Salad and Go is now focusing on growing in Arizona and Nevada while reportedly eyeing a return to Texas later.
- Several media reports noted that Salad & Go was closing 25 stores in Texas and seven stores in Oklahoma.
- In comparison, rival Sweetgreen has 20 stores in Texas and no operations in Oklahoma.
- In 2025, Sweetgreen’s shares had lost nearly 80% of their value, while in the first four days of the new year, it had gained about 8%.
In a scenario where fast-food chains are struggling to drum up demand, restaurants focusing on serving healthier food have been able to attract customers and expand their footprint, but not all are seeing outright success.
Salad and Go, for instance, has decided to exit two states, leaving many wondering if rival Sweetgreen benefits from this. The latter is known for making customizable salads and bowls and promoting healthy, accessible, and convenient food.
To build on the demand for healthier food, Sweetgreen has expansions and new store openings planned as Americans heavily focus on health and choose drinks and food that cater to their well-being, driving sales at Cava Group, and something that Chipotle Mexican Grill is trying to capitalize on.
The Salad & Go Store Closures
Several media reports noted that Salad & Go was closing 25 stores in Texas and seven stores in Oklahoma. The company has been working on expanding its operations in the Arizona and Nevada region. The latest move follows the closure of 41 Salad & Go stores in Austin, San Antonio, and Houston in September last year.
The total store count for Salad & Go has now come down to 70, with the company reportedly aiming to return to Texas and Oklahoma when conditions are favourable.
In comparison, rival Sweetgreen has 20 stores in Texas, 2 restaurants in Arizona, and no operations in Oklahoma and Nevada. Sweetgreen had entered the Arizona market in 2025.
In November, Sweetgreen noted that it expects to open 40 new restaurants in 2025 and would end the year with 37 net openings, with two planned for early 2026.
Sweetgreen’s 2025
Foot traffic to restaurant chains has slowed, with customers cautious about eating outside as the cost of living remains high amid ongoing tariffs and price increases. CEO Jonathan Neman noted last year that Sweetgreen's macroeconomic pressures, weaker industry trends, and a decline in traffic impacted sales, as people were looking for more budget-friendly options.
Sweetgreen’s stock had hit an all-time low after the company reported feeble quarterly earnings in November. In 2025, Sweetgreen’s shares had lost nearly 80% of their value, while in the first four days of the new year, it had gained about 8%.
UBS said this week that the company's long-term growth potential remains intact, but near-term pressure will limit visibility into its recovery. The firm said it believes Sweetgreen's store traffic and sales will take time to inflect positively amid macro pressures and its challenged customer cohorts.
What Is Retail Thinking?
Retail sentiment on Sweetgreen has improved to ‘neutral’ from ‘bearish’ territory a month ago, with message volumes at ‘high’ levels, according to data from Stocktwits.
A user on Stocktwits noted that Sweetgreen has more locations than Chipotle had in 2006, before it expanded to over 3,000 restaurants.
In the past year, Sweetgreen witnessed a nearly 50% spike in Stocktwits followers, while message volume soared by 375%.
Shares of Sweetgreen, however, have fallen more than 77% in the last 12 months.
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