ANN ARBOR, MI — Salads and stir fry are on the menu for a new restaurant coming to Ann Arbor.
Fuel’d begin in East Lansing in 2022 with a focus on bringing a quick healthy food option to the area. Now the business plans to expand to Ann Arbor with a new location at 980 W. Eisenhower Parkway.
Founder David Yang said he’s aiming to open the new location in March. Fuel’d also plan to open a new restaurant in Flint in early 2024, as well, he said.
“We just got a decent amount of feedback from people telling us that we should have (a location) in Ann Arbor, and we took their word for it,” Yang said.
The fast-casual restaurant lets customers customize their stir fry and salad orders by picking out whatever they want, including the meal’s base, protein and vegetables.
Freshness is top priority at Fuel’d, Yang said, adding the restaurant only uses raw ingredients for its menu items and is always looking to bring new options for customers.
“We’re always updating the menu so it’s always changing and adapting,” he said. “We want to hone in on adapting to the culture of each city because it is going to be different.”
Customers can either walk down a line and choose what they want or order from a kiosk. Beyond salads and stir fry, Yang plans to offer poke bowls in Ann Arbor, along with smoothies throughout the summer.
Yang said he got the idea to create Fuel’d after deciding he wanted to offer a healthier and fast “Asian alternative” with his food.
“I don’t like the denotation that a lot of Asian food has where it’s (seen as) greasy or people don’t know what they’re eating,” he said. “I like to be transparent and for people to know exactly what they’re getting.”
Beyond freshness, the customization at Fuel’d is always giving customers different options to choose from.
“You can customize a meal, like every single day of the week for 20 weeks straight and you won’t repeat yourself,” Yang said. “It might be very similar, but you’ll be at least trying something new every time.”
Being in a college town was a major deciding factor for Fuel’d to come to Ann Arbor, Yang said.
The business often works with Michigan State University’s athletic department, so he’s hoping he can establish the same kind of connection with the University of Michigan, Yang said.
However, Yang’s No. 1 goal is to just share his passion for making food that people can enjoy.
“I think truly, just from the bottom of my heart, I just want to share good food with people,” he said.
The restaurant’s Ann Arbor hours plan to be 10:30 am to 9 pm Monday through Sunday, Yang said. Learn more about Fuel’d online or on social media.
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