Savor a Spoonful of Holiday Comfort

Soups Serve as Popular Comfort Food During Economic Slump


SAN DIEGO, CA--(Marketwire - November 14, 2008) - When Souplantation/Sweet Tomatoes recently put out a query to its Club Veg members to choose their favorite items, Chicken Pot Pie Stew and Creamy Herbed Turkey Soup unequivocally led the votes. And since Souplantation/Sweet Tomatoes loves to please its guests, the restaurants will be featuring each soup for its own special month.

"People love to cozy up with a piping hot bowl of soup," said Joan Scharff, executive director of brand and menu strategy for Garden Fresh Restaurant Corp. (parent company of Souplantation/Sweet Tomatoes). "And in these rough economic times, more people are turning to soup as a comfort food. At Souplantation/Sweet Tomatoes, we provide some of the ultimate comfort soups to offer some warmth and hopefully, some cheer, too."

During the month of November, the restaurants will highlight their signature, made-from-scratch Chicken Pot Pie Stew. For this interactive dish, guests place a flaky, fresh-baked buttermilk biscuit at the bottom of their bowls and then top it with a thick, savory stew brimming with fresh carrots, red potatoes, peas, mushrooms, pearl onions and chunks of chicken. Guests can select the perfect soup to biscuit ratio to suit their individual taste buds.

Simmering in a rosemary broth with juicy turkey breast, chock full of carrots, celery and onions and topped with tangy cranberries, Creamy Herbed Turkey Soup is a hearty treat that will be available throughout the month of December. A hot bowl of this soup can help warm guests up during a chilly day, or it can also serve as a welcome, yet unconventional twist to traditional holiday fare. Souplantation/Sweet Tomatoes' own version of apple Stuffing will also be served alongside the soup as the perfect seasonal side dish.

Each unique, fresh-made soup will only be available for a limited time as part of Souplantation/Sweet Tomatoes' unlimited and all-inclusive buffet menu. A Souplantation/Sweet Tomatoes meal is available for approximately $10 per person, and all of the restaurant's soup, salad and bakery selections are also available "to go" in individually priced, single- and family-sized servings for a quick and delicious holiday meal or treat.

Celebrating 30 years, Souplantation/Sweet Tomatoes was founded in 1978 in San Diego and currently operates 110 salad buffet-style restaurants across the western, southern and eastern portions of the United States. Souplantation/Sweet Tomatoes features a daily selection of made-from-scratch soups and salads and hand-crafted muffins, focaccia and breads and tasty desserts. The concept is built around freshly made, great-tasting, recipes with a salad bar full of seasonal vegetables and tossed salads prepared exhibition-style every 20 minutes. Restaurants are open daily for lunch and dinner and also for a special Sunday Breakfast featuring a variety of wholesome morning favorites in addition to regular selections. Souplantation/Sweet Tomatoes provides its guests with an excellent value by offering unlimited access to its entire menu of high quality fresh items at a fixed price. For more information, visit www.souplantation.com or www.sweettomatoes.com.

Contact Information: Contact: Audrey Doherty-Benedetto Sandy Young Benedetto Communications (619) 236-8397