Salad and Go: The Rise and Retreat of America's Healthy Fast Food Dream tells the story of one of the most ambitious food startups of the past decade - and what its struggles reveal about the modern food economy. Launched in 2013 with a bold mission to make fresh salads affordable and accessible, Salad and Go promised a revolution: drive-thru salads under $8, healthy meals for everyone, fast food reimagined. Backed by investors and embraced by health-conscious consumers, the chain expanded at breakneck speed, nearly doubling its locations and building a commissary kitchen designed to support hundreds more. For a moment, it looked like the "Chipotle of salad" had arrived. Then the cracks appeared: allegations of undercooked chicken, rising operating costs, brand fatigue, and a business model straining against reality. In 2025, the company abruptly announced the closure of 41 locations, retreating to its strongest markets and abandoning its grandest ambitions. This book goes beyond one brand's story. It explores the larger pattern of "disruptive" healthy food chains - from Sweetgreen's profitability struggles to Freshii's decline to Planta's bankruptcy - and asks why so many of these hopeful startups stumble. The answer lies in the paradox of America's food system: healthy food is demanded, celebrated, even idolized - but nearly impossible to scale affordably in an economy rigged for cheap calories. Blending business analysis, cultural commentary, and the human drama of a startup chasing a dream, Salad and Go is both a cautionary tale and a call to action. It's about ambition, failure, and the unfinished fight to make healthy fast food a reality.