Hawai'i has a diverse mix of quick-service restaurant franchises for burgers, sandwiches, plate lunches, coffee, pizzas, smoothies, tacos and more. Now a local entrepreneur plans to establish a salad chain.

James Han, a 34-year-old local Subway franchisee, has purchased rights to expand Florida-based Salad Creations throughout Hawai'i, and plans to open his first two restaurants this summer in downtown Honolulu and at Koko Marina Center in Hawai'i Kai.

"When I mention coffee, there's a name that comes to mind — Starbucks," Han said. "When I mention hamburgers, there's names that come to mind. There's not a name to fit salad right now."

Han hopes that his vision to open as many as 50 franchised Salad Creations stores statewide in seven years will result in creating a new recognizable restaurant chain brand in Hawai'i, and change eating habits for many fast-food consumers.

Salad bars have come and gone at a variety of fast-food chains such as Burger King and Wendy's, and still exist at several full-service eateries such as Sizzler and Duke's.

But there's been a trend growing on the Mainland with a handful of quick-service salad restaurants expanding rapidly.

Some of the salad franchises are Saladworks, Souper Salad, Doc Green's Gourmet Salads, Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes.

Also, at least two homegrown salad dining establishments have opened in recent years: Aloha Salad in Kailua and San Francisco Salad Co. in downtown Honolulu.

Phil Mowrey, owner of San Francisco Salad, said his kiosk in the Pioneer Plaza Building has done well catering to customers wanting an alternative to the ubiquitous plate lunch. "Most stores deal with (salad) as a side item," he said. "We don't. Salads are our main business."

Salad Creations was established by Florida businessman Jeff Levine, who began with a made-to-order salad kiosk in 2003 and later began franchising his system.

The company has 10 stores, including four in Florida, and projects opening 40 more by the end of this year through franchisees in more than a dozen states.

"Our growth and success is in response to consumers who are tired of traditional burgers and fries and looking for a fresh alternative," Levine said in a written statement.

The restaurant sells about a dozen prepared salads including a Greek salad, Caesar salad and Chinese chicken salad, but also prepares custom salads from a list of about 40 ingredients and many dressings that customers pick from. All the salads have fixed prices, and aren't sold by weight. For instance, create-your-own salads are $6.59 and cost an additional $2.25 if fish or meat is included. Secondary menu items include soups, wraps and smoothies.

Han said he's working with Salad Creations' franchisor to offer salads and ingredients with special connections to Hawai'i, such as pineapple, mango and possibly an ahi poke salad.

Salad Creations has two main store formats — stores that have interior seating and are designed for space at retail centers, and large kiosks suitable for stand-alone operation or a mall food court. Han said he expects to open both formats.

The first Hawai'i Salad Creations is slated to open at Koko Marina, where Han has already signed a lease. Han also is negotiating a lease for a downtown store that could also open in the summer.

By the end of the year, Han expects to have four or five stores open on O'ahu, and said he is talking to operators of Ala Moana Center, Ward Centers and Kahala Mall. Han said he plans to also expand to the Neighbor Islands.

"I think this is going to be the next biggest thing," he said.

Han, as Hawai'i's master developer for Salad Creations, is working with four franchisees and looking for more to own and operate most of the stores, each of which cost an estimated $130,000 to $300,000 to open.

A graduate of Kaiser High School, Han said he tired of working for employers after college. So he tried running a bar, and then switched to the sandwich business by buying a Subway franchise. Han owns Subway stores in Makiki and in Kalihi on North King Street.

Han said a Subway franchisee friend in Ohio told him about Salad Creations, and after visiting a store Han said he figured it would be perfect for Hawai'i.

"It's a new lifestyle for people to enjoy," he said. "As soon as I saw it, I knew this was going to be a hit."

Reach Andrew Gomes at agomes@honoluluadvertiser.com.