On March 2, CAVA appointed industry veteran Doug Thompson as Chief Operations Officer to spearhead its nationwide expansion. Thompson brings more than 20 years of hospitality experience, most recently serving as CEO of Tumble 22 Texas Chicken Joint, where he doubled unit count and built the supporting infrastructure. During his 16-year tenure at Texas Roadhouse, he oversaw 40 consecutive quarters of positive comparable-restaurant sales and led the launch of two new concepts. CAVA’s co-founder and CEO Brett Schulman highlighted Thompson’s people-first approach, noting his track record in coaching high-performing teams and cultivating management pipelines from line cook to executive levels.

CAVA’s new-unit economics have demonstrated remarkable strength in recent openings. Restaurants launched in 2025 are generating annualized average unit volumes exceeding $3.0 million, placing CAVA alongside the industry’s top performers. Third-quarter comparable-restaurant sales growth moderated to 1.9%, down from 18.1% in the same period last year, reflecting broader fast-casual traffic softening. However, restaurant-level profit margins have remained above 24%, underscoring the resilience of CAVA’s pricing strategy and cost controls despite inflationary pressures on food and labor inputs.

With a current footprint of approximately 415 locations, CAVA has outlined a path to reach 1,000 restaurants by 2032. Management believes the combination of purpose-driven brand appeal, favorable demographic trends toward health-oriented dining, and proven unit economics will support sustained expansion. In addition to brick-and-mortar growth, CAVA is experimenting with product innovation—such as its new chicken shawarma entrée—and brand extensions like The CAVA Shop merchandise range, aiming to deepen customer engagement and diversify revenue streams beyond the core fast-casual platform.