“Still costs $22 for a salad”: Sweetgreen’s salad robot goes viral (again) as users ask why prices haven’t dropped

Two years after Sweetgreen introduced its automated “Infinite Kitchen” system, the fast-casual chain is back in the spotlight.

Sweetgreen’s “Infinite Kitchen” salad robot is back in the spotlight

News about the fast casual restaurant chain switching to an automated salad system broke in October 2023. They called the machine “Infinite Kitchen.” To justify the change, Sweetgreen’s leadership cited rising labor costs while also pointing out that nobody really wants to spend all their time making salads.

“It removes the repetitive nature of putting ingredients in bowls,” said Cody Fessel, whom GeekWire referred to as an “area leader.”

“It’s hard to get passionate about that part of the job. People are passionate about hospitality. People are passionate about the food, the culinary side of it, and that’s exactly what we’re embracing here.”

@samjshih This isn’t just about salad. It’s what AI automation looks like when it hits everyday life. tags: #ai #automation #future #tech #fyp ♬ Illegal – PinkPantheress

Nearly a year later, TikToker @samjshih posted footage of Infinite Kitchen making his salad and marveled at the tech.

“I just watched a machine make my entire Sweetgreen order,” the caption reads.

The robot doesn’t entirely replace human workers. Someone still needs to put the right bowl in the slot and keep the bot stocked with ingredients, which are prepped by humans in the back. Sweetgreen also claimed that Infinite Kitchen is faster and less likely to make mistakes than a real person.

Whether it can withstand the hate remains to be seen.

Still $22 for lettuce and resentment

After two years of few people caring about the salad robot, the news is suddenly hitting in 2025. This probably has something to do with companies forcing a certain kind of technology on consumers.

While many in the TikTok video’s comments pointed out that this is not AI, just a robot, the ire against large language models (which are also arguably not AI) has spilled over into bot territory. People are especially irritated that this trend hasn’t made anything cheaper.

“So it should be cheaper, but it won’t be,” said @ashreidlive.

“The main thing is that it still costs $22 for a salad,” noted @mrtobhmtzlb.

“Jobs lost. Prices not lower,” complained @jayjsmith270. “Just more profit in the pocket of the greedy.”

Some, however, acknowledged that this may have been Sweetgreen’s only option.

“They’ve been pushing for this for years, their current business model is losing money, they acknowledged this is their only way to survive,” wrote @vfri94. “Been some really insightful vids on it.”

Not everyone hates it, either. Some are relieved that human hands won’t be touching their lettuce.

“This is actually better now they can’t skimp the meat portions,” said @nickyrizz5.

“Much cleaner than people doing it,” @user5710657108112 pointed out.