Salad & Go to return to Arizona

Tucson residents who lost all seven local Salad and Go restaurants in August may eventually have another chance to buy the chain’s made to order salads, wraps and other fresh meals. The Arizona drive through brand is planning a comeback, although the first two returning restaurants are expected to open in Gilbert and Mesa rather than Tucson. The company has not announced a reopening location in the Tucson area or provided a detailed schedule for bringing back its former local restaurants.

The return is being organized by Salad and Go co founder and corporate chef Daniel Patiño, in partnership with Hospitality First Concepts co founders Mike Myers and Tom Misitano. Myers, who is also known as Hospitality Mike, announced the partnership on Instagram on Oct. 14. The group said it plans to open two Arizona restaurants before the end of the year, with additional locations expected afterward.

Patiño confirmed that one of the first restaurants will be at Williams Field Road and Higley Road in Gilbert. The other will be in Mesa, although its specific location was not provided. The partners said they were able to obtain the brand’s intellectual property and successfully bid on two former Salad and Go properties. Their immediate plan is to operate corporate owned restaurants, while eventually making franchise opportunities available in Arizona and elsewhere in the country.

For Tucson customers, the comeback follows a sudden and sweeping shutdown. Salad and Go closed every one of its 70 restaurants after its final guest service on Aug. 5, including seven locations in the Tucson area. The company then filed voluntary petitions for protection under Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The filing came after a period of rapid expansion and financial pressure, with the company citing supply chain problems, higher costs and the effects of a Cyclospora outbreak among the challenges it faced.

The bankruptcy process also put the former restaurants up for grabs. Dutch Bros attempted to purchase the closed locations, but 7 Brew ultimately won the bidding contest. A bankruptcy judge approved 7 Brew’s purchase of 36 Arizona locations on Tuesday, including 30 in the Phoenix area. That deal means the returning Salad and Go team will not be able to simply reclaim every former restaurant, and it helps explain why the initial comeback will rely on selected locations in the Valley rather than an immediate statewide reopening.

Patiño said the closure was not the end of the concept he helped create. He described the new effort as a chance to return Salad and Go to the qualities customers valued most, including fresh ingredients, food prepared in house, affordable prices and quick service through a drive through. The company’s original appeal was built around giving customers a healthier alternative to typical fast food without requiring the time or cost of a traditional sit down restaurant.

That value remains central to the brand’s supporters. Customers interviewed in the Phoenix area said Salad and Go provided substantial portions for the price and worked for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Others appreciated having an option beyond burgers and said they were disappointed when the restaurants disappeared. The customer reaction suggests the chain had developed a following not only among people seeking salads, but also among households looking for convenient meals that fit different parts of the day.

Patiño acknowledged that the previous operation had areas that could have been handled better, while saying the team had learned from the experience. He said he had spent recent weeks examining what customers liked about Salad and Go and wanted to make sure those elements returned with the new restaurants. Myers similarly said the partnership aims to restore the food, value and hospitality that had made the chain meaningful in communities across Arizona.

There is no announced date for a Tucson reopening, and no information yet about whether any of the seven former local locations will return under the Salad and Go name. For now, Tucson customers will need to watch for further decisions as the Gilbert and Mesa restaurants move toward opening. The partners’ stated goal is broader than two restaurants, however. They intend to rebuild the Arizona presence, add more company operated locations and eventually expand through franchising, giving the brand another opportunity to establish itself after its bankruptcy and statewide closure.