Sweetgreen Expands Its “sweetlane” Footprint With First-Ever East Coast Location Opening in McLean, Virginia

New order-ahead drive-up format brings a faster, more seamless way to enjoy Sweetgreen in Northern Virginia

MCLEAN, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sweetgreen, the mission-driven restaurant brand serving healthy food at scale, today announced the opening of its fourth newest sweetlane location in McLean, Virginia, on August 20th, bringing the brand’s innovative order-ahead drive-up format to Northern Virginia. Located at Chesterbrook Shopping Center (6220 Old Dominion Drive, McLean, VA 22101), the new restaurant introduces a faster, more seamless way for guests to enjoy Sweetgreen’s chef-crafted salads, warm bowls, plates and wraps through a dedicated sweetlane drive-up window.

The McLean location marks the latest milestone in Sweetgreen’s continued investment in digitally enabled customer experiences. First introduced as a pilot concept in 2022, sweetlane was designed to offer a seamless pickup experience for guests ordering through Sweetgreen’s owned digital channels. As more guests turn to digital ordering, sweetlane continues to evolve how guests connect with real food in ways that fit their lifestyle.

To use sweetlane, guests place orders in advance through the Sweetgreen app or website and select sweetlane as their preferred pickup method. Once their order is ready, guests can drive through the sweetlane lane to pick up their meal directly from Sweetgreen team members. The restaurant also offers dine-in seating and traditional in-store pickup options for guests who prefer to order inside.

“At Sweetgreen, we’re all about reimagining where fast food can go and meeting customers where they are,” said Ryan Slemons, Chief Development Officer at Sweetgreen. “sweetlane brings that to life by pairing the convenience of a drive-through with the scratch-cooked, craveable food that guests expect. As we continue to evolve our restaurant formats, we’re excited to bring that experience to McLean and continue learning how we can make Sweetgreen even more accessible.”

Open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., the McLean restaurant will feature Sweetgreen's signature menu of chef-crafted salads and warm bowls, protein-forward plates, and handheld wraps. In addition to fan favorites like the Harvest Bowl, Crispy Rice Bowl and Miso Glazed Salmon, guests can explore Sweetgreen’s newest menu innovations, including its lineup of wraps, which bring the brand’s signature ingredients into a more portable format, and the all-new Omega Glow, a permanent menu addition featuring miso-glazed salmon and miso sesame ginger dressing.

Guests can also enjoy the Sweetgreen x Fishwife Summer Niçoise, available nationwide for a limited time through August 24th, while supplies last. The seasonal collaboration pairs Sweetgreen’s Niçoise with Fishwife’s Albacore Tuna with Spanish Lemon, which guests add themselves for an interactive twist on the classic summer salad.

The McLean sweetlane location represents another step in Sweetgreen’s ongoing investment in Northern Virginia, bringing the brand’s latest restaurant innovation to a community where convenience, quality and accessibility continue to shape the way guests dine. Founded by Georgetown University alumni, Sweetgreen has deep roots in the greater Washington, D.C. region, and continues to grow its presence across the communities that helped inspire the brand’s journey.

To celebrate the opening, Sweetgreen will host a grand opening celebration on Thursday, August 20th, inviting the McLean community to experience the new sweetlane format. From 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., while supplies last, guests can enjoy special giveaways with the purchase of any salad, bowl, plate, or wrap. Festivities will include complimentary flowers from Calluna Flower Truck and Sweetgreen’s signature green vintage Ford Bronco, serving cookies from For Cups Sake.

About Sweetgreen: Sweetgreen (NYSE: SG) is on a mission to build healthier communities by connecting people to real food. Since 2007, the brand has reimagined what fast food can be: fresh, flavorful and built on real relationships with growers. Sweetgreen’s supply chain spans the country while remaining rooted in partnerships with local farmers. Today, Sweetgreen serves seasonal, chef-crafted menus across more than 285+ locations nationwide, creating spaces where food, people and purpose come together.

To learn more about Sweetgreen, its menu, and its loyalty program, visit www.sweetgreen.com. Follow @Sweetgreen on Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok, and YouTube.