Salad and Go to reopen in Phoenix. What to know

In August, customers flooded drive-thrus across the Valley to order what they thought would be their last Salad and Go lunches. Just over two months after the chain filed for bankruptcy and promptly closed all its locations, Salad and Go’s founding chef announced he’ll bring it back from the dead.

Chef Daniel Patiño bought Salad and Go’s intellectual property and took over the leases of two former Salad and Go drive-thrus in Gilbert and Mesa. A U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge approved the purchase on Wednesday. 

He and his business partners, Mike Myers and Tom Misitano, announced their plans in a Facebook post.

“We’re looking forward to bringing back the fresh, quality food, great value, and genuine hospitality that made Salad & Go such a special part of so many Arizona communities,” the post said in part. “We have a lot of work ahead of us, but we couldn’t be more excited about this next chapter.”

Where will Salad and Go reopen?

The group has acquired drive-thrus at Williams Field and Highley roads in Gilbert and on Southern Avenue and Alma School Road in Mesa. It’s unclear when those locations will reopen.  

Salad and Go got its start in Gilbert in 2013. Before crafting healthy eats for the chain, Patiño worked at high-end eateries, including Bourbon Steak at Fairmont Scottsdale Princess. Myers and Misitano’s Hospitality First Concepts is behind Back Alley BBQ, The D.T.C. Sports Grille and the Rusty Buckle Saloon.

Salad and Go founders Tony and Roushan Christofellis sold the chain to the private equity firm Volt Investments in 2021. Over the last few years, the chain expanded rapidly into Texas, Oklahoma and Nevada. In its bankruptcy filing, the company noted it faced growth challenges and rising costs.

Two coffee chains — 7 Brew and Dutch Bros — vied in an auction to take over Salad and Go’s empty drive-thrus. The Arkansas-based 7 Brew won, buying most of the Valley’s shuttered Salad and Go locations in September. 

Dutch Bros has snapped up five drive-thrus around the Valley in a separate auction. The dirty soda shop Swig will take over another 10 Valley drive-thrus. 

The revived Salad and Go won’t be the only one to offer fast salads from these former outposts. The New York-based chain Just Salad will take over three spots in Phoenix, Gilbert and Surprise. 

The new Salad and Go owners plan to reopen locations in Arizona, run corporate-owned restaurants and relaunch franchising, per their announcement.

“When I saw the opportunity to rebuild Salad and Go, I couldn’t pass it up,” Myers said in the post. “Tom has been my longtime partner and was an original investor in Salad and Go. And Daniel’s passion for what he does is infectious. Bringing the three of us together to rebuild this brand just made sense.”