Lettuce Take a Look at Allergy Policies in American Salad Chains
I am a big fan of the “there are two types of people in this world” phenomenon. My personal favorite is the one that states, “There are some normal people who have mature palates. Then there are people who do not like salad.” All jokes aside, I identify with the former, craving the occasional salad, whether it be a house dressing glazed romaine assortment or a pre-meal caesar with a dash of parmesan cheese. My mouth is watering just picturing these images in my mind.
While I would not consider myself a salad fanatic or connoisseur by any means, I choose to blame my mere “liking” instead of intense “obsession” on my limited selection of salad types due to my food allergies. Most times, even if I manage to ensure that my salad dressing remains nut and sesame free, this same assurance fails to apply to croutons, as there is never any guarantee that the original bread was separated from all seeds. I am left to indulge in a carb-free, bread-less salad if I wish to enjoy my meal and my life simultaneously. This may seem “unfair” by the standards of individuals without allergies, but to those with severe nut and sesame allergies, this is essentially the norm. As always, my aim is to bring to light what American corporations are currently doing to adapt to allergy concerns by analyzing how popular salad chains publish allergy information.
In order to examine what the general public perceives to be the best salad locations, I am choosing to trust the opinions of writer and culinary expert Rocco Smith and his article “The Most Popular Salad Chains in America” published in Restaurant Clicks, a site dedicated to meal advice. Although Smith details nine of the best chains, this article will only delve into the first three, as they provide sufficient evidence as to the allergy policies of American salad corporations.
Beginning with what Smith names the best salad chain, sweetgreen has various locations across the United States, most of which are featured in major cities (among them being New York City, Los Angeles, Miami, Austin, and more). Being such a widespread meal location that also happens to be endorsed by well-known celebrities such as Devin Booker and Naomi Osaka, it would be reasonable to assume that sweetgreen would make extreme efforts to include allergy-having consumers. However, that is regrettably not the case. Upon searching for sweetgreen’s allergy policies, it is clear that sweetgreen lacks concern for nut and sesame allergens, as it immediately appears with the message “At sweetgreen we use all major allergens in our kitchens, so we cannot guarantee that our food is completely free of any allergen. If you have a severe allergy, we recommend not ordering from our restaurant.” Instead of making any attempt, no matter how feeble, of progression and inclusion, sweetgreen maintains the blunt stance that they would rather exclude a numerous amount of potential consumers than make any separation or cleansing efforts.
As per usual, this message is not only necessary, but also deeply appreciated in that it ensures complete safety through avoidance; however, one can be simultaneously appreciative and disappointed for the blatant lack of attention towards allergies. Although this message only directly applies to those with “severe allerg[ies],” it is normally recommended that anyone who has an allergy speaks with a medical professional for legitimate advice to ensure survival. However, if allergists or doctors permit the continued consumption of sweetgreen salads, it would be beneficial to examine their allergen details based on their menu. The chart of sweetgreen’s allergen list focuses on various subtopics of their selection options, particularly detailing their “seasonal menu,” “seasonal ingredients,” “signature salads + warm bowls,” “signature plates + sides,” “bases,” “dressings, sauces, + finishes,” and “toppings.” Out of the 100 ingredients listed under the aforementioned 7 subcategories, there are 14 tree nuts, 14 sesame, and (surprisingly) 0 peanut warnings. The following chart specifies the ingredients per category.
While 14% of ingredients each containing two major allergens might not seem extremely statistically significant, this is a concerningly high percentage, especially considering the quantity of ingredients that are simply the allergen themselves. In more detail, the “tree nut count” accounts for items ranging from almonds themselves to the “super green goddess” bowl. Because this is not simply a “may contain” warning, but instead it is a direct allergen ingredient, the chance of cross contamination becomes increasingly more dangerous for individuals with allergies. As of right now, the argument that sweetgreen is making no accommodations has become abundantly clear, and there is no necessity to exhaust it.
Because of this, I will progress to Smith’s second salad chain, Chopt. With over 70 Chopt destinations across the United States, it is logical that Chopt would maintain some concern for allergen safety. Interestingly, this point is not entirely false. Upon searching for Chopt’s allergen policies, one would find the message that “Your health and safety is important to us. If you have a food allergy or any special dietary needs, please alert a Chopt Manager.”
Surely this implies that Chopt facilities, utensils, and meals are free of allergens, correct? Unfortunately, this is not the case. This sentence is followed by the further warning: “We take dietary preferences very seriously. Unfortunately, cross-contact with other ingredients may occur. Regrettably, we cannot guarantee the complete absence of allergens.”
Although this is slightly disappointing and signifies that those with severe allergies should likely stray away, Chopt maintains a thoughtful stance in that their allergen information not only contains the major reaction-causing ingredients, but also other potential irritants and choices. For instance, the list includes “vegan,” which is a dietary restriction and not an allergen that can cause life-threatening side effects. This contributes to Chopt’s consideration, but still does not compensate for the fact that no actions are being taken to accommodate serious allergies.
In fact, it could even be argued that those dietary restrictions should not be included in the allergen chart, as it takes away from the more dire ingredient necessities. Either way, it is still important to look into the various allergens. Beginning with peanuts, similar to above, there are no peanuts in any of Chopt’s meals, which is an excellent first step towards allergy inclusion, but is not sufficient once delving into other allergens. Even more surprisingly, the same goes for sesame, with 0 of Chopt’s offerings receiving a check for sesame allergens. However, there are five menu items that include tree nuts. Again, this may not seem extremely significant in terms of the statistics and size of the menu; but, it is important to recognize that because Chopt offers roasted almonds, this implies that their entire kitchen and facility is, for lack of a better term, contaminated with tree nut allergens, thereby proclaiming Chopt unsafe for those with tree nut allergies. Although tree nut allergies are not accounted for, Chopt is an exemplary instance of minor progression and inclusion, as those with isolated peanut or isolated sesame allergies should, theoretically, be safe to eat and enjoy according to Chopt’s standards.
Moving onto the third salad chain on the list, Saladworks has 105 locations across 89 cities. Upon searching for Saladworks allergen information, there is a glimmer of hope. There is actually an interactive menu website that allows individuals to address their allergen concerns. However, one must first enter their desired Saladworks location. When pressing the “Why do we need location?” button, the following message appears.
To me, this immediately signifies that the Saladworks corporation as a whole does not have specific universal policies regarding allergens, but instead relies upon individuals working in various regions to choose and warn potential consumers of threats. While I am not completely sure if this is a grave worry or not, it is simply a notable aspect of Saladworks policies. At first, it may appear even more inclusive and caring in that each individual location accounts for allergies. However, it may also seem careless, not accounting for the fact that loyal Saladworks consumers might attend and buy from various locations or for the fact that workers and managers might not be proficient in allergen information. Either way, I selected a random Saladworks in Georgia to investigate their allergen policies.
Upon first glance, the site seems fairly inclusive and extensive. It prompts the user to insert their major allergen concerns, to which I selected peanuts, tree nuts, and sesame seeds: my three major allergens.
It also accounts for lifestyle options and nutrition goals, therefore covering vegan just as the aforementioned Chopt’s menu attempted to do as well. It seems fairly secure, correct? Sadly, this is not true. In order to fully view the customized, allergy-inclusive menu, one must agree to the website’s terms and conditions. Although the average reader might simply skip these over in an attempt to view the menu immediately, I choose to take a look. What I found is extremely disheartening and misleading.
The terms of use of the site explains in its first two paragraphs that Saladworks makes extensive efforts of accommodation, a point that initially seemed valid. Unfortunately, the third paragraph states, “Please be advised that food prepared in our kitchens may contain these ingredients: milk, eggs, wheat, soybean, peanuts, tree nuts, fish and shellfish. While every effort is made to minimize the risk of cross contamination, we cannot guarantee that our food products are free of any of these allergens or are gluten-free, vegetarian or vegan.” The fact that this message is not bolded and mandatory to read and indulge with is shameful. Yes, legally Saladworks has covered their bases in that the user must click that they agree to these terms, but the terms are never fully expanded unless prompted by a user click. This should be a warning to all consumers, but instead, Saladworks hid this information not only behind a link, but behind two other paragraphs once the link was clicked. In my opinion, this is a clear and despicable attempt at constructing a facade of inclusion when no inclusion is truly occurring. All the menu items that appear “safe” may truly contain cross contamination and therefore are quite the opposite.
In fact, the meals barely appear safe once the menu appears (even if the consumer reads the terms or not). All menu items appear with a hazard symbol that means the meal is “OK to eat with modifications,” meaning there is still a major chance of cross contamination even in these seemingly safe and “OK” foods.
These three American salad chains, which food experts like Smith consider to be reputable and delicious, are undoubtedly far from completely allergy inclusive and dependable. Whether it be sweetgreen’s blunt extensive cross contamination or Saladworks’s attempts at hiding their allergy warnings, this small sample size alone has clarified the stance of salad corporations: unsafe and unreliable. However, I am able to recognize and slightly praise Chopt and their somewhat inclusive policies for certain allergies, and I believe they serve as evidence that food allergy inclusion is not impossible in the salad industry nor does it decrease current customer engagement. Chopt should continue with these efforts, and sweetgreen, Saladworks, and other salad chains should follow suit, becoming more inclusive to many potential consumers.
If there are two types of people in this world. I wish to be on the side that fights for true progression and accommodation to demonstrate concern for the safety of a large portion of the population. Unlike the ever-debated salad-haters vs. salad-lovers, the perspective of inclusion of allergies is, undeniably, the only side that should exist.
