Interpretation submission 73026

approximately 90% is recyclable, reusable, or compostable. Just Salad was the first U.S. restaurant chain to carbon-label its full menu, and offers a “Climatarian” menu filter highlighting the lowest-carbon-footprint items, along with a utensil opt-out option for delivery and pickup orders. These practices reflect an operating philosophy centered on reducing waste, which is inconsistent with the disposable-packaging model contemplated by the Fast Food Restaurant definition. 4. Dietary Restriction Accommodations Because every item is built to order from individual components, Just Salad's menu readily accommodates vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, and other dietary needs without a separate kitchen process or special order, guests simply select ingredients matching their restrictions. The menu clearly identifies plant-based and allergen-relevant items, and full ingredient and allergen information is available to guests in-store and on the Just Salad app. This individualized, guest-directed approach to food preparation is a further point of distinction from a fast-food model, where menu items are standardized and offer little to no ability to accommodate individual dietary restrictions at the point of order. 5. Quality of Ingredients Just Salad's kitchens receive fresh produce, proteins, and grains that are prepared, portioned, and cooked in- house daily; nothing is delivered to the store frozen or pre-cooked for immediate service. The menu is refreshed seasonally to incorporate fresher, higher-quality produce as it becomes available, and includes offerings highlighted for lower environmental impact under the company's carbon-labeling program. This emphasis on freshly prepared, restaurant-quality ingredients, rather than shelf-stable or par-cooked fast-food components, is consistent with a traditional restaurant kitchen model. 6. Seating A copy of the proposed store layout is enclosed as Exhibit B. The layout provides for 26 interior dine-in seats, reflecting Just Salad's intent to operate this location as a genuine dine-in restaurant destination and not solely a pickup or drive-thru point of sale. 7. Drive-Thru Ordering and Wait Times The proposed drive-up window is an accessory use to the restaurant, consistent with the Township's approval of our site plan, and is not a substitute for counter or dine-in service. Because each order is prepared

drive-up window is an accessory use to the restaurant, consistent with the Township's approval of our site plan, and is not a substitute for counter or dine-in service. Because each order is prepared fresh at the time it is placed rather than assembled from pre-made inventory, guests using the drive-up window experience a wait time comparable to placing a made-to-order meal inside the restaurant, materially longer than the rapid, ready-to-eat service contemplated by the Fast Food Restaurant definition. Based on comparable Just Salad drive-thru locations, average order time at the window is approximately 3 minutes and 20 seconds, and we are glad to provide operational data from comparable Just Salad drive-thru sites if helpful to your review. 8. Overall Ethos Just Salad's mission is to make everyday health and sustainability accessible, and every element of the guest experience, the open kitchen, made-to-order preparation, reusable serviceware and packaging, dietary transparency, and emphasis on fresh ingredients, is built around that mission rather than around speed-of- service or disposability. This ethos is shared with other made-to-order, build-your-own restaurants operating within the same shopping center, such as Chipotle and Jersey Mike's, which similarly prepare food to each customer's specification rather than offering premade, ready-to-eat items. 663 Lexington Avenue 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10022 212.244.1111