This post is sponsored by SOUPER SALAD. All opinions, content and enthusiasm remain my own. Thank you for supporting businesses that support The Fit Fork.

After months of hunkering down at home, are you eager to get back out to a restaurant to eat? I 110% am — as long as the experience can be in a safe, delicious and healthy way! 

Until a recent visit to SOUPER SALAD, my streak of homemade lunches was most definitely at a record high. We are at-home dinner eaters, but lunches have almost always been out on the go for my family between work, school and all our sports and active hobbies. So, I was missing that convenience and variety. Join me in supporting your local franchisees and small business owners by heading out for a casual bite  – read on to learn how SOUPER SALAD is back in service to provide all-you-can eat meals in a safe environment.

Dine-in restrictions have begun to ease up and, let me tell you, I was SO READY to ease up on making sandwiches at home! That’s why I started looking for COVID dine-in options and I hit up my nearest SOUPER SALAD for lunch this past weekend when I learned many of these salad bar (and more) spots are now open for dine-in service (or opening soon) in accordance with federal, state and local reopening protocols. Honestly, it’s one of the best soup and salad bars near me.

In addition to guest capacity limits being followed, tables being socially distanced and employees wearing masks and gloves, the soup and salad buffet format of this popular spot has been changed up a bit for our safety. This available-during-COVID-buffet features made-from-scratch soups, fresh salads and fruit, delicious made-from-scratch breads, baked potatoes, and dessert and has been modified from “self-service’ to “full-service.” But don’t worry, it’s still an ALL YOU CAN EAT buffet!

Really, I felt treated like royalty by having a masked and gloved employee follow me down the salad bar, from the opposing side, filling my plate with every fresh ingredient my heart desired. At first, I thought it might be awkward or embarrassing (due to the huge post-workout appetites of both me and my hubby) but “Is this enough?,” “Would you like to try that?,” and “What else can I get you?” let me know they really cared about making a meal that would suit my needs.

Can you tell I really loved the sautéed peppers and squash?! Not only tasty, but so fresh and healthy.

The same level of attention was received from employees who cheerfully brought us more food to the table, refilled drinks and promptly cleared away our finished plates. I really appreciated that they were always “right there” to fulfill a request and I didn’t have to pull my mask back up and risk traversing around the restaurant. Other safety measures at this soup and salad buffet in the Austin area (and around the nation) include limiting tables to 6 people or less, marking that tables have been sanitized, removal of on-table condiments (just ask for single serves if you need something), plexiglass at the register, and more. 

I also loved seeing the new Tex Mex menu at SOUPER SALAD, you know this girl loves her taco salads and such! Tex Mex and flex as I like to say! From the hot bar, I had beef taco meat added to my salad while my husband made “low-carb nachos” with more of the taco meat, cheese and a colorful medley of sautéed bell peppers, summer squash and zucchini. There are so many healthy choices at this soup and salad bar in Austin (and across the nation) plus something for everyone – Paleo diet, vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, Whole30, etc.

If you don’t want to dine in, you may order online for pick-up. However, personally, it was so nice to get out for lunch! We’ll be back soon and since menu items change daily and seasonally, there is something new each visit as well as old favorites to savor. Another perk is that everything (salad, hot bar, soups, dessert, etc.) and as much as you want (except for a few add-ons and beverages) are for one price – and that’s a deal right now for those of us watching our budgets.

Speaking of budgets and deals, let me wrap up this SOUPER SALAD review with a strong nudge to check out the Souper Fresh Club . This reward club lets you earn points for qualified purchases – for example, automatically receive a $3 reward just by registering and earn a $5 reward for every 500 points!