Salads are profitable for QSRs in a broader sense -- they're loss leaders.
QSRs are happy when the customer comes in to buy a $5.59 salad that costs them $5.85 to make, because the customer also usually buys another product that has great margin, e.g., a $1.79 drink that costs the restaurant $0.20.
QSRs are happy when the customer comes in to buy a $5.59 salad that costs them $5.85 to make, because the customer also usually buys another product that has great margin, e.g., a $1.79 drink that costs the restaurant $0.20.