Originally founded as Souplantation in Southern California, Sweet Tomatoes emerged as a chain of all-you-can-eat buffet-style restaurants in the United States. Its inaugural location sprouted in 1978 on Mission Gorge Road in San Diego, where the company established its headquarters.
Incorporating as Garden Fresh Corp. in 1983, it underwent a transformation from private to public ownership in 1995, only to revert to private hands in 2004.
Operating under the umbrella of Garden Fresh Restaurant Corporation, the company embarked on a trajectory of expansion, spanning the American West, Southwest, and Southeast, encompassing 23 locations in Florida, all under company ownership. We have also written Sweet Tomatoes buffet chain permanently closing 97 restaurants including Fort Myers, Naples | See Why.
In 2005, Garden Fresh fell under the purview of Sun Capital Partners, a private investment firm, which acquired the restaurant chains. However, the brand encountered turbulence in 2007 when a Souplantation restaurant in Orange County, California, was linked to an E. coli outbreak.
Related: Sweet Tomatoes Restaurant Is Reopening Locations
Navigating financial challenges, Garden Fresh Restaurant Corp. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in October 2016, burdened with nearly $175 million in debt. The subsequent acquisition by New York-based private investment firm Cerberus Capital Management L.P. in 2017 marked a new chapter for Garden Fresh and its restaurant chains.
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 precipitated the closure of all Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes locations, culminating in a permanent shutdown on May 7, 2020, with the company filing for liquidation.
However, a glimmer of hope emerged when ST Three LLC acquired the exclusive rights and intellectual property assets of Souplantation/Sweet Tomatoes in March 2023. The planned reopening of the Tucson, Arizona, location is a testament to this revival, slated for March 2024.
Related: Experience Sweet Tomatoes in San Diego
Throughout its history, Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes distinguished themselves with their fresh salads, homestyle soups, and an array of baked goods and pasta, all crafted on-site. The salad bar, a cornerstone of the dining experience, boasted an extensive selection of ingredients, complemented by rotating featured salads and thematic menu rotations.
While Souplantation’s presence in popular culture is evident through its depiction in various media, its legacy transcends the confines of entertainment, embodying a cherished dining experience for patrons across generations.