Sweetgreen Wants to Shed its Expensive Salad Image. Enter the Wraps.
- Salad chain pivots to wraps after years of R&D and supply chain tinkering
- Trial run expands to 70 locations following initial LA testing phase
- Company scrambles to shed 'bougie bowl' reputation as inflation-weary diners look for value
- New menu items aim to capture the grab-and-go crowd that finds bowls too cumbersome
Brief Summary
Sweetgreen is betting big on the tortilla to save its bottom line, rolling out a new line of wraps to shake off the 'expensive salad' stigma. After two years of testing, the company is betting that portability and a new form factor will entice customers who are tired of paying a premium for a bowl they have to stab at with a plastic fork.
Why This Matters
This move signals a broader shift in the fast-casual sector as companies struggle to justify rising menu prices to diners who are increasingly tightening their belts. If you are tired of paying double digits for a bowl of greens that leaves you hungry an hour later, this is a sign that the industry is finally realizing that convenience and perceived value are the only things keeping them afloat. Keep an eye on the price points; if these wraps don't actually offer more bang for your buck, it is just another expensive way to eat the same old lunch.