It’s a wrap—or three—for Sweetgreen.
The Los Angeles-based fast casual known for its salads and bowls announced Tuesday that it is testing a trio of protein-packed wraps at participating restaurants across New York, the Midwest and select Los Angeles locations.
The three wraps in test include:
• Classic Chicken Caesar, made with roasted chicken, Parmesan crisps, shaved Parmesan, garlic breadcrumbs, chopped romaine, Caesar dressing and a lemon squeeze
• Chicken Jalapeño Ranch, featuring blackened chicken, corn salsa, white cheddar, pickled onions, tortilla chips, white rice and charred jalapeño ranch
• Chicken Salad Bacon Club, a combo of green goddess chicken salad, crumbled bacon, avocado, garlic breadcrumbs, tomatoes, chopped romaine and garlic aioli
All use a flour tortilla as the wrapper and each provides 40 or more grams protein per wrap.
The wraps are easy to execute, as the ingredients are mixed in the same way as the salads then transferred to a flour tortilla instead of a bowl.
“We’ve consistently heard from guests who love our bowls but are looking for more variety, especially options that can be more on the go but still satisfying,” said a Sweetgreen spokesperson in an email to Restaurant Business. “As routines get busier, they want choices that work across more moments in their day, from a quick lunch to an easy dinner, commuting, or eating on the go.”
And for a fast casual with a reputation for high check averages, the wraps boast a pretty gentle price tag—under $15 for any variety and starting at $10.95 at some New York City locations. Delivery charges can jack up the price.
“The full [wrap] lineup is priced below $15 across all locations for in-store and pick up, reflecting Sweetgreen’s continued focus on delivering greater value across the menu, including more accessible price points, without ever sacrificing the quality of its ingredients,” said the spokesperson.
Sweetgreen has been actively working on changing its value perception, aiming for a $13 price point with some items it brought to the menu over the summer, including the Tamari Crunch Bowl, and introducing a seasonal $10 Harvest Bowl during the holidays.
“Wraps are about giving our guests more reasons to choose Sweetgreen,” Zipporah Allen, Sweetgreen’s chief commercial officer, said in a statement. “They deliver the satisfaction people expect from a wrap, upgraded with real ingredients, quality and scratch cooking standards that define Sweetgreen. This test allows us to explore how this new portable menu item fits into our guests’ everyday routines and expands our customer base.”
Sweetgreen also continues to expand its menu platforms to change a long-held perception that it’s primarily a salad destination. The chain added more dinner-focused proteins, like caramelized garlic steak, to create heartier bowls and introduced Protein Plates a couple of years ago. Ingredients including miso glazed salmon and herb-roasted chicken thighs star in the center of those plates.
Wraps are not traditionally targeted to the dinner crowd but consumers seem to be getting a little bowl-weary lately. Chipotle founder Steve Ells, a fast-casual bowl pioneer, recently launched a sandwich concept called Counter Service. The three-unit NYC-based fast casual proudly proclaims on its signage: “Not a bowl place...a sandwich place."
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