London’s LEON Crosses the Pond
Mediterranean food from the European healthy-eats chain arrives in the U.S. capital.
Sep 10, 2018
WASHINGTON — London-based LEON, a fast food restaurant named after the founder’s father, opens in downtown Washington, D.C., this month, according to Patch.com.
The self-proclaimed pioneer of “naturally fast food,” LEON features a Mediterranean-style menu that includes falafel wraps, Moroccan meatballs, baked fries, basil and pine nut salads, vegan burgers, crushed pea salad, Kefir smoothies and yogurt sundaes.
LEON’s online menu lets customers filter their dining choices by selecting food-related statements, such as, “I don’t eat gluten,” “I’m vegan,” “I’m pregnant,” “I’d like a meal under 500 calories,” and “good for your gut.”
According to owner, John Vincent, a former Proctor & Gamble executive, the brand is built on five principles: The food has to taste incredibly good, be remarkably good for you, allow you to feel good after you eat it, be affordable and be kind to the planet. He predicts that prices at the new Washington location will run “about 10% to 15% higher than McDonald’s.”
The first LEON opened on London’s Carnaby Street in 2004. Today, LEON has 50 locations in the U.K., Norway and The Netherlands and is planning more locations, including additional stores in D.C.
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