There would have been a time when people would have never thought of fast food and salad together, but salad chains have become quite trendy in recent years. We're not talking about those poor excuses for health food that McDonald's offers up either, because these are chains that pride themselves on fresh ingredients and great dressings. We've tried 11 of them, and we're counting them down for you, from the ones you can skip to the one that you should go to as soon as you get the chance. Take a look at our ranking of 11 fast food salad chains.
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00:00These days, our favorite leafy green lunches are getting full-on makeovers as dedicated
00:06salad chains pop up all over the country. There are so many options out there these
00:10days that it can be overwhelming. Where should you choose to go? Let's talk worst and best.
00:17Like most salad chains, Grab a Green lets you choose from their salad creations on the
00:22menu or to build your own from scratch. Unfortunately, their salad selection itself isn't very original
00:28or exciting. You've got your Caesar and your Cobb, and not much else. However, Grab a Green
00:34almost makes up for their salad selection with some interesting bowl creations, like
00:39the Riviera with spicy shrimp, red pepper, and creamy avocado sauce, or the Tokyo Bay,
00:44which is basically a sushi bowl, and the Patagonia, with its steak in chimichurri sauce. Any of
00:50these bowls can be made with greens instead of grains to make it a true salad.
00:55On top of a full menu of salads and grain bowls, Grab a Green also offers a range of
00:59smoothies and fresh-pressed juices, so that's a bonus. All in all, this chain is fine, but
01:04there are definitely more enticing options out there, with a little more salad inspiration
01:08on the menu.
01:10One of the little guys among the big names in the salad game today, Tost started serving
01:15up salads in New York City way back in 1998. At some point, this little chain seemingly
01:20had big plans. It's not clear how or why those plans fizzled out specifically, but it doesn't
01:26necessarily say good things about the chain's broader appeal. The menu at tiny salad chain
01:31Tost offers up a solid range of salads to choose from, plus bowls, wraps and sandwiches,
01:36and smoothies. Tost prides itself on featuring over 50 fresh ingredients and homemade dressings
01:41to choose from, with a few delicious-sounding options, like jicama and pesto chicken, that
01:46you don't find at every salad chain. And as far as the dressings go, it's going to
01:51be hard deciding between some truly creative options, and that gives this chain some much-needed
01:55bonus points.
01:56I'm still so out of shape. How's it working with the putting the dressing on the side?
02:01Good, but I don't understand why it's healthier to drink it all at once.
02:05Saladworks is one of the few chains growing to all corners of the country, and now operates
02:10105 locations in more than 20 states. While there is clearly some mass appeal for Saladworks,
02:16the chain's driving mission is to be original above all else, and that's where they kind
02:21of fall flat. While Saladworks does offer a full menu of salad and grain bowl creations,
02:26plus wraps and paninis, you can't really call a grilled chicken Caesar or a turkey melt
02:31original.
02:32They've also got their own spins on a Cobb salad, a Mediterranean salad, and a Mandarin
02:36chicken salad with oranges, and the mandatory wonton strips, among others. Maybe the conventional
02:41choices are the secret behind their appeal, but really, if you're going to go out of your
02:45way to go to a salad joint, you're better off getting something more unique.
02:49Just Salad has effectively hailed itself as New York City's go-to salad spot, where you
02:54can also build your own salad starting at $8.29. That'll get you greens of your choice
02:59plus four basic toppings before the extra charges start adding up. Price-wise, you might
03:04fare better choosing from one of Just Salad's menu creations, which are all under $11.
03:10While the classic and signature salad seemed a little underwhelming, here's the real kicker
03:14about Just Salad. They will not chop your salad for you anymore. If you really don't
03:18want to deal with salad contents fighting their way out of your bowl as you dig in,
03:22then you're in for a disappointment. While many customers aren't happy with the change,
03:26the company's CEO says they aren't looking back. If that's a deal-breaker for you, go
03:30elsewhere.
03:31I can't eat anything there.
03:33It's the same menu.
03:34There's no big salad.
03:36Hale & Hearty is primarily known for its expansive and constantly rotating soup menu, but their
03:41salad offerings are enough to land it in our ranking. Maybe that's because you can always
03:46grab a steaming cup of something warm and hearty on the side of your salad, or maybe
03:50it's because you can order smaller side salads for your soup with ingredients like pineapple
03:55and fresh mozzarella. But their fresh ingredients and signature creations, like the Avocado
04:00Green Goddess and the Hearty Chicken Avocado, also don't hurt.
04:04And despite the large menu of soups, salads, and sandwiches that Hale & Hearty is serving
04:08The chain manages to deliver great service and good food at a fast pace to busy and hungry
04:14customers even during the hectic New York City lunch rush hours. And the long lines
04:19that come with it. And that's saying something.
04:22When it comes to fast food salad chains, Freshy was one of the first on the scene and is a
04:26health food lover's paradise, with a menu featuring salads, bowls, wraps, soups, breakfast,
04:32and even frozen yogurt. And there's always new things to try. After all, the company
04:37thrives on a promise to regularly release new items.
04:41As far as salads go at Freshy, you're probably better off building your own. If you're looking
04:45for creative, healthy options at this chain that don't require listing off that many ingredients,
04:50turn to the bowl and burrito offerings.
04:53Freshy gets an additional nod for its commitment to being green. All of the restaurant's packaging
04:57is made from biodegradable or easily recyclable materials. Plus, instead of tossing your salad
05:02in a bowl, employees shake up the ingredients in biodegradable bags, which Freshy says leave
05:07less of a carbon footprint than a dishwasher.
05:10"...some basil. And salad dressing, I think."
05:13"...salad dressing?"
05:14"...yeah, it's a caprese salad. Just a little bit of mozzarella right there."
05:19Family-owned Fresh & Co. brings together feel-good farm-to-table food in a fast, casual environment.
05:24The chain now operates a dozen locations in New York City and the surrounding area, and
05:29sources many of its ingredients from its own farm in nearby Long Island.
05:33As far as the menu goes, Fresh & Co. gets a major nod for its creative salad and grain
05:38bowl offerings. We've certainly got eyes for the falafel salad, the Mexican Caesar, and
05:42the Santa Fe salad. Unfortunately, Fresh & Co. is another chain that won't chop your salads
05:47for you, but it's possible you might be tempted anyway by the yummy sandwiches that are also
05:51available. Not to mention, Fresh & Co. has a delicious breakfast menu as well, complete
05:56with omelets, sandwiches, oatmeal, smoothies, and more.
06:00If you're looking for a lunch that's full of wholesome and unique ingredients served
06:03in an uplifting environment, the new chain on the block Crisp & Green will not disappoint.
06:08The restaurant was founded in 2016 and has grown quickly since then. With eight locations
06:14in Minnesota and Texas, and plenty more plans to expand across five states, Crisp & Green
06:19is aiming to elevate the experience of the fast, casual experience, while colorful salads
06:24like the Hashtag Squash Goals and the No Prob Cob topped with Jalapeno Green Goddess Dressing
06:30are also helping to draw salad lovers through the door.
06:33You might also get a little more bang for your buck at Crisp & Green. A Build Your Own
06:37Salad starts at $7.50, which is lower than some of the other competing salad chains.
06:42And for a few extra dollars and cents, you can add all your favorite toppings, plus custom
06:46ingredients like Maple Roasted Butternut Squash, Roasted Corn and Poblano, and Apple Cider
06:52Pumpkin Seed Dressing.
06:54To be honest, Tender Greens is truly so much more than a quick salad chain. It's a fine
06:58dining-inspired fast, casual sensation. The menu is bountiful and seasonal. Beyond salads
07:04and bowls, you can also grab hearty custom dinner plates, plus soups, desserts, and larger
07:09family meals. They even serve brunch now. However, the salads do stand out in their
07:14own right with colorful, vibrant, fresh options to choose from.
07:18Simply put, Tender Greens serves up all-around good food made from locally sourced ingredients
07:23in a stylish environment, and it doesn't get any better than that. The chain even grabbed
07:28the attention of Shake Shack founder Danny Meyer, who opened locations on the East Coast
07:32until the pandemic forced those locations to close.
07:36Perhaps no chain is more synonymous with trendy, healthy, and Instagrammable salad lunches
07:41than Sweetgreen. From the moment you walk into the restaurant, minimally decorated and
07:46open with white paint and reclaimed wood, everything about Sweetgreen embodies the curated
07:51yet effortlessly relaxed, locally sourced, and heartfelt essence of the growing green
07:56movement.
07:57When you step up to the counter, you're greeted by an inviting display of local craft ingredients
08:02to choose from. But the chef-designed salad and bowl creations on the menu are not to
08:07be missed. They're unique, balanced with tons of flavor, and packed full of nutrients.
08:13Sweetgreen is very open about its commitment to do business better across the board, starting
08:17with supporting the farmers and producers it works with. But truthfully, all this means
08:21is that you're going to spend a little more at Sweetgreen than other salad chains out
08:26But in return, you'll get a more elevated experience and a very high-quality meal.
08:31In today's world where fancy salads are dominating in the lunch scene and salad chains are sprouting
08:36like veggies, one of the pioneers in the industry remains on top. Chopped, which calls itself
08:41the Creative Salad Company, first launched in New York City way back in 2001 and is still
08:48creating craveable, seasonal salad creations that go for around $10. Plus, the chain will
08:53still chop your salad for you if you ask, and that's a total win.
08:57And with two decades of salad crafting under their belt, it's no surprise that we are hooked
09:01on the super interesting menu creations at Chopped, like the Havana Bowl and the Kebab
09:06Cob. At the end of the day, Chopped holds steady at the top of our ranking because it
09:10will give you everything you are looking for in a quick, tasty, healthy, and reasonably
09:15priced salad lunch. No surprises, no distractions, and no frills. Just good salad.