Mendocino Farms Menu Prices 2026: Sandwiches, Salads & Plant-Based

The Not So Fried Chicken sandwich — Mendocino Farms' signature item — is $13.95 at most U.S. cafes as of May 2026. It's herb-marinated grilled chicken (no deep fry) with the chain's Krispy Kreme onions, Napa cabbage slaw, herb aioli and mustard-pickle relish on toasted ciabatta. California urban cafes (downtown LA, SF, San Diego) and Texas downtown locations run a dollar or two higher; suburban cafes sit at or slightly below the price shown. As a combo half-sandwich-plus-cup-of-soup, the Not So Fried Chicken is included in the standard combo at $15.95.

The Pork Belly Banh Mi ($14.50) is one of Mendocino Farms' chef-driven signatures — braised, caramelized pork belly with pickled daikon and carrot, fresh cucumber, jalapeño, cilantro and sriracha-chili aioli on a toasted Vietnamese-style baguette. It's been on the menu since the chain's early Los Angeles days and is widely credited with helping push Mendo into the premium fast-casual conversation. A premium Kurobuta Pork Belly version at $15.95 is available at select cafes, and a fully vegan version (curry tofu instead of pork belly) is on the standard menu at $13.50. Of the three, the standard Pork Belly is the most-ordered version chain-wide.

Yes — Mendocino Farms sits noticeably above Panera in pricing. A signature Mendo sandwich runs $13.50–$15.95 compared to a Panera signature sandwich at $11.99–$13.49. The closest combo comparison is even wider: Panera's You Pick Two is $13.99, while Mendo's Half Sandwich + Cup of Soup combo is $15.95 (and Half Sandwich + Half Salad is $16.95). Mendo positions itself as a premium fast-casual ($$$) with made-from-scratch ingredients, heritage proteins (Kurobuta pork), local sourcing where possible, and chef-driven combinations (Pork Belly Banh Mi, Modern Tuna Niçoise) — that's where the price gap comes from. If you're picking between the two on value alone, Panera wins; on ingredient quality and menu creativity, Mendo wins. A typical Mendo lunch (combo + drink) runs about $18–20 versus Panera's $14–17.

Mendocino Farms operates approximately 80 cafes in the United States as of May 2026, concentrated in five states: California (the heaviest footprint, including Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange County and the Bay Area), Texas (Dallas, Houston, Austin), Colorado (Denver metro), Nevada (Las Vegas), and Washington (Seattle metro). The chain has been growing on a measured pace under private-equity ownership and continues to add cafes in the Mountain West and Pacific Northwest. There are currently no Mendocino Farms cafes east of Texas — no Northeast, Southeast or Midwest locations as of 2026. Use the store locator on mendocinofarms.com for exact addresses and hours.

Yes — Mendocino Farms has one of the deepest vegan and plant-based lineups in any U.S. sandwich chain. Standard menu vegan items include: Vegan Banh Mi ($13.50, curry tofu replacing pork belly), Vegan Modern Tuna Niçoise ($15.95, sunflower-seed-based 'tuna'), Vegan Curried Couscous + Quinoa ($13.95, the signature couscous bowl ordered without feta), Vegan 'Cream of' Tomato Soup ($5.95 cup, coconut-cream base), Vegan Lentil Soup ($5.95 cup), Vegan Crispy Brussels Sprouts ($6.95, no bacon), and a Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie ($3.50). Several lemonades and iced teas are vegan by default. The Vegan Banh Mi is consistently among the most-ordered vegan items in U.S. chain sandwich — it's not an afterthought, it's a flagship.

The Krispy Kreme Burrata Caprese ($14.95) is one of Mendocino Farms' most-photographed sandwiches — heirloom tomatoes, fresh burrata cheese, basil pesto, balsamic glaze and the chain's signature Krispy Kreme onions on toasted ciabatta. To clear up the obvious question: 'Krispy Kreme' refers to Mendo's house-name for crispy, lightly battered onion frizzles — not Krispy Kreme doughnuts. The onions appear on the Not So Fried Chicken too. The Burrata Caprese is typically on the board May through October while heirloom tomatoes are in season; it disappears from most cafes in winter. It's vegetarian (contains dairy and egg in the bread).

Mendocino Farms is currently owned by a private-equity group following a sale by Whole Foods Market. The chain was founded in 2005 in Los Angeles by Mario Del Pero and his then-wife Ellen Chen as a single sandwich shop near downtown LA. Whole Foods Market acquired a majority stake in 2015, fueling expansion into Texas and the Mountain West. After Amazon's 2017 acquisition of Whole Foods, the Mendo stake was eventually divested to a private-equity buyer, who has continued the measured-growth strategy with ~80 cafes by 2026. Mario Del Pero stayed on as a public face of the brand through the Whole Foods era. Headquarters: Los Angeles, California.

Yes — Mendocino Farms has a small, focused kids menu priced at $7.50–$7.95. Options include the Kids Turkey & Cheese Sandwich ($7.95), Kids Grilled Cheese ($7.50, vegetarian), Kids Mac & Cheese ($7.95, vegetarian — uses the same three-cheese signature Mac as the adult side), and Kids Grilled Chicken Tenders ($7.95, herb-marinated grilled strips — Mendo doesn't deep-fry, so there are no breaded fried tenders). Every kids meal comes with a kid side (chips or apple) and a kid drink (organic milk or juice box). The kids pricing sits above Panera's $5.99 and Chick-fil-A's $5.69 kid meals — consistent with Mendo's premium positioning.

Mendocino Farms doesn't market itself as a certified-organic restaurant, but the chain's sourcing standards sit well above typical fast-casual: made-from-scratch sandwich and salad components, heirloom and locally-sourced produce where possible (the Krispy Kreme Burrata Caprese only runs when heirloom tomatoes are in season), no antibiotic-treated chicken, and Kurobuta heritage pork on the premium banh mi. Dressings, aiolis, lemonades and Mac & Cheese sauce are made in-house from whole-ingredient recipes. There is no chain-wide organic certification, but the sourcing standard is part of the Whole Foods-era brand identity that's been retained under private-equity ownership. If specific organic certification matters for a particular item, ask the cafe — sourcing can vary by region and season.

Mendo Rewards is the chain's free loyalty program, accessed through the Mendocino Farms app (iOS and Android) or mendocinofarms.com account. It's points-based: members earn 10 points per $1 spent on orders placed through the app or with a registered card in-cafe. At 500 points, members get a $5 reward credit toward any item. Members also receive a free birthday item (usually a cookie, side, or drink) and personalized offers based on order history. Signing up is free with no minimum spend. The Mendo app is also the only place to access app-exclusive limited-time menu items and faster pickup at busier cafes. There's no paid subscription tier like Panera's Sip Club — Mendo Rewards is the chain's only loyalty channel.