Salad and Go, the drive-thru restaurant chain known for its affordable salads and healthy meals, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and announced it will permanently close all of its remaining locations after final service on August 5.
The company said it filed voluntary petitions for relief under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division.
“Chapter 11 provides a court-supervised framework for the company to realize the value of its assets and to meet its obligations in an orderly manner,” the company said in a statement, per Fox 4 KDFW.
Founded in Gilbert, Arizona, in 2013, Salad and Go grew into a regional chain with about 140 company-owned restaurants across several states. In early 2024, the company announced that it had more than 40 locations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, with plans to continue expanding throughout the metroplex, The Dallas Express reported at the time.
The company closed all of its Texas and Oklahoma locations earlier this year as part of an effort to focus on its remaining 70 restaurants in its core markets in Arizona and Nevada.
Why Salad and Go Is Closing
The company attributed its collapse to a combination of declining consumer demand, rising operating costs, and challenges tied to its earlier expansion strategy.
“While Salad and Go earned the support and loyalty of a deeply passionate community, the business was ultimately unable to overcome sustained pressure on consumer demand, past strategic growth challenges and rising costs,” the company said, per Fox 4.
Salad and Go also pointed to the broader impact of a nationwide Cyclospora outbreak in July, saying the foodborne illness scare hurt consumer confidence across the produce industry even though the chain was not linked to any reported illnesses.
“A Cyclospora outbreak in July, in which Salad and Go was not implicated, weakened confidence across the industry and compounded these challenges,” the statement said.
The company had already been scaling back operations after closing dozens of restaurants in Texas and Oklahoma. CEO Mike Tattersfield previously said the chain’s rapid expansion into Texas created operational challenges because the business relied on large centralized kitchens capable of serving hundreds of restaurants.
CEO Reflects on Company’s Closure
Chief Executive Officer Mike Tattersfield called the shutdown a difficult moment for employees and customers.
“This is a painful day for everyone who built, worked for and loved Salad and Go,” Tattersfield said, Fox 4 reported. “Our mission was brought to life every day by an extraordinary team and embraced by guests who made us part of their routines. We are proud of what we built together and grateful to every team member, guest and partner who believed in it.”
The announcement came just hours after the company promoted a new Coconut Lemonade with cold foam on its Instagram account, prompting frustrated comments from customers, including some asking what would happen to recently purchased gift cards.
Former Owners Respond
The founders who sold the company in 2021 and now operate the restaurant chain Angie’s described the bankruptcy announcement as “bittersweet” in a social media post.
They said Salad and Go was created with the belief that healthy, affordable food should be widely accessible and added that they continue pursuing that mission through their new business.
The bankruptcy marks the latest in a series of restaurant industry restructurings as chains continue to face rising costs, shifting consumer spending habits and increased competition.
Provided by Dallas Express
