All eyes are on Cracker Barrel’s epic rebrand failure, but the buffet chain isn’t the only restaurant floundering: “slop bowls,” once a staple of corporate lunches, are out.
“Slop bowls, according to Business Insider, is an unappealing name for the bowls full of greens, rice, protein, and vegetables typically served by fast-casual chains like Chipotle, Cava, and Sweetgreen.
Such restaurants are experiencing slipping sales and stocks, while once-forgotten restaurants like Chili’s and even select fast-food spots like Taco Bell are doing swell.
Why?
Bowls have gotten increasingly expensive. Per a MarketPlace analysis of prices in Southern California:
- The price of Chipotle’s chicken bowl has increased nearly 45% since 2019 to ~$11
- Cava’s grain bowl has increased ~24% to $12.25
At the same time, Chili’s “3 for Me” meal offers guests a beverage, appetizer, and entree starting at ~$10.99, and Olive Garden’s Never Ending Pasta Bowl has been $13.99 since 2022.
As fast-casual meals creep closer to parity, it seems many diners prefer nicer, sit-down, full-service experiences.
- Among casual dining restaurants, same-store sales were up 5.1% in Q2, while quick-service sales declined 1.2%. Same-store Chili’s sales rose 24% in Q4 of 2024.
There’s also a perception issue
Fast-casual’s appeal is often that customers can get something healthier than a Big Mac at a decent value and without wasting much time.
But Chipotle has faced backlash from customers who claim it started skimping on portions, while its fast-food counterpart, Taco Bell, has surged in popularity thanks to an ever-changing menu of affordable, limited-edition items.
Seeking Alpha called Sweetgreen a “minefield of disappointments" amid falling sales and consumer pushback regarding higher prices and claims of smaller portions, despite attempts to lure customers back with a 25% increase in chicken and tofu scoops, updated recipes, and a new summer menu.
That said…
… customer preferences can clearly change, as evidenced by Chili’s somehow being cool again. If fast-casual spots can find a way to seem like a good deal again, the tide could shift in their favor.
Both Chipotle and Sweetgreen are exploring automation, and robots that can handle repetitive tasks could lower overheads and, thus, prices. Sweetgreen’s automated Infinite Kitchen restaurants have already shown savings in labor and other costs.
Until then, we’ll see you at Chili’s for a Triple Dipper.
