Noodles & Company Joins Forces With BetterHelp To Promote Mental Health and Provide Up to $1 Million in Free Online Therapy

To promote mental wellness in honor of January's Mental Wellness Month, and spread Uncommon Goodness, Noodles & Company and BetterHelp have come together to launch the platform's first-ever restaurant partnership to offer free online therapy to Noodles & Company guests.

BROOMFIELD, Colo., Jan. 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Noodles & Company (NASDAQ: NDLS), the national fast-casual chain known for spreading Uncommon Goodness with its globally inspired noodle bowls, best-in-class service and values-centric culture, today announced a partnership with BetterHelp, the world's largest therapy platform, to offer guests a total of up to $1 million in free BetterHelp online therapy, to guests who have not signed up for BetterHelp before. Guests can claim a free one-month trial of BetterHelp online therapy services by visiting any of Noodles & Company's 450-plus locations or website from January 4-31, 2023.

"With a culture focused on Uncommon Goodness, we believe that mental wellness starts from the inside out, which is why we're so excited to offer these services at a time when so many people are evaluating their goals for the year," said Stacey Pool, chief marketing officer at Noodles & Company. "I believe that the best thing anyone can do for themselves is to invest in their mental health, and therapy can be an impactful part of that journey."

"We're excited to partner with a brand like Noodles & Company that is as passionate as we are about reducing the stigma around mental health and spreading awareness of equitable and accessible therapy resources," says Alon Matas, president and founder of BetterHelp. "As we begin the New Year, we want to remind people to take care of themselves, and we're providing them with the resources to get started."

Noodles & Company is dedicated to nourishing and inspiring every team member, guest and community it serves by cultivating an environment where everybody can be their most authentic selves. This partnership with BetterHelp delivers on that promise and is a way for Noodles to celebrate and honor the importance of Mental Wellness Month by providing access to quality therapy to its guests and team members. BetterHelp provides professional online therapy via phone, chat and video call and matches members with therapists based on their unique needs and preferences. 

This guest-centric offering is an extension of the longstanding significant mental health benefits that Noodles & Company provides its more than 8,000 team members year-round. Noodles & Company also offers its team members wellness, counseling and other support at no cost to them through LifeWorks. Through this benefit, team members can access 24/7 mental wellness and counseling support; legal support; financial counseling; and much more. Noodles & Company team members are also eligible to claim the free month of BetterHelp services.

Noodles promotes mental wellness inside of work and out. With an understanding that work-life balance is essential to team wellbeing, team members are also afforded on-demand mental health learning opportunities, flexible work schedules, paid sick days, floating holidays and Noodles Resource Groups for LGBTQIA+ and team members of color. Qualified team members can also take advantage of the Balance Bucks program, which grants an annual reimbursement of up to $625 for expenses to help support mental health, such as gym memberships, pet adoption, fitness gear and much more.

"Beyond the extensive benefits we offer our team, we believe in fostering a caring and loving culture where we support each other," said Pool. "One of the many ways we facilitate that care is through the Noodles & Company Foundation, which was created to help improve the wellbeing of team members by being there in times of sudden crisis and providing team members and their families with education opportunities. In 2022 alone, the Noodles & Company Foundation has raised $196,000 for team members in need."

Noodles is making it easy for guests to sign up and take advantage of this offer. Throughout the month, guests can claim their free trial for therapy with BetterHelp by checking their physical receipt or confirmation email for redemption details. After the free trial is complete, guests can choose to either continue their BetterHelp membership on a paid subscription basis or cancel their membership. For more details, visit Noodles.com/betterhelp.

Want to score more from Noodles? Guests can sign up for the Noodles Rewards Program and receive a free entree after their first purchase using their Noodles Rewards account. Not to mention that there are so many convenient ways to get your Noodles fix via quick pickup, delivery or by visiting a nearby Noodles location. It's delicious, easy and so rewarding.

Since 1995, Noodles & Company has been serving guests Uncommon Goodness and noodles your way, with noodles and flavors you know and love as well as new ones you're about to discover. From indulgent Wisconsin Mac & Cheese to better-for-you Zoodles and Other Noodles, the company serves a world of flavor in every bowl. Made up of more than 450 restaurants and thousands of passionate team members and named one of America's Favorite Restaurants by Newsweek, and one of the Top 500 Franchises by Franchise Times, Noodles is well-known for its delicious noodles and industry-leading team member benefits. Noodles has been recognized by Forbes as one of America's Best Employers for Diversity in 2021 and 2022 and one of America's Best Employers for Women in 2021. Additionally, QSR recently named Noodles one of 2022's Best Brands to Work For, and the Denver Business Journal has called Noodles one of the Best Places to Work for its unique culture focused on Uncommon Goodness and built on the value of "Loving Life," which begins by nourishing and inspiring its communities and every team member and guest who walks through the door. The company has also earned the Women in the Lead Certification for its investment in women-empowering initiatives for its female team members and has proudly partnered with the Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance to build cultural intelligence within its teams. To learn more and to find the location nearest you, visit www.noodles.com.

BetterHelp is the world's largest therapy platform, with over 26,000 therapists, facilitating over 5 million video sessions, voice calls, chats and messages every month. We set out on a mission to make sure everyone has easy, affordable, safe and discreet access to high-quality therapy. Since 2013, our licensed and accredited therapists have helped more than 3 million people face life's challenges and improve their mental health.

Contact: Danielle Moore, [email protected]

SOURCE Noodles & Company