CAVA (CAVA) 10-Q 22 Aug 24 2024 Q2 Quarterly report Financial data

Cover

Cover - shares	6 Months Ended
	Jul. 14, 2024	Aug. 15, 2024
Cover [Abstract]
Document Type	10-Q
Document Quarterly Report	true
Document Period End Date	Jul. 14, 2024
Document Transition Report	false
Entity File Number	001-41721
Entity Registrant Name	CAVA Group, Inc.
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	DE
Entity Tax Identification Number	47-3426661
Entity Address, Address Line One	14 Ridge Square NW
Entity Address, Address Line Two	Suite 500
Entity Address, City or Town	Washington
Entity Address, State or Province	DC
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	20016
City Area Code	202
Local Phone Number	400-2920
Title of 12(b) Security	Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share
Trading Symbol	CAVA
Security Exchange Name	NYSE
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Interactive Data Current	Yes
Entity Filer Category	Non-accelerated Filer
Entity Small Business	false
Entity Emerging Growth Company	true
Entity Ex Transition Period	false
Entity Shell Company	false
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		114,320,581
Entity Central Index Key	0001639438
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2024
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q2
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-29
Amendment Flag	false

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATE

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jul. 14, 2024	Dec. 31, 2023
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 343,748	$ 332,428
Trade accounts receivable, net	5,927	3,662
Other accounts receivable	7,962	8,223
Inventories	7,195	5,637
Prepaid expenses and other	4,934	4,962
Total current assets	369,766	354,912
Property and equipment, net	355,014	330,730
Operating lease assets	304,926	289,451
Goodwill	1,944	1,944
Intangible assets	1,355	1,355
Other long-term assets	5,537	5,365
Total assets	1,038,542	983,757
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	20,348	17,234
Accrued expenses and other	63,542	59,219
Operating lease liabilities, current	39,711	32,583
Total current liabilities	123,601	109,036
Deferred income taxes	79	79
Operating lease liabilities	319,425	303,615
Other long-term liabilities	0	225
Total liabilities	443,105	412,955
Commitments and Contingencies (Note 9)
Stockholders' equity:
Common stock, par value $0.0001 per share; 2,500,000 shares authorized; 114,306 and 113,708 issued and outstanding, respectively	11	11
Treasury stock, at cost; 1,378 shares and 1,086 shares, respectively	(27,066)	(9,727)
Additional paid-in capital	1,036,421	1,028,181
Accumulated deficit	(413,929)	(447,663)
Total stockholders’ equity	595,437	570,802
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$ 1,038,542	$ 983,757

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDA_2

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Parenthetical) - $ / shares	Jul. 14, 2024	Dec. 31, 2023
Statement of Financial Position [Abstract]
Common stock, par value (in usd per share)	$ 0.0001	$ 0.0001
Common stock, shares authorized (in shares)	2,500,000,000	2,500,000,000
Common stock, shares issued (in shares)	114,306,000	113,708,000
Common stock, shares outstanding (in shares)	114,306,000	113,708,000
Treasury stock (in shares)	1,378,000	1,086,000

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDA_3

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jul. 14, 2024	Jul. 09, 2023	Jul. 14, 2024	Jul. 09, 2023
Income Statement [Abstract]
Total revenue	$ 233,495	$ 172,894	$ 492,501	$ 375,977
Restaurant operating expenses (excluding depreciation and amortization)
Food, beverage, and packaging	68,839	51,000	142,786	110,118
Labor	58,388	42,417	124,901	94,571
Occupancy	15,917	13,400	36,339	29,999
Other operating expenses	27,991	20,646	60,749	45,294
Total restaurant operating expenses	171,135	127,463	364,775	279,982
General and administrative expenses	28,281	23,321	62,121	52,345
Depreciation and amortization	13,733	10,709	31,055	23,568
Restructuring and other costs	70	1,853	352	4,068
Pre-opening costs	3,302	3,400	6,681	9,399
Impairment and asset disposal costs	830	386	2,120	3,105
Total operating expenses	217,351	167,132	467,104	372,467
Income from operations	16,144	5,762	25,397	3,510
Other income (expense):
Interest income, net	(3,824)	(699)	(8,738)	(674)
Other income, net	60	118	138	292
Income before income taxes	20,028	6,579	34,273	4,476
Provision for income taxes	287	40	539	78
Net income	$ 19,741	$ 6,539	$ 33,734	$ 4,398
Earnings per share:
Basic (in usd per share)	$ 0.17	$ 0.23	$ 0.30	$ 0.34
Diluted (in usd per share)	$ 0.17	$ 0.21	$ 0.29	$ 0.29
Weighted-average common shares outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	114,130	28,366	114,040	13,098
Diluted (in shares)	118,291	31,279	118,088	15,212

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDA_4

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF PREFERRED STOCK AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Common Stock	Treasury Stock	Additional Paid in Capital	Accumulated Deficit
Beginning Balance (in shares) at Dec. 25, 2022	95,204,000
Beginning Balance at Dec. 25, 2022	$ 662,308
Redeemable Preferred Stock
Conversion of preferred stock (in shares)	(95,204,000)
Conversion of preferred stock	$ (662,308)
Ending Balance (in shares) at Jul. 09, 2023	0
Ending Balance at Jul. 09, 2023	$ 0
Beginning balance (in shares) at Dec. 25, 2022		1,409,000
Beginning balance at Dec. 25, 2022	(448,503)	$ 0	$ (6,619)	$ 19,059	$ (460,943)
Beginning balance (in shares) at Dec. 25, 2022			886,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Equity-based compensation	2,671			2,671
Shares purchased under equity plans (in shares)		61,000
Shares purchased under equity plans	289			289
RSU vesting (in shares)		447,000
RSU vesting	0
Tax withholding on stock-based compensation awards (in shares)		151,000	151,000
Tax withholding on stock-based compensation awards	(1,466)		$ (1,466)
Proceeds from initial public offering, net of underwriting fees and offering costs of $29.3 million (in shares)		16,611,000
Proceeds from initial public offering, net of underwriting fees and offering costs of $29.3 million	336,111	$ 1		336,110
Conversion of preferred stock (in shares)		95,204,000
Conversion of preferred stock	662,309	$ 10		662,299
Net income	4,398				4,398
Ending balance (in shares) at Jul. 09, 2023		113,581,000
Ending balance at Jul. 09, 2023	$ 555,809	$ 11	$ (8,085)	1,020,428	(456,545)
Ending balance (in shares) at Jul. 09, 2023			1,037,000
Beginning Balance (in shares) at Apr. 16, 2023	95,204,000
Beginning Balance at Apr. 16, 2023	$ 662,308
Redeemable Preferred Stock
Conversion of preferred stock (in shares)	(95,204,000)
Conversion of preferred stock	$ (662,308)
Ending Balance (in shares) at Jul. 09, 2023	0
Ending Balance at Jul. 09, 2023	$ 0
Beginning balance (in shares) at Apr. 16, 2023		1,703,000
Beginning balance at Apr. 16, 2023	(451,041)	$ 0	$ (7,987)	20,030	(463,084)
Beginning balance (in shares) at Apr. 16, 2023			1,030,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Equity-based compensation	1,743			1,743
Shares purchased under equity plans (in shares)		43,000
Shares purchased under equity plans	246			246
RSU vesting (in shares)		27,000
RSU vesting	0
Tax withholding on stock-based compensation awards (in shares)		7,000	7,000
Tax withholding on stock-based compensation awards	(98)		$ (98)
Proceeds from initial public offering, net of underwriting fees and offering costs of $29.3 million (in shares)		16,611,000
Proceeds from initial public offering, net of underwriting fees and offering costs of $29.3 million	336,111	$ 1		336,110
Conversion of preferred stock (in shares)		95,204,000
Conversion of preferred stock	662,309	$ 10		662,299
Net income	6,539				6,539
Ending balance (in shares) at Jul. 09, 2023		113,581,000
Ending balance at Jul. 09, 2023	$ 555,809	$ 11	$ (8,085)	1,020,428	(456,545)
Ending balance (in shares) at Jul. 09, 2023			1,037,000
Beginning Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2023	0
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2023	$ 0
Ending Balance (in shares) at Jul. 14, 2024	0
Ending Balance at Jul. 14, 2024	$ 0
Beginning balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2023	113,708,000	113,708,000
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2023	$ 570,802	$ 11	$ (9,727)	1,028,181	(447,663)
Beginning balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2023	1,086,000		1,086,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Equity-based compensation	$ 6,949			6,949
Shares purchased under equity plans (in shares)		111,000
Shares purchased under equity plans	1,291			1,291
RSU vesting (in shares)		779,000
RSU vesting	0
Tax withholding on stock-based compensation awards (in shares)		292,000	292,000
Tax withholding on stock-based compensation awards	(17,339)		$ (17,339)
Net income	$ 33,734				33,734
Ending balance (in shares) at Jul. 14, 2024	114,306,000	114,306,000
Ending balance at Jul. 14, 2024	$ 595,437	$ 11	$ (27,066)	1,036,421	(413,929)
Ending balance (in shares) at Jul. 14, 2024	1,378,000		1,378,000
Beginning Balance (in shares) at Apr. 21, 2024	0
Beginning Balance at Apr. 21, 2024	$ 0
Ending Balance (in shares) at Jul. 14, 2024	0
Ending Balance at Jul. 14, 2024	$ 0
Beginning balance (in shares) at Apr. 21, 2024		114,009,000
Beginning balance at Apr. 21, 2024	580,810	$ 11	$ (17,766)	1,032,235	(433,670)
Beginning balance (in shares) at Apr. 21, 2024			1,271,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Equity-based compensation	2,954			2,954
Shares purchased under equity plans (in shares)		100,000
Shares purchased under equity plans	1,232			1,232
RSU vesting (in shares)		304,000
RSU vesting	0
Tax withholding on stock-based compensation awards (in shares)		107,000	107,000
Tax withholding on stock-based compensation awards	(9,300)		$ (9,300)
Net income	$ 19,741				19,741
Ending balance (in shares) at Jul. 14, 2024	114,306,000	114,306,000
Ending balance at Jul. 14, 2024	$ 595,437	$ 11	$ (27,066)	$ 1,036,421	$ (413,929)
Ending balance (in shares) at Jul. 14, 2024	1,378,000		1,378,000

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDA_5

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	6 Months Ended
	Jul. 14, 2024	Jul. 09, 2023
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$ 33,734	$ 4,398
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation	31,055	23,541
Amortization of intangible assets	0	27
Equity-based compensation	6,949	2,671
Impairment and asset disposal costs	2,120	3,105
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Trade accounts receivable	(2,265)	(1,499)
Other accounts receivable	261	(2,644)
Inventories	(1,558)	(217)
Prepaid expenses and other	(143)	1,371
Operating lease assets	(15,588)	(18,035)
Accounts payable	3,764	(281)
Accrued expenses and other	6,022	13,944
Operating lease liabilities	22,944	20,729
Net cash provided by operating activities	87,295	47,110
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of property and equipment	(59,882)	(72,478)
Net cash used in investing activities	(59,882)	(72,478)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from long-term debt	0	6,000
Payments on long-term debt	0	(6,000)
Tax withholding on stock-based compensation awards	(17,339)	(1,466)
Shares purchased under equity plans	1,291	289
Proceeds from initial public offering, net of underwriting fees of $22.8 million	0	342,604
Offering costs paid	0	(1,922)
Payment of loan acquisition fees	0	(365)
Payments on finance lease obligations	(45)	(52)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(16,093)	339,088
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	11,320	313,720
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of year	332,428	39,125
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	343,748	352,845
Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Flow Information:
Offering costs not yet paid	0	3,462
Cash paid for income taxes	985	166
Change in accrued purchases of property and equipment	(2,422)	8,727
Conversion of redeemable preferred stock into common stock in connection with initial public offering	$ 0	$ 662,309

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDA_6

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF PREFERRED STOCK AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY - Parenthetical - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
	Jul. 09, 2023	Jul. 09, 2023
Statement of Stockholders' Equity [Abstract]
Underwriting fees and deferred offering costs	$ 29.3	$ 29.3

NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND BASIS

NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION	6 Months Ended
	Jul. 14, 2024
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION	NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION CAVA Group, Inc. (together with its wholly owned subsidiaries, referred to as the “Company”, “CAVA”, “we”, “us”, and “our” unless specified otherwise) was formed as a Delaware corporation in 2015, and prior to that, the first CAVA restaurant opened in 2011 in Bethesda, Maryland. The Company is headquartered in Washington D.C. and, as of July 14, 2024, the Company operated 341 fast-casual CAVA Restaurants in 25 states and Washington D.C. The Company’s authentic Mediterranean cuisine unites taste and health, with a menu that features chef-curated and customizable bowls and pitas. The Company’s dips, spreads, and dressings are centrally produced for use in its restaurants and to be sold in grocery stores. The Company’s operations are conducted as two reportable segments: CAVA and Zoes Kitchen. These segments were determined on the same basis that the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, who is the chief operating decision maker (“CODM”), manages, evaluates, and makes key decisions regarding the business. As of March 2, 2023, the Company no longer operates any Zoes Kitchen locations. Initial Public Offering —On June 20, 2023, the Company completed an initial public offering (the “IPO”) of 16.6 million shares of common stock at a price of $22.00 per share, which included 2.2 million shares sold to the underwriters pursuant to their option to purchase additional shares. After underwriting discounts and commissions of $22.8 million and offering expenses of $6.5 million, the Company received net proceeds from the offering of $336.1 million. In connection with the IPO, 95.2 million outstanding shares of preferred stock were converted into an equivalent number of shares of common stock. Interim Financial Statements —The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and practices of the United States of America (“GAAP”) for interim financial information. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in annual financial statements presented in accordance with GAAP have been omitted pursuant to rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) considered necessary for a fair statement of the results for interim periods have been included. The unaudited interim financial information should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements included in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023. Interim results of operations are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be achieved for the full year. Recently Issued Accounting Standards —In November 2023, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”), issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2023-07, Segment Reporting (Topic 280): Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures , which improves reportable segment disclosure through enhanced disclosures about significant segment expenses. The amendment is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023 and for interim periods within fiscal year beginning after December 15, 2024 and early adoption is permitted. The amendments should be applied retrospectively to all prior periods presented in the financial statements. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this ASU on its disclosures. In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-09, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures , which improves income tax disclosures through enhanced disaggregation within the rate reconciliation table and disaggregation of income taxes paid by jurisdiction. The amendment is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024 and early adoption is permitted. The amendments should be applied on a prospective basis, however, retrospective application is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this ASU on its disclosures. The Company reviewed all other recently issued accounting standards and determined they were either not applicable or not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s financial position or results from operations. JOBS Act Election —In April 2012, the JOBS Act was enacted. Section 107(b) of the JOBS Act provides that an emerging growth company can take advantage of an extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards. Thus, an emerging growth company can delay adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would apply to private companies. The Company has elected to take advantage of the extended transition period to comply with new or revised accounting standards and to adopt certain of the reduced disclosure requirements available to emerging growth companies. As a result of the accounting standards election, the Company will not be subject to the same implementation timing for new or revised accounting standards as other public companies that are not emerging growth companies and, as a result, the Company’s financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with new or revised accounting pronouncements as of public company effective dates.

REVENUE

REVENUE	6 Months Ended
	Jul. 14, 2024
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
REVENUE	REVENUE The Company’s revenue was as follows : Twelve Weeks Ended Twenty-Eight Weeks Ended (in thousands) July 14, July 9, July 14, July 9, Restaurant revenue $ 231,384 $ 171,089 $ 487,674 $ 371,717 CPG revenue and other 2,111 1,805 4,827 4,260 Revenue $ 233,495 $ 172,894 $ 492,501 $ 375,977 Revenue from the redemption of the Company’s gift cards and loyalty program is included in restaurant revenue. Refer to Note 5 (Accrued Expenses and Other) for the Company’s gift card and loyalty liability balances. Revenue recognized from the redemption of gift cards, that was included in the gift card liability at the beginning of the year was $0.4 million and $0.1 million during the twelve weeks ended July 14, 2024 and July 9, 2023, respectively . Revenue recognized from the redemption of gift cards, that was included in the gift card liability at the beginning of the year was $1.2 million and $0.4 million during the twenty-eight weeks ended July 14, 2024 and July 9, 2023, respectively . The full amount of the outstanding loyalty liability as of July 14, 2024 is expected to be recognized within one year due to the expiration of loyalty rewards being less than one year.

FAIR VALUE

FAIR VALUE	6 Months Ended
	Jul. 14, 2024
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
FAIR VALUE	FAIR VALUE Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis —The carrying amounts of the Company’s financial instruments, which include cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts payable, and other accrued expenses, approximate their fair values due to their short maturities. Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Non-recurring Basis —Assets recognized or disclosed at fair value in the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements on a nonrecurring basis may include items such as property and equipment, net, operating lease assets, goodwill, and intangible assets, net. These assets are measured at fair value whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Certain operating lease assets were measured at fair value, on a non-recurring basis, as of April 16, 2023, in connection with an impairment charge of $0.7 million, which is included within impairment and asset disposal costs in the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations for the twenty-eight weeks ended July 9, 2023. The fair value of these assets was concluded to be $0.4 million using an income approach (discounted cash flow method), which was measured using Level 3 inputs (unobservable inputs), including the discount rate and projected restaurant revenues and expenses.

PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET

PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET	6 Months Ended
	Jul. 14, 2024
Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract]
PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET	PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET The following table presents the Company’s property and equipment, net: (in thousands) July 14, December 31, Land $ 600 $ 600 Building 24,264 — Leasehold improvements 302,426 268,245 Equipment and other 101,042 79,268 Furniture and fixtures 20,321 19,694 Computer hardware and software 50,699 46,437 Construction in progress 25,383 58,501 Total property and equipment, gross 524,735 472,745 Less accumulated depreciation (169,721) (142,015) Total property and equipment, net $ 355,014 $ 330,730 Construction in progress includes CAVA new restaurant openings and technology improvements as of both periods presented above. Building, as of July 14, 2024 and construction in progress as of December 31, 2023, includes the new production facility in Verona, Virginia, which commenced operations in the first quarter of fiscal 2024.

ACCRUED EXPENSES AND OTHER

ACCRUED EXPENSES AND OTHER	6 Months Ended
	Jul. 14, 2024
Payables and Accruals [Abstract]
ACCRUED EXPENSES AND OTHER	ACCRUED EXPENSES AND OTHER The following table presents the Company’s accrued expenses and other: (in thousands) July 14, December 31, Accrued payroll and payroll taxes $ 23,521 $ 23,370 Accrued capital purchases 6,164 7,935 Sales and use tax payable 8,277 3,807 Gift card and loyalty liabilities 4,357 4,096 Other accrued expenses 21,223 20,011 Total accrued expenses and other $ 63,542 $ 59,219

DEBT

DEBT	6 Months Ended
	Jul. 14, 2024
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
DEBT	DEBT As of July 14, 2024, the Company had a revolving loan commitment with available borrowing capacity of $74.3 million, net of $0.7 million of outstanding letters of credit, (the “2022 Credit Facility”) with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. as administrative agent. The 2022 Credit Facility has a five-year term and matures on March 11, 2027. The 2022 Credit Facility included a delayed draw term loan facility (“DDTL”) of $24.0 million, which facility commitment terminated on August 15, 2024. Interest on loans under the 2022 Credit Facility are based on the one, three or six months Adjusted Term Secured Overnight Financing Rate (as described in the 2022 Credit Facility), as applicable, plus an applicable margin of 1.50% to 2.50% based on the Company’s Total Rent Adjusted Net Leverage Ratio (as defined in the 2022 Credit Facility). The Company is also required to pay a commitment fee for unused amounts under the 2022 Credit Facility (and a similar ticking fee with respect to undrawn loans under the DDTL through its termination), which ranges from 0.20% to 0.35% based on the Total Rent Adjusted Net Leverage Ratio. The 2022 Credit Facility is unconditionally guaranteed by certain of the Company’s domestic restricted subsidiaries and is secured, subject to permitted liens and other exceptions, by a first-priority security interest in and pledge of certain assets of the borrower and the guarantors. The 2022 Credit Facility includes customary restrictive covenants and covenants that require compliance with certain leverage ratios. As of July 14, 2024, the Company was in compliance with these financial and other covenants, and the Company had no borrowings under the 2022 Credit Facility.

INCOME TAXES

INCOME TAXES	6 Months Ended
	Jul. 14, 2024
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
INCOME TAXES	INCOME TAXES The Company’s full pretax income for the twelve and twenty-eight weeks ended July 14, 2024 and July 9, 2023 was from U.S. domestic operations. The Company’s effective tax rate differs from the statutory rate primarily due to the valuation allowance recorded against deferred tax assets (“DTAs”). A valuation allowance is provided when it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the DTAs will not be realized. The factors used to assess the likelihood of realization include the Company’s historical and forecast of future taxable income and available tax planning strategies that could be implemented to realize the net DTAs. The Company assesses the available positive and negative evidence to estimate whether sufficient future taxable income will be generated. A significant piece of objective negative evidence evaluated was the cumulative losses incurred over the most recent three-year period ended July 14, 2024. Such objective evidence limits the ability to consider other subjective evidence, such as projections for future growth. On the basis of this evaluation, as of July 14, 2024 and December 31, 2023, a full valuation allowance has been recorded on the Company’s DTAs. Management has evaluated our recent profitability trends and believes that, if current trends persist, there is a reasonable possibility that within the current fiscal year, sufficient positive evidence may become available to allow us to reach the conclusion that a significant portion of the valuation allowance will no longer be needed. Release of the valuation allowance would result in the recognition of certain DTAs and a decrease to income tax expense for the period the release is recorded. However, the exact timing and amount of the valuation allowance to be released are subject to change based on the positive evidence, including, but not limited to, the level of expected profitability, that we are able to actually achieve in future periods.

LEASES

LEASES	6 Months Ended
	Jul. 14, 2024
Leases [Abstract]
LEASES	LEASES The Company leases all of its CAVA Restaurants, its digital kitchens, its production facility in Laurel, Maryland, its collaboration center in Washington D.C., and its support centers in Brooklyn, New York and Plano, Texas. The Company determines if a contract contains a lease at inception, and determines the classification of a lease, if necessary. Typically, restaurant leases have initial terms of 10 years and include five-year renewal options. Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information related to leases were as follows: Twelve Weeks Ended Twenty-Eight Weeks Ended (in thousands) July 14, July 9, July 14, July 9, Cash paid for operating lease liabilities $ 14,134 $ 11,689 $ 28,410 $ 23,153 Operating lease assets obtained in exchange for operating lease liabilities 13,866 20,051 33,397 33,884 Derecognition of operating lease assets due to termination or impairment — — 109 2,786

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES	6 Months Ended
	Jul. 14, 2024
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES	COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES Purchase Obligations —The Company enters into various purchase obligations in the ordinary course of business, generally of a short-term nature. Those that are binding primarily relate to amounts owed for produce and other ingredients and supplies, including supplies and materials used for new restaurant openings. Letters of Credit —As of July 14, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company had four irrevocable letters of credit in favor of various landlords in the aggregate amount of $0.7 million. The letters of credit do not require a compensating balance and automatically renew in accordance with the terms of the underlying lease agreement. Litigation —The Company is currently involved in various claims and legal actions that arise in the ordinary course of its business, including claims resulting from employment related matters. While the ultimate outcome and the costs associated with litigation are inherently uncertain and difficult to predict, as of the date hereof, the Company does not believe that any of its pending legal proceedings, most of which are covered by insurance, will have a material effect on the Company’s business, financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows. However, a significant increase in the number of these claims or an increase in uninsured amounts owed under successful claims could materially and adversely affect the Company’s business, financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows. On April 27, 2022, the Company was named as a defendant in Hamman et al. v. Cava Group, Inc. in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, which alleged that certain of our products were unfit for human consumption due to the packaging containing allegedly heightened levels of organic fluorine and unsafe per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (“PFAS”), and that consumers were misled by certain marketing claims asserted by us regarding the health and sustainability of our products. Plaintiffs sought, among other relief, compensatory damages in an unspecified amount and medical monitoring. The Company settled the matter and the action was dismissed with prejudice on April 15, 2024. On October 12, 2023, the Company was named as a defendant in GMO Free USA d/b/a Toxin Free USA v. Cava Group, Inc. in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia Civil Division, which alleged that we used unhealthy and unsustainable PFAS in our packaging, that our products contained synthetic biocides, and that our “healthy” and “sustainable” marketing claims constituted false and deceptive advertising. Plaintiffs sought declaratory and injunctive relief with respect to refraining from using or sourcing packaging containing PFAS and adding certain product warnings, as well as payment of the plaintiffs’ attorney’s fees. The Company settled the matter and the action was dismissed with prejudice on April 16, 2024. In connection to the aforementioned Hamman matter, Travelers Property Casualty Company of America et al v. Cava Group, Inc. was filed on September 21, 2022 in the Superior Court of the State of California, County of Orange and subsequently transferred to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on February 13, 2024. Plaintiff sought a declaratory judgment that it was not liable for insurance coverage in relation to the allegations asserted in the Hamman complaint related to PFAS, as well as recoupment of the Company’s legal costs in the Hamman action. The Company settled the matter and the action was dismissed with prejudice on April 17, 2024. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include an immaterial expense for the matters above.

EQUITY-BASED COMPENSATION

EQUITY-BASED COMPENSATION	6 Months Ended
	Jul. 14, 2024
Share-Based Payment Arrangement [Abstract]
EQUITY-BASED COMPENSATION	EQUITY-BASED COMPENSATION The Company recognized equity-based compensation expense (including applicable payroll taxes) of $3.6 million and $8.7 million during the twelve and twenty-eight weeks ended July 14, 2024, and $1.8 million and $3.0 million during the twelve and twenty-eight weeks ended July 9, 2023, respectively, related to its equity incentive plans and employee stock purchase plan, recorded within general and administrative expenses in the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations. A summary of the Company’s stock option activity is as follows: Weighted Average (in thousands, except per share amounts) Number Of Options Exercise Price Remaining Contractual Term (Years) Aggregate Intrinsic Value Outstanding - December 31, 2023 3,078 $ 11.45 6.8 $ 97,054 Granted 7 47.84 Exercised (66) 3.45 Forfeited or expired (28) 16.84 Outstanding - July 14, 2024 2,991 $ 11.66 6.3 $ 217,091 Exercisable - July 14, 2024 1,770 $ 7.35 4.6 Vested and expected to vest - July 14, 2024 2,991 $ 11.66 6.3 $ 217,091 As of July 14, 2024, unrecognized compensation expense related to option awards was $10.5 million, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 3.4 years. A summary of the Company’s restricted stock unit (“RSU”) activity is as follows: (in thousands, except per share amounts) Number of Units Weighted-Average Grant Date Fair Value Aggregate Intrinsic Value Non-vested - December 31, 2023 2,653 $ 12.69 $ 113,985 Granted 34 63.24 Vested (779) 11.38 Forfeited (105) 15.12 Non-vested - July 14, 2024 1,803 $ 14.07 $ 151,931

EARNINGS PER SHARE

EARNINGS PER SHARE	6 Months Ended
	Jul. 14, 2024
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
EARNINGS PER SHARE	EARNINGS PER SHARE Basic earnings per share is calculated by dividing net income by the weighted average shares outstanding during the period. Diluted earnings per share is calculated by adjusting the weighted average shares outstanding for the dilutive effect of outstanding equity awards for the period using the treasury-stock method. The following table sets forth the computation of earnings per common share: Twelve Weeks Ended Twenty-Eight Weeks Ended (in thousands, except per share amounts) July 14, July 9, July 14, July 9, Net income $ 19,741 $ 6,539 $ 33,734 $ 4,398 Weighted-average shares outstanding: Basic 114,130 28,366 114,040 13,098 Dilutive awards 4,161 2,913 4,048 2,114 Diluted 118,291 31,279 118,088 15,212 Earnings per common share: Basic $ 0.17 $ 0.23 $ 0.30 $ 0.34 Diluted $ 0.17 $ 0.21 $ 0.29 $ 0.29 The Company excluded the following potential common shares, presented based on amounts outstanding at each period end, from the computation of diluted earnings per share as their impact would have been anti-dilutive: Twelve Weeks Ended Twenty-Eight Weeks Ended (in thousands) July 14, July 9, July 14, July 9, Options to purchase common stock — — 2 — Time-based vesting restricted stock units 3 — 2 — Total common stock equivalents 3 — 4 —

SEGMENT REPORTING

SEGMENT REPORTING	6 Months Ended
	Jul. 14, 2024
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
SEGMENT REPORTING	SEGMENT REPORTING The CODM reviews segment performance and allocates resources based upon restaurant level profit, which is defined as segment revenues less food, beverage, and packaging, labor, occupancy, and other operating expenses. All segment revenue is earned in the United States, and all intersegment revenues have been eliminated. Sales from external customers are derived principally from sales of food, beverage, and CPG. The Company does not rely on any major customers as sources of sales. As the CODM is not provided with asset information by segment, assets are reported only on a consolidated basis. As described in Note 1 (Nature of Operations and Basis of Presentation), the Company no longer operates any Zoes Kitchen locations as of March 2, 2023. Other includes the Company’s CPG sales from CAVA Foods. Financial information for the Company’s reportable segments was as follows: Twelve Weeks Ended Twenty-Eight Weeks Ended (in thousands) July 14, July 9, July 14, July 9, Revenue CAVA $ 231,384 $ 171,089 $ 487,674 $ 367,850 Zoes Kitchen — — — 3,867 Other 2,111 1,805 4,827 4,260 Total revenue 233,495 172,894 492,501 375,977 Restaurant operating expenses (1) CAVA 170,119 126,473 361,793 273,251 Zoes Kitchen — — — 4,044 Other 1,016 990 2,982 2,687 Total restaurant operating expenses 171,135 127,463 364,775 279,982 Restaurant-level profit (loss) CAVA 61,265 44,616 125,881 94,599 Zoes Kitchen — — — (177) Other 1,095 815 1,845 1,573 Total restaurant-level profit 62,360 45,431 127,726 95,995 Reconciliation of restaurant-level profit to income before income taxes: General and administrative expenses 28,281 23,321 62,121 52,345 Depreciation and amortization 13,733 10,709 31,055 23,568 Restructuring and other costs 70 1,853 352 4,068 Pre-opening costs 3,302 3,400 6,681 9,399 Impairment and asset disposal costs 830 386 2,120 3,105 Interest income, net (3,824) (699) (8,738) (674) Other income, net (60) (118) (138) (292) Income before income taxes $ 20,028 $ 6,579 $ 34,273 $ 4,476 __________________

Pay vs Performance Disclosure

Pay vs Performance Disclosure - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jul. 14, 2024	Jul. 09, 2023	Jul. 14, 2024	Jul. 09, 2023
Pay vs Performance Disclosure
Net Income (Loss)	$ 19,741	$ 6,539	$ 33,734	$ 4,398

Insider Trading Arrangements

Insider Trading Arrangements	3 Months Ended
	Jul. 14, 2024
Trading Arrangements, by Individual
Rule 10b5-1 Arrangement Adopted	false
Non-Rule 10b5-1 Arrangement Adopted	false
Rule 10b5-1 Arrangement Terminated	false
Non-Rule 10b5-1 Arrangement Terminated	false

NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND BASI_2

NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION (Policies)	6 Months Ended
	Jul. 14, 2024
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Interim Financial Statements	Interim Financial Statements —The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and practices of the United States of America (“GAAP”) for interim financial information. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in annual financial statements presented in accordance with GAAP have been omitted pursuant to rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) considered necessary for a fair statement of the results for interim periods have been included.
Recently Issued Accounting Standards	Recently Issued Accounting Standards —In November 2023, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”), issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2023-07, Segment Reporting (Topic 280): Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures , which improves reportable segment disclosure through enhanced disclosures about significant segment expenses. The amendment is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023 and for interim periods within fiscal year beginning after December 15, 2024 and early adoption is permitted. The amendments should be applied retrospectively to all prior periods presented in the financial statements. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this ASU on its disclosures. In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-09, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures , which improves income tax disclosures through enhanced disaggregation within the rate reconciliation table and disaggregation of income taxes paid by jurisdiction. The amendment is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024 and early adoption is permitted. The amendments should be applied on a prospective basis, however, retrospective application is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this ASU on its disclosures.
JOBS Act Election	JOBS Act Election —In April 2012, the JOBS Act was enacted. Section 107(b) of the JOBS Act provides that an emerging growth company can take advantage of an extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards. Thus, an emerging growth company can delay adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would apply to private companies. The Company has elected to take advantage of the extended transition period to comply with new or revised accounting standards and to adopt certain of the reduced disclosure requirements available to emerging growth companies. As a result of the accounting standards election, the Company will not be subject to the same implementation timing for new or revised accounting standards as other public companies that are not emerging growth companies and, as a result, the Company’s financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with new or revised accounting pronouncements as of public company effective dates.
Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis/Non-recurring Basis	Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis —The carrying amounts of the Company’s financial instruments, which include cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts payable, and other accrued expenses, approximate their fair values due to their short maturities. Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Non-recurring Basis

REVENUE (Tables)

REVENUE (Tables)	6 Months Ended
	Jul. 14, 2024
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Disaggregation of Revenue	The Company’s revenue was as follows : Twelve Weeks Ended Twenty-Eight Weeks Ended (in thousands) July 14, July 9, July 14, July 9, Restaurant revenue $ 231,384 $ 171,089 $ 487,674 $ 371,717 CPG revenue and other 2,111 1,805 4,827 4,260 Revenue $ 233,495 $ 172,894 $ 492,501 $ 375,977

PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET (Ta

PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET (Tables)	6 Months Ended
	Jul. 14, 2024
Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract]
Property, Plant and Equipment	The following table presents the Company’s property and equipment, net: (in thousands) July 14, December 31, Land $ 600 $ 600 Building 24,264 — Leasehold improvements 302,426 268,245 Equipment and other 101,042 79,268 Furniture and fixtures 20,321 19,694 Computer hardware and software 50,699 46,437 Construction in progress 25,383 58,501 Total property and equipment, gross 524,735 472,745 Less accumulated depreciation (169,721) (142,015) Total property and equipment, net $ 355,014 $ 330,730

ACCRUED EXPENSES AND OTHER (Tab

ACCRUED EXPENSES AND OTHER (Tables)	6 Months Ended
	Jul. 14, 2024
Payables and Accruals [Abstract]
Schedule of Accrued Liabilities	The following table presents the Company’s accrued expenses and other: (in thousands) July 14, December 31, Accrued payroll and payroll taxes $ 23,521 $ 23,370 Accrued capital purchases 6,164 7,935 Sales and use tax payable 8,277 3,807 Gift card and loyalty liabilities 4,357 4,096 Other accrued expenses 21,223 20,011 Total accrued expenses and other $ 63,542 $ 59,219

LEASES (Tables)

LEASES (Tables)	6 Months Ended
	Jul. 14, 2024
Leases [Abstract]
Supplemental cash flow information related to leases	Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information related to leases were as follows: Twelve Weeks Ended Twenty-Eight Weeks Ended (in thousands) July 14, July 9, July 14, July 9, Cash paid for operating lease liabilities $ 14,134 $ 11,689 $ 28,410 $ 23,153 Operating lease assets obtained in exchange for operating lease liabilities 13,866 20,051 33,397 33,884 Derecognition of operating lease assets due to termination or impairment — — 109 2,786

EQUITY-BASED COMPENSATION (Tabl

EQUITY-BASED COMPENSATION (Tables)	6 Months Ended
	Jul. 14, 2024
Share-Based Payment Arrangement [Abstract]
Schedule of Stock Options Roll Forward	A summary of the Company’s stock option activity is as follows: Weighted Average (in thousands, except per share amounts) Number Of Options Exercise Price Remaining Contractual Term (Years) Aggregate Intrinsic Value Outstanding - December 31, 2023 3,078 $ 11.45 6.8 $ 97,054 Granted 7 47.84 Exercised (66) 3.45 Forfeited or expired (28) 16.84 Outstanding - July 14, 2024 2,991 $ 11.66 6.3 $ 217,091 Exercisable - July 14, 2024 1,770 $ 7.35 4.6 Vested and expected to vest - July 14, 2024 2,991 $ 11.66 6.3 $ 217,091
Share-Based Payment Arrangement, Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Unit, Activity	A summary of the Company’s restricted stock unit (“RSU”) activity is as follows: (in thousands, except per share amounts) Number of Units Weighted-Average Grant Date Fair Value Aggregate Intrinsic Value Non-vested - December 31, 2023 2,653 $ 12.69 $ 113,985 Granted 34 63.24 Vested (779) 11.38 Forfeited (105) 15.12 Non-vested - July 14, 2024 1,803 $ 14.07 $ 151,931

EARNINGS PER SHARE (Tables)

EARNINGS PER SHARE (Tables)	6 Months Ended
	Jul. 14, 2024
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Schedule of Earnings Per Share, Basic and Diluted	The following table sets forth the computation of earnings per common share: Twelve Weeks Ended Twenty-Eight Weeks Ended (in thousands, except per share amounts) July 14, July 9, July 14, July 9, Net income $ 19,741 $ 6,539 $ 33,734 $ 4,398 Weighted-average shares outstanding: Basic 114,130 28,366 114,040 13,098 Dilutive awards 4,161 2,913 4,048 2,114 Diluted 118,291 31,279 118,088 15,212 Earnings per common share: Basic $ 0.17 $ 0.23 $ 0.30 $ 0.34 Diluted $ 0.17 $ 0.21 $ 0.29 $ 0.29
Schedule of Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share	The Company excluded the following potential common shares, presented based on amounts outstanding at each period end, from the computation of diluted earnings per share as their impact would have been anti-dilutive: Twelve Weeks Ended Twenty-Eight Weeks Ended (in thousands) July 14, July 9, July 14, July 9, Options to purchase common stock — — 2 — Time-based vesting restricted stock units 3 — 2 — Total common stock equivalents 3 — 4 —

SEGMENT REPORTING (Tables)

SEGMENT REPORTING (Tables)	6 Months Ended
	Jul. 14, 2024
Segment Reporting [Abstract]
Schedule of Segment Reporting Information, by Segment	Financial information for the Company’s reportable segments was as follows: Twelve Weeks Ended Twenty-Eight Weeks Ended (in thousands) July 14, July 9, July 14, July 9, Revenue CAVA $ 231,384 $ 171,089 $ 487,674 $ 367,850 Zoes Kitchen — — — 3,867 Other 2,111 1,805 4,827 4,260 Total revenue 233,495 172,894 492,501 375,977 Restaurant operating expenses (1) CAVA 170,119 126,473 361,793 273,251 Zoes Kitchen — — — 4,044 Other 1,016 990 2,982 2,687 Total restaurant operating expenses 171,135 127,463 364,775 279,982 Restaurant-level profit (loss) CAVA 61,265 44,616 125,881 94,599 Zoes Kitchen — — — (177) Other 1,095 815 1,845 1,573 Total restaurant-level profit 62,360 45,431 127,726 95,995 Reconciliation of restaurant-level profit to income before income taxes: General and administrative expenses 28,281 23,321 62,121 52,345 Depreciation and amortization 13,733 10,709 31,055 23,568 Restructuring and other costs 70 1,853 352 4,068 Pre-opening costs 3,302 3,400 6,681 9,399 Impairment and asset disposal costs 830 386 2,120 3,105 Interest income, net (3,824) (699) (8,738) (674) Other income, net (60) (118) (138) (292) Income before income taxes $ 20,028 $ 6,579 $ 34,273 $ 4,476 __________________

NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND BASI_3

NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION (Details) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 20, 2023 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Jul. 09, 2023 shares	Jul. 14, 2024 USD ($) segment state restaurant	Jul. 09, 2023 USD ($) shares
Description Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of restaurants | restaurant			341
Number of states in which entity operates | state			25
Number of reportable segments | segment			2
Underwriting discounts and commissions			$ 22,800
Offering expenses			0	$ 1,922
Proceeds from IPO			$ 0	$ 342,604
Conversion of preferred stock (in shares) | shares	95,200,000	95,204,000		95,204,000
IPO
Description Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of shares issued in IPO (in shares) | shares	16,600,000
Sale of stock (in usd per share) | $ / shares	$ 22
Underwriting discounts and commissions	$ 22,800
Offering expenses	6,500
Proceeds from IPO	$ 336,100
Over-Allotment Option
Description Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of shares issued in IPO (in shares) | shares	2,200,000

REVENUE - Schedule of Revenue (

REVENUE - Schedule of Revenue (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jul. 14, 2024	Jul. 09, 2023	Jul. 14, 2024	Jul. 09, 2023
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue	$ 233,495	$ 172,894	$ 492,501	$ 375,977
Restaurant revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue	231,384	171,089	487,674	371,717
CPG revenue and other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue	$ 2,111	$ 1,805	$ 4,827	$ 4,260

REVENUE - Narrative (Details)

REVENUE - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jul. 14, 2024	Jul. 09, 2023	Jul. 14, 2024	Jul. 09, 2023
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Gift card revenue recognized	$ 0.4	$ 0.1	$ 1.2	$ 0.4

FAIR VALUE (Details)

FAIR VALUE (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		4 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
	Jul. 14, 2024	Jul. 09, 2023	Apr. 16, 2023	Jul. 14, 2024	Jul. 09, 2023	Dec. 31, 2023
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Operating lease, impairment loss	$ 0	$ 0		$ 109	$ 2,786
Operating lease assets	$ 304,926			$ 304,926		$ 289,451
Fair Value, Nonrecurring | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Operating lease, impairment loss			$ 700
Operating lease assets		$ 400			$ 400

PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET - S

PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET - Schedule of PP&E (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jul. 14, 2024	Dec. 31, 2023
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Total property and equipment, gross	$ 524,735	$ 472,745
Less accumulated depreciation	(169,721)	(142,015)
Total property and equipment, net	355,014	330,730
Land
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Total property and equipment, gross	600	600
Building
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Total property and equipment, gross	24,264	0
Leasehold improvements
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Total property and equipment, gross	302,426	268,245
Equipment and other
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Total property and equipment, gross	101,042	79,268
Furniture and fixtures
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Total property and equipment, gross	20,321	19,694
Computer hardware and software
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Total property and equipment, gross	50,699	46,437
Construction in progress
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Total property and equipment, gross	$ 25,383	$ 58,501

ACCRUED EXPENSES AND OTHER (Det

ACCRUED EXPENSES AND OTHER (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jul. 14, 2024	Dec. 31, 2023
Payables and Accruals [Abstract]
Accrued payroll and payroll taxes	$ 23,521	$ 23,370
Accrued capital purchases	6,164	7,935
Sales and use tax payable	8,277	3,807
Gift card and loyalty liabilities	4,357	4,096
Other accrued expenses	21,223	20,011
Total accrued expenses and other	$ 63,542	$ 59,219

DEBT - Narrative (Details)

DEBT - Narrative (Details)	6 Months Ended
	Jul. 14, 2024 USD ($)
2022 Credit Facility | Line of Credit
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt instrument term (in years)	5 years
Borrowings outstanding	$ 0
2022 Credit Facility | Line of Credit | Minimum
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Basis spread (in percentage)	1.50%
2022 Credit Facility | Line of Credit | Maximum
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Basis spread (in percentage)	2.50%
Revolving Credit Facility | 2022 Credit Facility | Line of Credit
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of credit, maximum borrowing capacity	$ 74,300,000
Letter of Credit
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Aggregate amount of letters of credit	700,000
Secured Debt | Delayed Draw Facility | Line of Credit
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of credit, maximum borrowing capacity	$ 24,000,000
Secured Debt | Delayed Draw Facility | Line of Credit | Minimum
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Ticking fee (in percent)	0.20%
Secured Debt | Delayed Draw Facility | Line of Credit | Maximum
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Ticking fee (in percent)	0.35%

LEASES - Narrative (Details)

LEASES - Narrative (Details)	Jul. 14, 2024
Leases [Abstract]
Term of contract (in years)	10 years
Renewal term (in years)	5 years

LEASES - Supplemental Cash Flow

LEASES - Supplemental Cash Flow Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jul. 14, 2024	Jul. 09, 2023	Jul. 14, 2024	Jul. 09, 2023
Leases [Abstract]
Cash paid for operating lease liabilities	$ 14,134	$ 11,689	$ 28,410	$ 23,153
Operating lease assets obtained in exchange for operating lease liabilities	13,866	20,051	33,397	33,884
Derecognition of operating lease assets due to termination or impairment	$ 0	$ 0	$ 109	$ 2,786

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (Details) $ in Millions	Jul. 14, 2024 USD ($) letters_of_credit	Dec. 31, 2023 letters_of_credit
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Number of irrevocable letters of credit | letters_of_credit	4	4
Letter of Credit
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Aggregate amount of letters of credit | $	$ 0.7

EQUITY-BASED COMPENSATION - Nar

EQUITY-BASED COMPENSATION - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jul. 14, 2024	Jul. 09, 2023	Jul. 14, 2024	Jul. 09, 2023
Share-Based Compensation Arrangement by Share-Based Payment Award [Line Items]
Compensation expense	$ 3.6	$ 1.8	$ 8.7	$ 3
Options to purchase common stock
Share-Based Compensation Arrangement by Share-Based Payment Award [Line Items]
Unrecognized compensation costs related to option awards	10.5		$ 10.5
Vesting period (in years)			3 years 4 months 24 days
Time-based vesting restricted stock units
Share-Based Compensation Arrangement by Share-Based Payment Award [Line Items]
Vesting period (in years)			2 years 10 months 24 days
Unrecognized compensation expense related to RSUs	$ 23.1		$ 23.1

EQUITY-BASED COMPENSATION - Sch

EQUITY-BASED COMPENSATION - Schedule of Stock Option Activity (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jul. 14, 2024	Dec. 31, 2023
Number Of Options
Beginning Balance (in shares)	3,078,000
Granted (in shares)	7,000
Exercised (in shares)	(66,000)
Forfeited or expired (in shares)	(28,000)
Ending Balance (in shares)	2,991,000	3,078,000
Exercise Price
Options outstanding, Weighted average exercise price per share - Beginning Balance (in $ per share)	$ 11.45
Options granted, Weighted average exercise price per share (in $ per share)	47.84
Options exercised, Weighted average exercise price per share (in $ per share)	3.45
Options forfeited or expired, Weighted average exercise price per share (in $ per share)	16.84
Options outstanding, Weighted average exercise price per share - Ending Balance (in $ per share)	$ 11.66	$ 11.45
Stock Options Additional Disclosures
Options outstanding, Weighted average remaining contractual term (in years)	6 years 3 months 18 days	6 years 9 months 18 days
Options outstanding, Aggregate intrinsic value (in USD)	$ 217,091	$ 97,054
Options exercisable, Number of options (in shares)	1,770,000
Options exercisable, Weighted average exercise price per share (in $ per share)	$ 7.35
Options exercisable, Weighted average remaining contractual term (in years)	4 years 7 months 6 days
Share-Based Compensation Arrangement by Share-Based Payment Award, Options, Vested and Expected to Vest [Abstract]
Options vested and expected to vest (in shares)	2,991,000
Options vested and expected to vest, Weighted average exercise price per share (in $ per share)	$ 11.66
Options vested and expected to vest, Weighted average remaining contractual term (in years)	6 years 3 months 18 days
Options vested and expected to vest, Aggregate intrinsic value (in USD)	$ 217,091

EQUITY-BASED COMPENSATION - S_2

EQUITY-BASED COMPENSATION - Schedule of Restricted Stock (Details) - Time-based vesting restricted stock units - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	6 Months Ended
	Jul. 14, 2024	Dec. 31, 2023
Unvested Restricted Stock Outstanding
Beginning balance (in shares)	2,653,000
Granted (in shares)	34,000
Vested (in shares)	(779,000)
Forfeited (in shares)	(105,000)
Ending balance (in shares)	1,803,000
Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value
Outstanding, Weighted average grant date fair value, Beginning Balance ($ per share)	$ 12.69
Granted, Weighted average grant date fair value ($ per share)	63.24
Vested, Weighted average grant date fair value ($ per share)	11.38
Forfeited, Weighted average grant date fair value ($ per share)	15.12
Outstanding, Weighted average grant date fair value, Ending Balance ($ per share)	$ 14.07
Aggregate Intrinsic Value	$ 151,931	$ 113,985

EARNINGS PER SHARE - Schedule o

EARNINGS PER SHARE - Schedule of Basic and Diluted Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jul. 14, 2024	Jul. 09, 2023	Jul. 14, 2024	Jul. 09, 2023
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Net income	$ 19,741	$ 6,539	$ 33,734	$ 4,398
Weighted-average shares outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	114,130	28,366	114,040	13,098
Dilutive awards (in shares)	4,161	2,913	4,048	2,114
Diluted (in shares)	118,291	31,279	118,088	15,212
Earnings per common share:
Basic (in usd per share)	$ 0.17	$ 0.23	$ 0.30	$ 0.34
Diluted (in usd per share)	$ 0.17	$ 0.21	$ 0.29	$ 0.29

EARNINGS PER SHARE - Schedule_2

EARNINGS PER SHARE - Schedule of Antidilutive Shares (Details) - shares shares in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jul. 14, 2024	Jul. 09, 2023	Jul. 14, 2024	Jul. 09, 2023
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Total common stock equivalents (in shares)	3	0	4	0
Options to purchase common stock
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Total common stock equivalents (in shares)	0	0	2	0
Time-based vesting restricted stock units
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Total common stock equivalents (in shares)	3	0	2	0

SEGMENT REPORTING (Details)

SEGMENT REPORTING (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jul. 14, 2024	Jul. 09, 2023	Jul. 14, 2024	Jul. 09, 2023
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenue	$ 233,495	$ 172,894	$ 492,501	$ 375,977
Total restaurant operating expenses	171,135	127,463	364,775	279,982
Total restaurant-level profit	62,360	45,431	127,726	95,995
Reconciliation of restaurant-level profit to income before income taxes:
General and administrative expenses	28,281	23,321	62,121	52,345
Depreciation and amortization	13,733	10,709	31,055	23,568
Restructuring and other costs	70	1,853	352	4,068
Pre-opening costs	3,302	3,400	6,681	9,399
Impairment and asset disposal costs	830	386	2,120	3,105
Interest income, net	(3,824)	(699)	(8,738)	(674)
Other income, net	(60)	(118)	(138)	(292)
Income before income taxes	20,028	6,579	34,273	4,476
Segment Reconciling Items
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenue	2,111	1,805	4,827	4,260
Total restaurant operating expenses	1,016	990	2,982	2,687
Total restaurant-level profit	1,095	815	1,845	1,573
CAVA | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenue	231,384	171,089	487,674	367,850
Total restaurant operating expenses	170,119	126,473	361,793	273,251
Total restaurant-level profit	61,265	44,616	125,881	94,599
Zoes Kitchen | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenue	0	0	0	3,867
Total restaurant operating expenses	0	0	0	4,044
Total restaurant-level profit	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ (177)