Good Earth (restaurant chain)

Good Earth was a natural foods restaurant chain originally founded in Reno, Nevada, by William Galt and Nancy Galt.

Franchise locations in Santa Barbara, California, Berkeley, California, and San Francisco, California were owned by Dean Stanley Ashby and family (wife Georgia Anne Ashby, and sons Aaron Stanley Ashby and Dean Stanley Ashby II).

The Galts sold the concept to General Mills in 1980.[1]. After expansion to more than 50 locations across the United States the concept lost popularity. General Mills converted most of the restaurants into other chain restaurants they were operating, such as Red Lobster and Olive Garden. Most of the restaurants were located in California.

During the period Good Earth operated widely, it was "probably the most prominent chain example of a health-food concept", according to industry trade journal Nation's Restaurant News.[2]

It was based in California at the time of the purchase by General Mills.[3]

The popular tea served with meals and sold in bulk and packaged form to customers by the restaurants is still sold under the Good Earth brand as Good Earth Teas.

Two restaurants remain in Minnesota that operate under the ownership of Parasole Restaurant Holdings, one located in the Minneapolis suburb of Edina and the other in the St. Paul suburb of Roseville.[4]