Sweetgreen Asks ‘Do You Want Fries With That?’
The salad chain is adding a seemingly counterintuitive side dish to its menu.
Photo courtesy of Sweetgreen
You have plenty of options when it comes to dining out for lunch, though some you might consider healthier than others. For example, most fast food joints are short on ingredients like green vegetables, but some days it’s hard to resist the lure of a burger combo. But now a popular salad-slinging chain is offering a new side dish that could rival its quick-service competitors: fries.
Yes, Sweetgreen, the national chain known for salads, bowls, and protein plates, is putting French fries on the menu. But don’t expect shoestring or curly fries at Sweetgreen. The brand has opted to serve up rippled, round slices of russet potatoes which, texturally, fall somewhere between fries and potato wedges.
“Creating the perfect French fry is both an art and a science,” Chef Chad Brauze, Head of Culinary at Sweetgreen, said. “We know people love crispy, flavorful fries, so we set out to craft the best un-fried version possible. Ripple Fries deliver the perfect balance of crunch and flavor — great for dipping, snacking, or pairing with any Sweetgreen order.”
Photo courtesy of Sweetgreen
The Ripple Fries are sliced and cooked in-house at Sweetgreen locations, too. Instead of deep frying, Sweetgreen’s fries are cooked by air frying and coated with avocado oil to help with crisping and browning, part of the brand’s recent commitment to using what it refers to as “better-for-you cooking oils” which began last year.
“At Sweetgreen, we’re on a mission to transform fast food so that it's not just quick and craveable, but also made with high-quality ingredients and thoughtful cooking methods,” added Nicolas Jammet, Co-Founder and Chief Concept Officer. “Ripple Fries are a perfect example of this shift. We took an iconic fast food staple and reimagined it with simplicity, flavor, and no seed oils. This launch is another step forward in redefining what fast food can be.”
I tried the Ripple Fries ahead of their official launch and enjoyed the less-oily texture, along with the lightly salted, herbed seasoning. Are they super crispy and crunchy? No. But if you’re really just in it for the potato of it all, you’ll be happy. The Ripple Fries come with a pair of housemade dipping sauces, also new to the menu: Garlic Aioli and Pickle Ketchup. They’re both solid options on their own, or pack a tart and tangy punch when mixed together.
Regular customers might have already spied or even snacked on a sample of Ripple Fries as Sweetgreen restaurants (including the one at which I previewed the new side dish) have been practicing batches to get things right for the official launch. Ripple Fries hit Sweetgreen locations nationwide today, March 4, 2025.
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