The Once-Defunct Buffet Chain Boomers May Fondly Remember From The '70s And '80s

Walking into a Souplantation came with so much anticipation. There was a huge variety of salads on offer with every fixing imaginable, and then there were the soups. After you filled your tray with as much as you could carry, you had to pass through the dessert section to find a table. It was almost cruise ship buffet-esque, and it was wonderful. Sadly, like so many other great things, we lost the chain in 2020 due to the pandemic. Bankruptcy played its part, but what matters is the chain closed all 97 locations of Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes (which is what the chain was known as outside of California). There is some good news for lovers of this soup and salad all-you-can-eat buffet chain: It's on its way back, with two Sweet Tomatoes locations already open and one more planned for 2027.

The chain was founded in 1978 in San Diego, and its troubles started long before the pandemic hit when the parent company of Souplantation filed for Chapter 11 cankruptcy in 2016. Before that happened, the chain was building strong memories with its loyal fanbase. It's no secret that nostalgia is powerful — advertisers use it all the time to get us to buy things that remind us of our younger days, and fast food chains have been digging deep into our shared past. Whether it's the fast food mascots that helped define our childhood or retired menu items that make the occasional reappearance to the relief of diehard foodie fans. Souplantation seems to be capitalizing on that nostalgia for its upcoming reboot.

There are plenty of restaurants from the '70s that have long since disappeared, and some of them would no doubt be welcomed back with open arms. When it comes to the revival of this soup and salad buffet chain, the company's name choice is clearly banking on the chain's history with foodies. As we mentioned, the chain was known as Souplantation in California and Sweet Tomatoes everywhere else, and that seems to be more or less the plan going forward. The two locations that are already up and running in Fort Myers, Florida, and Tucson, Arizona, are called Sweet Tomatoes. Meanwhile, the company plans to use the moniker "Souplantation | Sweet Tomatoes" for its upcoming California location, which is planned for the city of Fountain Valley.

It was sad to see Souplantation close its doors, so fans have been quick to respond after the return was announced. People have been busy online asking for the return of their favorite menu items, like the blueberry muffins and Yankee Clipper clam chowder. The chain hasn't announced how many locations it plans to eventually open — for now the website only shows the Arizona and Florida locations along with the words "Coming 2027" under the California location, but this first step is a big one and fans of Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes couldn't be happier.