Sweet Tomatoes' delicious salad bar, soups, pizza, and bread won over consumers despite buffet restaurants' negative reputation. In 2020, the COVID-19 epidemic closed buffets, hurting Sweet Tomatoes.
The chain declared bankruptcy and shuttered all 97 stores. Sweet Tomatoes may return nearly three years later.
The chain's first restaurant debuted in 1978 in San Diego, where it was headquartered until its closure. During the epidemic, customers and operators struggled with the serve-yourself concept.
Sweet Tomatoes is reopening a southern US restaurant. CBRE leased a closed Sweet Tomatoes at 6202 East Broadway Blvd. in Tucson, Arizona, earlier this month.
CBRE reports that ST Three, LLC, the new tenant, will remodel and reopen the restaurant in the coming months.
In 2020, Sweet Tomatoes closed, devastating fans. Fans lamented the restaurant closures in the comments section of the chain's May 2020 Facebook post.
"This actually made me weep. I've had so many fantastic moments at Sweet Tomatoes with my closest friend, sisters, and co-workers," one admirer said.
In the first six weeks of 2023, the brand witnessed record average sales per unit and a hopeful 37% growth in same-store sales after a dramatic sales drop,
hundreds of site closures, and bankruptcy filings from two of its top franchisees. It also aims to reopen more sites.