Tuesday, October 29th marked the opening of a brand-new sweetgreen restaurant next to the McLean Chipotle off Old Dominion. Ten sweetgreen restaurants can already be found in DC alone, and the hip east-coast chain touts an impressive selection of impressively healthy and locally-sourced meal options, from salads and wraps to freshly pressed juices.
Sweetgreen itself is marked by a dedication towards healthy, sustainable eating and community outreach. It also organizes Sweetlife, one of the most hyped annual music festivals in the area (past guests have included The Strokes, Avicii, Kid Cudi, Phoenix, and Passion Pit).
The grand opening of the McLean sweetgreen was marked by two days of exciting “pay what you want” pricing. Visitors to the new restaurant were greeted by friendly staff and offered free salad bowls and menus. The restaurant itself was bustling and full, with people occupying most seats in the restaurant’s spacious and modern wood-paneled interior.
Many McLean students also took a trip to sweetgreen on Tuesday and Wednesday after school while the promotion was going on and grabbed meals and treats costing next to nothing.
“It was great,” freshman Sophie Rademaker said. “I got two $10 salads and a frozen yogurt all for $2, almost all for free. The yogurt was really good, and the misoba salad was delicious. They probably lost a lot of money, but I know a lot of people will probably come back because the food was so good and healthy.”
While the McLean Chipotle has long been a student favorite, the new sweetgreen presents some healthy competition (literally!). While the usual prices of sweetgreen entrees are higher than Chipotle’s, lower calorie counts and more options and variety very well might give Chipotle a run for its money.
