Operations

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

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August 12, 2026

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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 continues its aggressive expansion, the company announced in a news release.

Key Q2 2026 results include:

Revenue increased 31.3% to $365.4 million, up from $278.2 million compared to the same period last year.
Same-store restaurant sales rose 9.0%, driven by a 5.3% increase in guest traffic and a 3.7% gain from menu pricing and product mix.
Cava opened 17 restaurants during the quarter, bringing its total restaurant count to 476, up 19.6% year-over-year.
Net income increased 25.3% to $23 million, up from with $18.4 million in Q2 2025.
Digital sales represented 39.0% of revenue.

Cava said the quarter's revenue growth was primarily driven by 94 net new restaurants opened during or after the second quarter of 2025, combined with the 9.0% increase in same-restaurant sales. The company said newer restaurants are continuing to outperform expectations, supporting its confidence in its expansion strategy.

"Our second quarter results underscore the continued strength of our category-defining brand and the resonance of our value proposition with today's consumer," said Brett Schulman, Cava co-founder and CEO. "From Mishawaka, Indiana to Downingtown, Pennsylvania, our newest restaurants continue to outperform our expectations, reinforcing the proven portability of our concept and the growing demand for our differentiated Mediterranean cuisine and welcoming hospitality. This strength, combined with the power of our unit economic model, gives us confidence not only in our momentum today, but in the long runway that lies ahead."

The company's restaurant-level profit margin did come under some pressure. Cava attributed the decline to higher input costs associated with the April launch of its Pomegranate Glazed Salmon, a higher mix of third-party delivery and incremental investments in wages. Those factors were partially offset by leverage from higher sales.

Despite the margin pressure, Cava reaffirmed its full-year 2026 outlook, calling for: