Foot Traffic Falls at Salad Chains as Cyclospora Outbreak Spreads

Foot traffic at several salad-focused chains fell on July 11 compared with average Sunday levels, according to location data analyzed by Placer.ai and reported by Wired. Chopt recorded a 7.1 percent drop, Panera Bread a 7.4 percent drop and Sweetgreen a 3.1 percent drop. The declines began around July 10 as news of a cyclospora outbreak circulated.

Quick-service restaurants showed the opposite pattern. McDonald’s, Chick-fil-A and Wendy’s posted a combined 0.8 percent increase in foot traffic that day. Overall fast-casual traffic fell 2.4 percent.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates the current outbreak may have sickened nearly 7,000 people. Federal authorities have not identified any ingredient, grower or supplier as the source. Michigan health officials described lettuce or salad greens as a potential source.

Sweetgreen shares fell 23.3 percent over the five days ending at the time of publication. Taco Bell locations in the Detroit area posted notices that they could not sell lettuce, cilantro, onion, pico de gallo or guacamole because of a nationwide recall. The Washington Post reported that health officials are investigating whether Taco Bell played a role in the outbreak.

Yum Brands shares declined 7.2 percent over the same five-day period. Taco Bell foot traffic dropped 5.8 percent nationally on July 11 and 11.5 percent in Michigan. Michigan has recorded 4,312 cyclospora cases in 2026.

New York has recorded 510 cases, more than 380 of them in New York City, a threefold increase from the same date in 2025. Placer.ai noted it has only a few days of data on the foot-traffic changes. Two customers outside Sweetgreen and Chopt locations in Manhattan told Wired they had not heard of the outbreak.