Let’s Talk About The Rise Of Salad Shops

Well, it’s about time.

Photo by Dan Gold on Unsplash

I’ll let you guys in on a little secret: I’m a salad fiend. When I’m not eating hot pot or candy, I’m chowing down on salads and poke bowls. Those four food groups basically make up the bulk of my diet these days.

Truth be told, I always enjoyed salads.

They’re fresh. They’re crunchy. I add salad dressing to it and it tastes great. I often end up feeling better after eating a salad. Whether or not that’s just a matter of vitamin deficiencies or not is beyond me.

When I was a standard-size model, salads and beef were the bulk of my diet. (I’m actually debating going back to that, to be fair, but that’s another thing altogether.)

This is a huge change from the past.

In my teen years and early twenties, it was not easy for a person on a diet to find a salad shop to dine at. When I’d ask for a salad at a restaurant, the waitress would look at my frail frame with a knowing nod and the rest of the table would roll their eyes.

“No one goes out to eat a salad!” I’d hear from my entourage. “Eat something more substantial. That’s why we’re going out to eat!”

I mean, dude. I just want to eat salads. I wanna be that happy white woman eating salad in stock photography from time to time, okay? Let me have this thing.

Thankfully, things are changing pretty fast. It all started when I saw this salad restaurant back up north called Sweetgreen. Yum! Then I saw Cava. Delicious stuff. Then I moved, and then I saw another one here. And another salad shop called Chopt. Then another, and another, and another.

Around my local area, there are at least eight or nine restaurants that focus on salads and rice bowls — also known as harvest bowls or Buddha bowls. That number seems to be growing, alongside smoothie bars and fruit salad shopps like Playa Bowls.

Salad chains are really, really booming…and the numbers don’t lie.

Let’s start with the elephant in the room — or should we say the lettuce in the bowl? Limited-service salad was the fastest-growing restaurant segment in America last year, with its 23 chains in the Top 500 seeing systemwide sales growth of 17.4% in 2022. That’s not just growth; that’s a rocket ship strapped to a head of romaine lettuce.

Take Salad and Go, for instance. This Phoenix-born chain has been expanding at a pace that would make Amazon jealous. CEO Charlie Morrison, who left the top spot at Wingstop to helm the salad up-and-comer in 2022, in January said the chain planned to open nearly one restaurant every week through 2024, saying it will be a “breakout year” for the brand.

That’s 52 new locations in a single year — talk about aggressive growth!

Crisp & Green, a Minnesota-based fast-casual chain that specializes in salads, grain bowls, and smoothies, just announced plans to open 11 new locations in the Midwest starting in 2025, with a whopping 150 additional new locations in development right now.

Even chicken salad is getting in on the action. Chicken Salad Chick, which serves a variety of chicken salads, sandwiches, soups, and sides, has expanded to more than 250 restaurants since it was founded in 2008 and just announced that it has inked 18 agreements that will see franchisees develop 53 new restaurants over the next several years.

So what’s the deal with the sudden green rush?

I looked into it. Here’s the straight dope on the green stuff.

The Health Revolution (Finally!)

For years, Americans have been saying they want healthier fast food while simultaneously ordering Big Macs. There was a low-key, longtime stigma around salads — often around the assumption that they were flavorless.

But something’s changed. People are ready to actually embrace healthier options because sticking to mainstream food has not been paying off.

The pandemic played a huge role in this shift. People became more conscious about their health, and suddenly, that burger and fries combo felt less like comfort food and more like a questionable life choice.

Salad has become a fashion statement once more. It’s hot to be healthy, especially when health insurance is so pricey. Moreover, a slim waistline is still a major status symbol.

Part of the reason for this boom also deals with inclusivity. There’s a salad for everyone! The demand for protein-rich and plant-based meals continues to fuel salad’s popularity, aligning with the rise of vegan diets.

The Convenience Factor

But health alone isn’t driving this boom. These aren’t your grandmother’s salads that take an hour to prep and wilt faster than your motivation on Monday morning. Modern salad chains have figured out the holy grail of food service: making healthy food as convenient as junk food.

Salad and Go is a healthy alternative to traditional fast food, with a unique model that leverages Central Kitchens to offer made-to-order options at under $7 for a salad with protein — an unprecedented price, especially as food inflation continues to pressure consumers. When you can get a protein-packed salad for less than a typical fast-food meal, the value proposition becomes pretty compelling.

The Tech Revolution

These chains aren’t just slinging lettuce; they’re tech companies that happen to serve food. Digital sales are through the roof for food all over the block, but it seems to be hitting health food a bit different.

Just Salad’s average unit volume is about $2 million. Kenner said about half of sales come from digital channels, where guests can customize their salads and see nutritional facts in real time as they build their orders.

Imagine building your salad online and watching the calorie count, protein content, and nutritional breakdown update in real-time as you add ingredients. It’s like having a nutritionist in your pocket, except this one doesn’t judge you for adding extra salad dressing.

The Investment Frenzy: When Salad Becomes Unicorn Status

Here’s where things get really interesting. Just Salad hit “unicorn” status in February having secured a $200 million investment that brought its valuation to $1 billion.

Let that sink in: a salad chain is now worth a billion dollars. We’re officially living in the future. But it’s not just about the money. It’s the fact that the company is really, really good at what it does.

Is salad going to remain a hot pick in the future?

Honestly? It’s hard to tell. Food trends come and go, which is why it’s so impressive when a trendy restaurant survives for more than 20 years. Burgers remain a hot item for everyone, so why not salads?

I’m of the school of thought that salads aren’t about to go anywhere anytime soon. Our society is changing. Veganism and vegetarianism are booming. People are getting increasingly worried about their waistlines as well as their hospital bills.

As our markets get more diverse, people are going to want to congregate at places that have something for everyone. And salads? Well, they fit that bill. So who knows. Maybe people will finally go green in a different way.

This salad fan? Yeah, I’m hoping that’s the case.

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Bending over backward.