POPULAR COFFEE CHAIN IS TAKING OVER DOZENS OF SALAD AND GO LOCATIONS

Just one day after Salad and Go permanently closed all of its locations, another drive-thru chain is already moving in.

Dutch Bros announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire the real estate and related site assets of up to 65 former Salad and Go locations across Arizona, Nevada, Oklahoma, and Texas. The deal is expected to close during the third quarter of 2026, pending approvals and other customary closing conditions.

Rather than reopening the restaurants as Salad and Go locations, Dutch Bros plans to convert the sites into new coffee shops beginning in 2027.

“New shop growth is one of the most important drivers of our long-term strategy, and this potential site acquisition demonstrates how we’re investing to accelerate that growth,” Dutch Bros CEO and President Christine Barone said in a statement.

Barone added that the locations would help Dutch Bros strengthen its presence in four markets where the company already has strong brand awareness and sees room for further expansion.

The news comes immediately after Salad and Go announced that every remaining location would close permanently, with final service taking place on August 5. The drive-thru salad chain said it was unable to overcome weak consumer demand, rising costs, and challenges stemming from its earlier rapid expansion.

Fans were quick to mourn the loss of Salad and Go’s affordable salads, breakfast burritos, and convenient drive-thru format. Now, many of those familiar buildings could soon be serving energy drinks, flavored lemonades, and heavily customized coffee instead.

The acquisition also makes practical sense for Dutch Bros. Salad and Go’s compact drive-thru restaurants were designed around quick service and limited indoor space, making them a natural fit for another business built around beverages and cars.

For customers still processing the loss of their go-to salad spot, seeing it transformed into a Dutch Bros may feel a little abrupt. But for Dutch Bros, it is an unusually convenient way to add dozens of ready-made drive-thru locations without starting entirely from scratch.

2026-08-06T21:08:54Z