Martha Stewart Is A Fan Of This Underrated Fast Food Chain

Fast food is a siren call, and while every fast food's sweet serenade may not hit every appetite, most people have a favorite go-to drive-thru. Dolly Parton sings the praises of Burger King's fast food burger, the Whopper, and Anthony Bourdain's favorite restaurant in LA was, unexpectedly, In-N-Out. Martha Stewart is no different. The media mogul is a fan of Sweetgreen. What is it about this quick-service restaurant that has captured Stewart's loyalty? 

The cookbook author shared with Entrepreneur that Sweetgreen uses a farm-to-table approach that she believes is a smart and sustainable practice. Stewart told the publication, "Sweetgreen is going directly to farms. They can use a tremendous amount of product from a farmer. They can use a whole year's worth of stuff. And how great that is, because the farmer knows that he grows a special kind of squash, he has a marketplace for that particular squash." 

Per the Sweetgreen website, the goal of the founders was to reimagine fast food. And with what they've dubbed "plant-forward" offerings, it has helped them decrease their carbon footprint by 30% compared to the average American meal. Of course, the food is good, too.

Sweetgreen's menu is filled with salads and protein bowls that use lots of fresh veggies, along with salmon and chicken. But in May of 2024, the chain added steak to its menu, which drew a little concern from some consumers. Per the New York Times, the company added this option because of the increase in American protein consumption. The outlet further noted that the beef is primarily pasture-raised and sourced from ethical farms in Australia and New Zealand. However, according to Tim Searchinger, a Princeton University research scholar, regardless of ethical farming practices, raising cows for beef is still going to have a dramatic impact on the environment.

Of course, just because it is an option doesn't mean you have to order it. In a world of Super-sized combos and Happy Meals, it's easy to understand why Martha Stewart enjoys the menu at this fast food chain that was born in Washington, DC, in 2007. A farm-to-table philosophy echoes how she lives her own life with her large vegetable garden on her own farm. Stewart regularly starts her mornings with a green juice she swears by, and what she grows is what she cooks up. We love that she walks the talk.