Cava misses Q3 targets, betting big on GMs

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

The Mediterranean chain fell short of Wall Street estimates, but its earnings call doubled as a playbook for building restaurant leaders.

Pumpkin shares the fall spotlight with apple, squash and bolder flavors

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Pumpkin still anchors plenty of fall menus this year, but restaurant brands are also leaning on apple, squash and a few less traditional flavors to pull guests…

Cava makes Wisconsin debut with Greenfield restaurant opening

October 29, 2026

Cava opened its first Wisconsin restaurant Oct. 28 at 8833 Sura Lane in Greenfield, a Milwaukee suburb. The 3,000-square-foot location marks the Washington…

Cava channeling Greek Goddess energy with LTOs

October 14, 2026

Cava is tapping into Mediterranean heritage this fall with the debut of a Greek Goddess lineup across its nationwide fast-casual footprint, headlined by an…

Cava names John Ludeke chief marketing officer

September 30, 2026

Cava has named John Ludeke chief marketing officer. He will lead the fast-casual chain's marketing organization as it continues to expand.

CAVA reaches 500 restaurant milestone with Minneapolis opening

September 25, 2026

Fast-casual Mediterranean brand CAVA has reached 500 restaurants with the opening of its newest location in Minneapolis, marking the Washington, D.C.-based…

Restaurant traffic rebounds post Cyclospora

August 26, 2026

The newest data from Placer.ai reveals restaurant traffic is recovering from the Cyclospora outbreak.

Cava reports strong Q2 results, fueled by traffic growth, restaurant openings

August 12, 2026

Cava Group has delivered a strong Q2 quarter, with revenue, same-store restaurant sales and guest traffic all posting solid gains as the mediterranean chain…

Cava hiring over 2,500 employees

June 10, 2026

Washington, D.C.-based Cava is expanding its workforce and career development initiatives through its Flavor Your Future platform.

Yelp's 2026 growth data: Fast casual brands, customization devouring the competition

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Fast casual is dominating when it comes not only to specific brands — 7 Brews, Dave's Hot Chicken, Cava and Chipotle — but also to the culture it has helped…

Cava named No. 1 Brand of 2026 at Fast Casual Top 100 Gala

Cava secured the top honors following a year of monumental growth, including a 22.5% revenue increase and reaching $1.1 billion in annual sales.

Jersey Mike’s 'confidentially' files for IPO with $1B target

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

April 20, 2026

Jersey Mike's Subs is aiming for a spot among the nation's most valuable restaurant chains as it moves forward with plans for an initial public offering.

5 strategic plays behind Cava's $1B year

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Cava Co-founder and CEO Brett Schulman didn't just report numbers during the company's Q4 and full-year 2025 earnings call on Tuesday; he reported a…

No tips, higher wages, low prices: How CAVA's Brett Schulman is rewriting the restaurant playbook

Join hosts Paul Barron and Cheryl Cansler as they kick off 2026 with CAVA Co-Founder and CEO Brett Schulman for an in-depth conversation about navigating…

Cava enters 2026 with elevated menu

January 5, 2026

Washington D.C.-based Cava has launched its largest menu expansion to date, headlined by the return of white sweet potatoes following a persistent years-long…

Top 3 learnings from Cava's Q3 earnings about growth in tight economy

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

Cava reported Q3 2025 revenue of $289.8 million, up 20% year over year, with same-restaurant sales growth of 1.9% and restaurant-level profit margin of 24.6%.

Cava launches gamified campaign with Clix

October 16, 2025

Cava, a Mediterranean fast casual chain, is partnering with professional gamer and streamer Clix to launch a campagin, Cava Pass Challenge, featuring a curated…

Cava unveils loyalty program with status matching

October 10, 2025

Cava has enhanced its loyalty program, Cava Rewards, with "status matching" as well as three status levels — Sea, Sand and Sun.

Cava invests in Hyphen's automated makelines

by Cherryh Cansler — Publisher, FastCasual.com

August 18, 2025

Hyphen, a company that provides automated meal production for restaurants, has secured $25 million in Series B financing to expand its operations. The funding…

Scaling fast casual: Cava's depth vs. Sweetgreen's breadth in Q2 2025

by Shira Petrack — Content Manager, Placer.ai

Cava's overall visits grew year-over-year n Q2 '25 while average visits per location remained relatively stable (-1.0%). Sweetgreen also experienced overall…