Would You Buy A Salad From Dunkin'?

Back when I used to work in downtown Chicago in a 100% non-food related industry, I used to wander around looking for interesting lunches. While there was a decent number of choices, the balance tipped heavily in favor of healthier, lighter options, like customizable bowls and wraps, smoothies, and of course, salad. This was probably because people felt bad about sitting around all day, either jawing over the phone or tapping on a keyboard for hours on end.

One day, I stumbled onto this strange fridge-like vending machine and took a peek into it. The thing was full of big quart-sized jars, and I realized I was staring at a salad vending machine. It was made by a company called Farmer's Fridge. The concept made sense and blew my mind at the same time. A salad vending machine?! All the heavier salad toppings were placed at the bottom, and the greens on top, with a little container of salad dressing tucked in. I tried one and was happy enough, both with the novelty of it and the salad itself.

Farmer's Fridge is still around, and it's partnering with Dunkin' in three Chicago locations, according to the Chicago Tribune, to see if you, too, are willing buy salad in a jar, even from a donut shop. Dunkin' will also carry grain bowls and desserts from Farmer's Fridge. Considering Dunkin' is starting to head in a more healthy direction with plant-based sausage breakfast sandwiches, this all makes sense in a natural progression sort of way. It's hard enough to find fresh veggie options from a drive-thru as it is, so we'll see if this ends up taking off.