59-Year-Old CEO of Red Robin Gets Hamburger Tattoo After Losing Bet with Employees

Denny Marie Post, a 59-year-old CEO with 30 years of experience in the food industry under her belt, seems an unlikely candidate for a tattoo, especially one depicting a hamburger. But that’s just what’s she had emblazoned on her formerly tattoo-free body this week, thanks to a bet she made to incentivize her employees to improve customer service.

Post runs the 550-restaurant-strong Red Robin Gourmet Burgers chain. Six months ago, she told mid-level managers that if they got better marks on a customer survey—which asked whether the customers would recommend the restaurant to a friend—then she would get a tattoo… of a Red Robin burger, naturally.

Photo courtesy of Red Robin.

Perhaps she thought they couldn’t do it.

But, lo and behold, following the tattoo challenge, the managers doubled their previous rate of improvement. Now, Post is going to be stuck with a burger on her arm. Forever.

Post said about her prospective tattoo: “My son, who is 22 and has three ‘tats, thinks this is hysterical. My husband is giving me a hard time.” She was scheduled to go to a tattoo parlor in Las Vegas during a company meeting. As one does.

Not exactly The Hangover, but then again, we don’t know what else went on in Vegas.

But we do now know one thing: how to get fast casual restaurant employees extra motivated. Just give them the image of their middle-aged boss sitting for a needle that will ink a burger on her body for life.

And we thought a raise might have done the trick. Silly us.