During a trip to their son’s hockey tournament in Ohio, Andrea and Ryan Maloney tried a restaurant they had never visited before. They liked it so much that they decided to start their own.
The first store opened in September clean eats Delaware, 1128 Forrest Ave., Unit C, Dover, near Dunkin, across from the Modern Maturity Center.
During that hockey trip, Andrea said she searched online for “clean eating” because she was tired of eating at the same places and wanted healthier options.
“Clean Eatz came along and I thought it was a good concept,” Andrea said.
“It wasn’t just a salad,” Ryan said. “My son found something he really liked.”
The Maroneys researched the company and scheduled visits for people interested in franchising.
“I got to talk to the founders and it was impressive,” Ryan said. “We saw that their hearts were there and their values aligned with ours.”
The company’s slogan is “We Change Livez.”
“I was able to see stories from people who had improved their health by following the Clean Eats meal plan,” Ryan said. “They were losing weight. They were able to come off the medication. It makes you think that whatever was on the fork was the problem, but if you make a change it could be the solution.” There is.”
The Maroney family understands how busy lifestyles can lead to less-than-ideal eating habits. Andrea works 12-hour shifts in a hospital’s radiology department. Ryan is a lineman for a power company and is often required to respond to problems day or night. Their son and daughter are involved in school and sports.
That’s why Clean Eatz made sense for them. It’s a place that offers healthy food that you can eat in the restaurant or take out, as well as week-long plans with freshly prepared meals that are frozen. You can take packaged meals home and know they’re available whenever you need them.
The company also sponsors the “We Change Livez Challenge” for people who maximize their healthy lifestyle goals, with prizes ranging from 12 weeks of free meals to $25,000.
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What’s on the menu?
With 119 restaurants in 24 states, Clean Eatz offers products like wraps, flatbreads, build-your-own bowls, protein smoothies and coffee, cauliflower crust pizza, and burgers with turkey, bison, salmon, or black beans. Menus are provided. I also make my own desserts using protein.
Almost everything is made fresh in the restaurant. To-go meals are fresh frozen and include thawing or reheating instructions.
“We don’t fry. We don’t cook with oil,” Andrea said.
Meal packages list the calories, protein, fat, and carbohydrates for each serving.
“Everything is measured in healthy portions,” Ryan said.
Previous bestsellers have been salmon wraps and bison burgers, as well as bowls with a choice of base such as brown rice or whole-wheat pasta, protein such as chicken, fish or beans, vegetables and sauces.
“Our smoothies are also selling like hotcakes,” Andrea said.
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Clean Eatz is open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Meal plans offer discounts for bulk orders. For example, up to 9 meals are $8.65 each, 10-14 meals are $7.70 each, and 15-20 meals are $7.35 each.
Most people prefer to order meal plans, pay online, and have them ready to eat when they arrive.
effort and reward
Running a restaurant was new to Andrea and Ryan, and they were busy preparing, permitting, ordering supplies, hiring, and more.
“It was definitely humbling to jump into this business,” Andrea said. “It’s a baptism by fire. It takes a lot of time and effort, but our staff and family are there to help, so everything will be fine. We have a good group here.”
She said she is encouraged by the positive feedback.
“It’s great to see so many people come and say we’re so glad we came here, we needed healthier options,” Andrea said.
On Oct. 4, customers Brenda and David Jaffe said they had spent most of the day in Dover, looking for a place to eat on their way back to Maryland.
“I searched online for ‘healthy food near me’ and Clean Eatz came up,” Brenda said. “We had never heard of it. I’m not vegan, but I try to eat more vegetables than meat, so I thought I’d give it a try.”
She said she was impressed with the food and restaurant concept.
David agreed. “This is delicious. This is really good food and a good idea.”
Reporter Ben Mace covers real estate, development and business stories. Please contact us at [email protected].
