Salad Bar Battle

When I have that "it's a salad day" feeling, three great salad bars in Abilene come to mind.

Jason's Deli, Zoo Kini's and United Supermarket on S.14th.

After filling up today at Zoo Kini's I decided to do a little comparison. But that's hard, because all three serve very different lunchtime purposes.

1. Jason's – I have to say, my best tasting salads come from Jason's because I love their dressing, the spinach and field greens are always fresh, and they have a huge variety of crunchy toppings, raisin/nut trail mix being my favorite. My taste buds are definitely most satisfied after a trip to Jason's. Breads, crackers, puddings, etc. are included in the price. However, it's often extremely crowded, and fighting a salad bar crowd is never fun. It's also extremely cold in there. Which makes me reluctant to award bonus points for free ice cream! $6.99, all you can eat.

2. Zoo Kini's – I can get the most full at the Zoo Kini's salad bar. There's a great selection of veggies that aren't necessarily just salad toppings, and you get a large variety of fruit to choose from. Try the red grapes with a bleu cheese crumble for a healthy dessert that's to die for! Bread is not included in the price (unless I'm totally missing something) but being able to make as many trips as you want, and get great service, means I always leave happy and satisfied. Of course, you don't have to tip at Jason's... oh well. $6.99, all you can eat.

3. United – Here you pay per ounce, which is handy, but can add up fast. I always get this to go, since it's not far from my office and is a much healthier "quick grab" than fast food. It also has fruit, but only one choice. It's also difficult to compartmentalize your food here. The to-go boxes aren't sectioned, so you get cottage cheese on your lettuce, ranch on your melon... You get the picture. This salad bar has the smallest selection, but I'm loyal to it because it's always fresh, tasty, and super convenient! $4.99/pound.


Please let me know which other salad bars I can try out in town!

Restaurants Lowering Prices

Many local restaurants are lowering there prices to increase business these days, particularly on lunch specials.

Chili's, for example, is offering a deal where two people can have an appetizer, two entrees and a dessert for $20. Chili's manager Curtis Johnson said he's already seeing results, with increased foot traffic.

"We were down in sales and company wide and in the last three weeks we have seen an increase in business," he said.

Many of the local establishments are seeing positive feedback and will continue the meal deals as long as the tables keep filling up.

Reported by: Kailey Franz