Sweetgreen is rolling out a new incentive plan that could push pay for some of its top managers above $200,000 a year as the fast-casual chain competes for top talent.
The Los Angeles-based fast-casual chain, which operates 289 locations nationwide and is best known for its salads, on Tuesday announced a new head coach incentive plan.
The program will reward restaurant managers based on tenure, restaurant size and performance with higher salaries, sales-based bonuses and company equity.
Sweetgreen Chief Operating Officer Jason Cochran told FOX Business that the program is part of the company’s broader push to strengthen restaurant operations heading into 2027.
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“This is a big part of our 2027 strategic investments around operational excellence,” Cochran said. “We all are competing for the best talent.”
Cochran said that hiring is only part of the challenge for restaurants. Keeping top workers is just as important.
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“A lot of time and effort goes in toward attracting or finding candidates to interview, and you forget about keeping your best,” he said.
Under the plan, top-performing head coaches who have worked at Sweetgreen for at least three years and run its highest-volume restaurants can earn more than $200,000 in total compensation.
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That includes base salary, a revenue-share bonus tied to restaurant performance and company equity.
Sweetgreen is also expanding career paths for employees as it looks to turn restaurant jobs into longer-term careers.
Cochran pointed to the manager of one New York City restaurant, saying the employee started washing dishes at Sweetgreen six years ago.
“This program helps fuel or create a pathway for them to be inspired to want to run a restaurant,” he said.
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The new incentive plan will take effect in the first quarter of fiscal 2027.
Sweetgreen also offers a head coach restaurateur program for top managers, who receive additional training and mentorship and can earn a $10,000 bonus for each employee they develop into a head coach.
The compensation push comes as Sweetgreen works to attract more customers by shedding its reputation for expensive salads.
In May, the chain rolled out four wraps nationwide, each priced below $15 and averaging around $12.50, according to a company news release. Chief Financial Officer Jamie McConnell told The Wall Street Journal that the lower starting prices are part of an effort to change how consumers view the brand.
