ORLANDO, Fla. — Restaurant busboys, in line to earn a little more dough this year as minimum wage hikes hit across the country, are instead losing their jobs as chains look to cut costs.

One chain axing jobs is Red Robin, which hopes to save about $8 million this year by eliminating busboys at each of its 570 restaurants, the company said Monday.

Red Robin restaurants are located mostly in Western states, where the minimum wage has risen more quickly.

The Colorado-based chain already eliminated so-called expediters — who plate the food in the kitchen — and realized a cost savings of nearly $10 million last year, it said.

“We need to do that to address the labor increases we’ve seen,” Red Robin’s chief financial officer Guy Constant told attendees at the ICR retail conference held here.

The casual dining chain has been investing in ramping up its delivery options, according to management. Existing staff is expected to pick up the slack once the busboys are eliminated.

While costs will definitely be pared, the problem with slashing busboy jobs is that it cuts into customer service, said restaurant consultant John Gordon.