Dutch Bros Coffee has acquired Salad and Go for $105.0 million, a cash transaction that brings the drive-thru salad chain under the Oregon-based coffee company’s corporate umbrella. The deal, announced this week, transfers full ownership of Salad and Go’s operations to Dutch Bros, which will integrate the brand as a separate business unit rather than merging its menu or store formats.
Salad and Go operates as a fast-casual drive-thru restaurant chain focused on making fresh, nutritious food convenient and affordable. Its model centers on speed and price parity with traditional fast food, offering chopped salads, wraps, and house-made dressings prepared from whole ingredients. The company’s stated mission is to improve American dietary habits by removing cost and time barriers to healthy eating. Dutch Bros, known for its drive-thru coffee stands and a culture of speed and customer service, sees a natural fit in Salad and Go’s operational layout and customer traffic patterns.
The acquisition is strategic for Dutch Bros on two fronts. First, it diversifies the company’s revenue stream beyond beverages into the food category, which carries higher average ticket sizes. Second, Salad and Go’s existing drive-thru real estate and kitchen infrastructure can be leveraged for future menu innovation, including potential food offerings at Dutch Bros locations. For Salad and Go, the deal provides access to Dutch Bros’ supply chain, real estate expertise, and capital for expansion, while retaining its brand identity and leadership team.
The combined entity will operate two distinct brands under one corporate structure, with Dutch Bros managing shared back-office functions such as procurement, logistics, and site selection. No immediate changes to Salad and Go’s menu, pricing, or store count have been announced. The transaction is expected to close within the next quarter, subject to customary regulatory approvals. Post-close, the focus will be on scaling Salad and Go’s footprint in existing and new markets, using Dutch Bros’ operational playbook to accelerate unit growth while maintaining the chain’s core value proposition of affordable, fresh food served quickly.