Sick and tired of all the unhealthy restaurant options that us University of Maryland students can’t seem to get away from? Well, no need to fret; Sweetgreen is opening a new location right in College Park.
For those of you who haven’t heard of Sweetgreen, or have never tried the restaurant out for yourself, let me fill you in. Sweetgreen is a fast-food style eatery offering tasty, all-natural salads and frozen yogurt with a variety of different toppings.
You can choose from the selection of already made salads or build your own. My personal favorite is the ‘Santorini’, made up of shrimp, chickpeas, feta cheese, grapes, and fresh mint topped with a cucumber basil yogurt dressing. The flavor combination is right on point and a perfectly satisfying, healthy meal.
“The food is delicious, it’s healthy, and it’s sustainable,” Marielle Young, Georgetown University junior English major said. A writer for Sweetgreen’s blog www.sweetlife.is, she says, “So not only are you making a good choice for yourself, but you know you’re making a good choice for your community. There isn’t a restaurant that fits that description in most places.”
If there is one thing Sweetgreen is known for, it is making sure all its food and products are the most sustainable they can be. “Everything in the restaurant – the utensils, the take-away bowls, the food, it’s all compostable,” said Young. “You finish eating, then you throw everything in the compost bin, it’s great.”
In 2007, three Georgetown business majors set out to create a quick, casual concept of dining that was good for the environment and equally as good for our health. According to Washingtonlife.com, the three founders, Nicolas Jammet, Nathaniel Ru, and Jonathan Neman, have accomplished just that. Sweetgreen currently has five D.C. locations, one in Bethesda, two in Virginia, two in Pennsylvania, and now soon to be in College Park.
The opening is set to happen within the next few months, according to McKee Floyd, Director of Brand Development for Sweetgreen. It is to be located right under the University View on Rt. 1. Applications for Sweetgreen are now being accepted via their website www.sweetgreen.com, and it is a good opportunity for those looking for part-time jobs.
“As far as popularity, I think Sweetgreen draws in crowds because it fills a void that exists in most communities,” said Young. “That’s why it was founded actually. There was no casual, fast food restaurant that served healthy food, so Nic, Jon, and Nate made one.”
Students at Maryland are just as excited about the opening as its workers. “I’m so sick of all the awful, boring options that College Park has to offer,” Haley Forman, a sophomore marketing major said. “I cannot wait for Sweetgreen to come. This town needs a healthy, refreshing place for students to go to.”
So, mark your calendars and be sure to get to Sweetgreen once it opens. You will not be disappointed!