, or challenging target, and is meant to encourage superior performance. The 2007 Plan and the Cash Incentive Plan permit the compensation committee to adjust, in its discretion, EBITDA

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for non-cash, non-recurring, or unusual items. The compensation committee approves the annual bonus program based on achievement of a predetermined range of minimum threshold, target, and maximum-level EBITDA and approves payout of the bonuses, if any, following review of actual results. Bonuses are based on a percentage of the executive's salary and are set based on market and peer comparisons, and the corresponding dollar payout value varies up or down depending on the actual EBITDA performance level. Bonuses are not payable at all if the minimum threshold of EBITDA is not achieved. The compensation committee sets the EBITDA ranges each year based on performance expectations and other factors. The compensation committee may add or substitute performance measures in future plans. The compensation committee may also use various factors to exercise negative discretion when evaluating performance for purposes of awarding annual incentive compensation. Prior to 2016, cash incentive awards were granted and paid pursuant to the 2007 Plan. In 2016, cash incentive awards were awarded and paid pursuant to the Cash Incentive Plan. Future cash incentive awards are anticipated to be granted under the new 2017 Plan.

        In addition, the compensation committee may approve special bonuses on an individual or group basis in recognition of extraordinary achievements, or to address other special situations.

        Long-Term Performance-Based Incentives.    The compensation committee determines the long-term incentive grants for the executive officers, including the named executive officers, pursuant to market data and with respect to comparisons to peer restaurant compensation practices. The compensation committee believes that a mix of performance and time-based cash and equity incentives provides an element of performance risk for executives and encourages equity ownership, thereby aligning the interests of executive officers with our stockholders.

        Long-term incentive grants consist of equity awards, typically in the form of restricted stock units and stock options, and a long-term cash incentive component. They are designed to focus management on our strategy of driving consistent, sustainable achievement of long-term goals, both incrementally and over long performance periods. The annual granting of multi-year performance compensation (including three-year performance targets) is designed to ensure that the execution of our strategic plan considers appropriate risks and returns and allows for initiatives that span several fiscal years.

        Currently, except as described below, the long-term incentive awards for executives consist of an equity component comprised of 40% stock options and 20% restricted stock units (both of which vest ratably over four years), and a 40% performance-based cash component. We use stock options to align the interests of our executive officers with stockholders because value is realized only if the stock price appreciates (stock price performance). We use restricted stock units to help retain our executives and further align their interests with our stockholders. The cash component is payable if cumulative EBITDA or ROIC targets are achieved over a three-year performance period. The cumulative EBITDA and ROIC long-term incentive cash metrics are independent of each other. The compensation committee selected a target earnings metric (cumulative EBITDA) and a return metric (ROIC) in the design of the long-term incentive cash design to achieve a balance between profitability and growth, and to effectively reward both. Both the EBITDA goal and the ROIC goal are intended to be "stretch" goals, or challenging targets, and are meant to encourage superior performance. The 2007 Plan and the Cash Incentive Plan permit the compensation committee to adjust, in its discretion, EBITDA or ROIC for non-cash, non-recurring, or unusual items. While there is some overlap with a metric in our annual performance-based cash bonuses and long-term incentive cash awards (EBITDA), in establishing this program prior to this year, the compensation committee believed this was appropriate because the annual performance-based cash bonus is focused on earnings in a particular year, whereas the three-year cumulative EBITDA used in the long-term incentive program is focused on progress over the three-year performance period and can be measured at any point in the performance period. The compensation committee believed that the longer-term nature of the long-term incentive cash program linked performance to our multi-year strategic plan and growth objectives and encouraged management's collaboration on strategic initiatives. Prior to 2016, equity incentive awards were paid

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pursuant to the 2007 Plan. In 2016, cash incentive awards were awarded and paid pursuant to the Cash Incentive Plan. 2017 cash incentive awards will be granted under the Cash Incentive Plan and future year awards are anticipated to be granted under the new 2017 Plan.

Employee Benefits

        We also provide certain other customary retirement and health and welfare benefits and other ancillary compensation to executives, which are in line with those offered to other groups of our employees, and which comprise a modest portion of our named executive officer compensation.

Modest Perquisites

        We offer relatively few perquisites to our executives, but we do provide certain benefits such as car allowances to our named executive officers and certain other employees. In addition, where appropriate, we offer usual and customary relocation expense reimbursements including related tax reimbursements.

Summary of 2016 Compensation Activity

Base Salary

        Named executive officer salaries for 2016 are set forth below. The compensation committee considers various factors when setting base salaries including peer compensation practices, the Company's performance, individual contributions, CEO recommendations for her direct reports, and other relevant matters.