On March 2, CAVA elevated industry veteran Doug Thompson to Chief Operations Officer to oversee its restaurant operations and field teams. Thompson brings over 20 years of experience from Texas Roadhouse—where he served as COO and VP of Operations—during which he led two new concept launches, managed development of more than 500 locations, and delivered 40 consecutive quarters of positive comparable sales. Most recently as CEO of Tumble 22 Texas Chicken Joint, he doubled unit count and built the supporting infrastructure to sustain rapid growth. His track record of talent development and operational rigor aligns with CAVA’s mission to expand sustainably while maintaining a people-first culture.

CAVA’s newest restaurants are outperforming established units, generating annualized average unit volumes above $3 million. This level of productivity places the brand alongside top-tier fast-casual peers. In the third quarter of 2025, restaurant-level profit margins remained above 24%, despite industry-wide inflationary pressures on ingredients and labor. The strong AUVs and margin resilience confirm the effectiveness of CAVA’s Mediterranean fast-casual model across diverse markets, from suburban Chicago to new Florida territories.

With 415 locations today, CAVA has outlined a fully funded plan to reach 1,000 restaurants by 2032. The company’s expansion blueprint combines company-owned openings with selective franchise partnerships to accelerate market penetration. Management projects that sustaining current unit-level margins while tripling unit count would drive midteens operating margins at scale. Coupled with ongoing menu innovation—such as the recent chicken shawarma rollout and branded merchandise initiatives—CAVA is positioned to capitalize on growing consumer demand for health-oriented, purpose-driven brands as it pursues nation-wide leadership in the limited-service sector.