CAVA (CAVA) 10-Q 12 Nov 24 2024 Q3 Quarterly report Financial data

Cover

Cover - shares	9 Months Ended
	Oct. 06, 2024	Nov. 05, 2024
Cover [Abstract]
Document Type	10-Q
Document Quarterly Report	true
Document Period End Date	Oct. 06, 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		114,579,714
Entity Central Index Key	0001639438
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2024
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q3
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-29
Amendment Flag	false

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATE

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Oct. 06, 2024	Dec. 31, 2023
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 367,160	$ 332,428
Trade accounts receivable, net	6,483	3,662
Other accounts receivable	6,717	8,223
Inventories	7,335	5,637
Prepaid expenses and other	5,565	4,962
Total current assets	393,260	354,912
Property and equipment, net	363,216	330,730
Operating lease assets	314,073	289,451
Goodwill	1,944	1,944
Intangible assets	1,355	1,355
Other long-term assets	5,691	5,365
Total assets	1,079,539	983,757
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	25,336	17,234
Accrued expenses and other	67,894	59,219
Operating lease liabilities, current	41,211	32,583
Total current liabilities	134,441	109,036
Deferred income taxes	79	79
Operating lease liabilities	328,582	303,615
Other long-term liabilities	0	225
Total liabilities	463,102	412,955
Commitments and Contingencies (Note 9)
Stockholders' equity:
Common stock, par value $0.0001 per share; 2,500,000 shares authorized; 114,563 and 113,708 issued and outstanding, respectively	11	11
Treasury stock, at cost; 1,382 shares and 1,086 shares, respectively	(27,563)	(9,727)
Additional paid-in capital	1,039,952	1,028,181
Accumulated deficit	(395,963)	(447,663)
Total stockholders’ equity	616,437	570,802
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$ 1,079,539	$ 983,757

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDA_2

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Parenthetical) - $ / shares	Oct. 06, 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)	114,563,000	113,708,000
Common stock, shares outstanding (in shares)	114,563,000	113,708,000
Treasury stock (in shares)	1,382,000	1,086,000

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDA_3

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Oct. 06, 2024	Oct. 01, 2023	Oct. 06, 2024	Oct. 01, 2023
Income Statement [Abstract]
Total revenue	$ 243,817	$ 175,553	$ 736,318	$ 551,530
Restaurant operating expenses (excluding depreciation and amortization)
Food, beverage, and packaging	73,540	51,818	216,326	161,936
Labor	61,233	43,913	186,134	138,484
Occupancy	16,412	13,782	52,751	43,781
Other operating expenses	29,985	21,553	90,734	66,847
Total restaurant operating expenses	181,170	131,066	545,945	411,048
General and administrative expenses	29,830	24,472	91,951	76,817
Depreciation and amortization	14,325	11,528	45,380	35,096
Restructuring and other costs	230	1,092	582	5,160
Pre-opening costs	2,819	3,410	9,500	12,809
Impairment and asset disposal costs	1,675	1,190	3,795	4,295
Total operating expenses	230,049	172,758	697,153	545,225
Income from operations	13,768	2,795	39,165	6,305
Other income (expense):
Interest income, net	(4,091)	(3,956)	(12,829)	(4,630)
Other income, net	50	120	188	412
Income before taxes	17,909	6,871	52,182	11,347
(Benefit from) provision for income taxes	(57)	38	482	116
Net income	$ 17,966	$ 6,833	$ 51,700	$ 11,231
Earnings per share:
Basic (in usd per share)	$ 0.16	$ 0.06	$ 0.45	$ 0.26
Diluted (in usd per share)	$ 0.15	$ 0.06	$ 0.44	$ 0.24
Weighted-average common shares outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	114,434	113,584	114,158	43,244
Diluted (in shares)	118,430	117,713	118,191	45,966

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 Oct. 01, 2023	0
Ending Balance at Oct. 01, 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	5,854			5,854
Shares purchased under equity plans (in shares)		62,000
Shares purchased under equity plans	292			292
RSU vesting (in shares)		458,000
Tax withholding on equity-based compensation awards (in shares)		154,000	154,000
Tax withholding on equity-based compensation awards	(1,571)		$ (1,571)
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	11,231				11,231
Ending balance (in shares) at Oct. 01, 2023		113,590,000
Ending balance at Oct. 01, 2023	$ 565,723	$ 11	$ (8,190)	1,023,614	(449,712)
Ending balance (in shares) at Oct. 01, 2023			1,040,000
Ending Balance (in shares) at Oct. 01, 2023	0
Ending Balance at Oct. 01, 2023	$ 0
Beginning balance (in shares) at Jul. 09, 2023		113,581,000
Beginning balance at Jul. 09, 2023	555,809	$ 11	$ (8,085)	1,020,428	(456,545)
Beginning balance (in shares) at Jul. 09, 2023			1,037,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Equity-based compensation	3,183			3,183
Shares purchased under equity plans (in shares)		1,000
Shares purchased under equity plans	3			3
RSU vesting (in shares)		11,000
Tax withholding on equity-based compensation awards (in shares)		3,000	3,000
Tax withholding on equity-based compensation awards	(105)		$ (105)
Net income	6,833				6,833
Ending balance (in shares) at Oct. 01, 2023		113,590,000
Ending balance at Oct. 01, 2023	$ 565,723	$ 11	$ (8,190)	1,023,614	(449,712)
Ending balance (in shares) at Oct. 01, 2023			1,040,000
Beginning Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2023	0
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2023	$ 0
Ending Balance (in shares) at Oct. 06, 2024	0
Ending Balance at Oct. 06, 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	$ 9,943			9,943
Shares purchased under equity plans (in shares)		361,000
Shares purchased under equity plans	1,828			1,828
RSU vesting (in shares)		790,000
Tax withholding on equity-based compensation awards (in shares)		296,000	296,000
Tax withholding on equity-based compensation awards	(17,836)		$ (17,836)
Net income	$ 51,700				51,700
Ending balance (in shares) at Oct. 06, 2024	114,563,000	114,563,000
Ending balance at Oct. 06, 2024	$ 616,437	$ 11	$ (27,563)	1,039,952	(395,963)
Ending balance (in shares) at Oct. 06, 2024	1,382,000		1,382,000
Ending Balance (in shares) at Oct. 06, 2024	0
Ending Balance at Oct. 06, 2024	$ 0
Beginning balance (in shares) at Jul. 14, 2024		114,306,000
Beginning balance at Jul. 14, 2024	595,437	$ 11	$ (27,066)	1,036,421	(413,929)
Beginning balance (in shares) at Jul. 14, 2024			1,378,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Equity-based compensation	2,994			2,994
Shares purchased under equity plans (in shares)		250,000
Shares purchased under equity plans	537			537
RSU vesting (in shares)		11,000
Tax withholding on equity-based compensation awards (in shares)		4,000	4,000
Tax withholding on equity-based compensation awards	(497)		$ (497)
Net income	$ 17,966				17,966
Ending balance (in shares) at Oct. 06, 2024	114,563,000	114,563,000
Ending balance at Oct. 06, 2024	$ 616,437	$ 11	$ (27,563)	$ 1,039,952	$ (395,963)
Ending balance (in shares) at Oct. 06, 2024	1,382,000		1,382,000

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDA_5

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF PREFERRED STOCK AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (Parenthetical) $ in Millions	9 Months Ended
	Oct. 01, 2023 USD ($)
Statement of Stockholders' Equity [Abstract]
Underwriting fees and offering costs	$ 29.3

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDA_6

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Oct. 06, 2024	Oct. 01, 2023
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$ 51,700	$ 11,231
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation	45,380	35,069
Amortization of intangible assets	0	27
Equity-based compensation	9,943	5,854
Impairment and asset disposal costs	3,795	4,295
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Trade accounts receivable	(2,821)	(2,365)
Other accounts receivable	1,506	(2,591)
Inventories	(1,698)	(586)
Prepaid expenses and other	(929)	643
Operating lease assets	(24,735)	(26,177)
Accounts payable	5,037	1,601
Accrued expenses and other	10,395	16,437
Operating lease liabilities	33,601	29,650
Net cash provided by operating activities	131,174	73,088
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of property and equipment	(80,389)	(107,564)
Net cash used in investing activities	(80,389)	(107,564)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from long-term debt	0	6,000
Payments on long-term debt	0	(6,000)
Tax withholding on equity-based compensation awards	(17,836)	(1,571)
Shares purchased under equity plans	1,828	292
Proceeds from initial public offering, net of underwriting fees of $22.8 million	0	342,604
Offering costs paid	0	(5,141)
Payment of loan acquisition fees	0	(368)
Payments on finance lease obligations	(45)	(66)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(16,053)	335,750
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	34,732	301,274
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of year	332,428	39,125
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	367,160	340,399
Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Flow Information:
Offering costs not yet paid	0	243
Cash paid for income taxes	1,046	260
Change in accrued purchases of property and equipment	1,272	4,087
Conversion of redeemable preferred stock into common stock in connection with initial public offering	$ 0	$ 662,309

NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND BASIS

NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION	9 Months Ended
	Oct. 06, 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 October 6, 2024, the Company operated 352 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 Company will apply the guidance beginning with its consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ending December 29, 2024, which will, among other items, include additional segment expense 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 (our fiscal 2025) 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 is currently an emerging growth company and 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. As of July 14, 2024, the market value of the Company’s common stock held by non-affiliates exceeded $700.0 million. As a result, the Company will become a large accelerated filer beginning December 30, 2024, the first day of our next fiscal year, and will no longer be an emerging growth company for future filings. As a large accelerated filer, the Company will be subject to certain disclosure and compliance requirements that apply to other public companies that did not previously apply to the Company due to its status as an emerging growth company. These requirements include, but are not limited to: the requirement that the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm attest to the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002; compliance with any requirements that may be adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditors’ report providing additional information about the audit and the financial statements; the requirement that the Company provide more detailed disclosures regarding executive compensation; and, the requirement that the Company hold a non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation and obtain shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved.

REVENUE

REVENUE	9 Months Ended
	Oct. 06, 2024
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
REVENUE	REVENUE The Company’s revenue was as follows : Twelve Weeks Ended Forty Weeks Ended (in thousands) October 6, October 1, October 6, October 1, Restaurant revenue $ 241,499 $ 173,759 $ 729,173 $ 545,476 CPG revenue and other 2,318 1,794 7,145 6,054 Revenue $ 243,817 $ 175,553 $ 736,318 $ 551,530 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, included in the gift card liability at the beginning of the year was $0.3 million during each of the twelve weeks ended October 6, 2024 and October 1, 2023 . Revenue recognized from the redemption of gift cards, included in the gift card liability at the beginning of the year was $1.5 million and $0.7 million during the forty weeks ended October 6, 2024 and October 1, 2023, respectively .

FAIR VALUE

FAIR VALUE	9 Months Ended
	Oct. 06, 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. 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 and leasehold improvements were measured at fair value, on a non-recurring basis, as of October 1, 2023 and April 16, 2023, in connection with impairment charges of $0.6 million and $1.3 million included within impairment and asset disposal costs in the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations for the twelve and forty weeks ended October 1, 2023, respectively. The fair value of these assets was concluded to be $0.7 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	9 Months Ended
	Oct. 06, 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) October 6, December 31, Land $ 600 $ 600 Building 24,284 — Leasehold improvements 315,602 268,245 Equipment and other 103,622 79,268 Furniture and fixtures 20,526 19,694 Computer hardware and software 50,668 46,437 Construction in progress 28,770 58,501 Total property and equipment, gross 544,072 472,745 Less accumulated depreciation (180,856) (142,015) Total property and equipment, net $ 363,216 $ 330,730 Construction in progress includes CAVA new restaurant openings and technology improvements as of both periods presented above. Building, as of October 6, 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	9 Months Ended
	Oct. 06, 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) October 6, December 31, Accrued payroll and payroll taxes $ 29,244 $ 23,370 Accrued capital purchases 6,142 7,935 Sales and use tax payable 6,096 3,807 Gift card and loyalty liabilities 4,479 4,096 Other accrued expenses 21,933 20,011 Total accrued expenses and other $ 67,894 $ 59,219

DEBT

DEBT	9 Months Ended
	Oct. 06, 2024
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
DEBT	DEBT As of October 6, 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 October 6, 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	9 Months Ended
	Oct. 06, 2024
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
INCOME TAXES	INCOME TAXES The Company’s full pretax income for the twelve and forty weeks ended October 6, 2024 and October 1, 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 forecasted 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 October 6, 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 October 6, 2024 and December 31, 2023, a full valuation allowance has been recorded on the Company’s DTAs. However, management has evaluated the Company’s recent profitability trends and believes that, if current trends persist, it is reasonably possible that in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024, sufficient positive evidence will become available to allow the Company 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 the Company is able to actually achieve in future periods.

LEASES

LEASES	9 Months Ended
	Oct. 06, 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 Forty Weeks Ended (in thousands) October 6, October 1, October 6, October 1, Cash paid for operating lease liabilities $ 14,580 $ 12,067 $ 42,990 $ 35,220 Operating lease assets obtained in exchange for operating lease liabilities 17,297 8,457 50,694 42,341 Derecognition of operating lease assets due to termination or impairment — 236 109 3,022

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES	9 Months Ended
	Oct. 06, 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 October 6, 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 the Company’s 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 the Company regarding the health and sustainability of its 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 the Company used unhealthy and unsustainable PFAS in its packaging, that its products contained synthetic biocides, and that its “healthy” and “sustainable” marketing claims constituted false and deceptive advertising. Plaintiffs sought declaratory and injunctive relief, including that the Company refrain from using or sourcing packaging containing PFAS and that it add 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 described above.

EQUITY-BASED COMPENSATION

EQUITY-BASED COMPENSATION	9 Months Ended
	Oct. 06, 2024
Share-Based Payment Arrangement [Abstract]
EQUITY-BASED COMPENSATION	EQUITY-BASED COMPENSATION The Company recognized equity-based compensation expense (including applicable payroll taxes) of $3.5 million and $12.2 million during the twelve and forty weeks ended October 6, 2024, and $3.2 million and $6.2 million during the twelve and forty weeks ended October 1, 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 (316) 2.42 Forfeited or expired (53) 15.34 Outstanding - October 6, 2024 2,716 $ 12.52 6.5 $ 309,841 Exercisable - October 6, 2024 1,522 $ 8.20 4.9 Vested and expected to vest - October 6, 2024 2,716 $ 12.52 6.5 $ 309,841 As of October 6, 2024, unrecognized compensation expense related to option awards was $9.6 million, which is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 3.2 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 (790) 11.31 Forfeited (137) 14.77 Non-vested - October 6, 2024 1,760 $ 14.12 $ 222,816

EARNINGS PER SHARE

EARNINGS PER SHARE	9 Months Ended
	Oct. 06, 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 Forty Weeks Ended (in thousands, except per share amounts) October 6, October 1, October 6, October 1, Net income $ 17,966 $ 6,833 $ 51,700 $ 11,231 Weighted-average shares outstanding: Basic 114,434 113,584 114,158 43,244 Dilutive awards 3,996 4,129 4,033 2,722 Diluted 118,430 117,713 118,191 45,966 Earnings per common share: Basic $ 0.16 $ 0.06 $ 0.45 $ 0.26 Diluted $ 0.15 $ 0.06 $ 0.44 $ 0.24 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 Forty Weeks Ended (in thousands) October 6, October 1, October 6, October 1, Options to purchase common stock — — 2 — Time-based vesting restricted stock units — — 1 — Total common stock equivalents — — 3 —

SEGMENT REPORTING

SEGMENT REPORTING	9 Months Ended
	Oct. 06, 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 Forty Weeks Ended (in thousands) October 6, October 1, October 6, October 1, Revenue CAVA $ 241,499 $ 173,759 $ 729,173 $ 541,609 Zoes Kitchen — — — 3,867 Other 2,318 1,794 7,145 6,054 Total revenue 243,817 175,553 736,318 551,530 Restaurant operating expenses (1) CAVA 179,680 130,179 541,473 403,430 Zoes Kitchen — — — 4,044 Other 1,490 887 4,472 3,574 Total restaurant operating expenses 181,170 131,066 545,945 411,048 Restaurant-level profit (loss) CAVA 61,819 43,580 187,700 138,179 Zoes Kitchen — — — (177) Other 828 907 2,673 2,480 Total restaurant-level profit 62,647 44,487 190,373 140,482 Reconciliation of restaurant-level profit to income before income taxes: General and administrative expenses 29,830 24,472 91,951 76,817 Depreciation and amortization 14,325 11,528 45,380 35,096 Restructuring and other costs 230 1,092 582 5,160 Pre-opening costs 2,819 3,410 9,500 12,809 Impairment and asset disposal costs 1,675 1,190 3,795 4,295 Interest income, net (4,091) (3,956) (12,829) (4,630) Other income, net (50) (120) (188) (412) Income before taxes $ 17,909 $ 6,871 $ 52,182 $ 11,347 __________________

Pay vs Performance Disclosure

Pay vs Performance Disclosure - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Oct. 06, 2024	Oct. 01, 2023	Oct. 06, 2024	Oct. 01, 2023
Pay vs Performance Disclosure
Net Income (Loss)	$ 17,966	$ 6,833	$ 51,700	$ 11,231

Insider Trading Arrangements

Insider Trading Arrangements	3 Months Ended
	Oct. 06, 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)	9 Months Ended
	Oct. 06, 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 Company will apply the guidance beginning with its consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ending December 29, 2024, which will, among other items, include additional segment expense 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 (our fiscal 2025) 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 is currently an emerging growth company and 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. As of July 14, 2024, the market value of the Company’s common stock held by non-affiliates exceeded $700.0 million. As a result, the Company will become a large accelerated filer beginning December 30, 2024, the first day of our next fiscal year, and will no longer be an emerging growth company for future filings. As a large accelerated filer, the Company will be subject to certain disclosure and compliance requirements that apply to other public companies that did not previously apply to the Company due to its status as an emerging growth company. These requirements include, but are not limited to: the requirement that the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm attest to the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002; compliance with any requirements that may be adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditors’ report providing additional information about the audit and the financial statements; the requirement that the Company provide more detailed disclosures regarding executive compensation; and, the requirement that the Company hold a non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation and obtain shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved.
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)	9 Months Ended
	Oct. 06, 2024
Revenue from Contract with Customer [Abstract]
Disaggregation of Revenue	The Company’s revenue was as follows : Twelve Weeks Ended Forty Weeks Ended (in thousands) October 6, October 1, October 6, October 1, Restaurant revenue $ 241,499 $ 173,759 $ 729,173 $ 545,476 CPG revenue and other 2,318 1,794 7,145 6,054 Revenue $ 243,817 $ 175,553 $ 736,318 $ 551,530

PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET (Ta

PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Oct. 06, 2024
Property, Plant and Equipment [Abstract]
Property, Plant and Equipment	The following table presents the Company’s property and equipment, net: (in thousands) October 6, December 31, Land $ 600 $ 600 Building 24,284 — Leasehold improvements 315,602 268,245 Equipment and other 103,622 79,268 Furniture and fixtures 20,526 19,694 Computer hardware and software 50,668 46,437 Construction in progress 28,770 58,501 Total property and equipment, gross 544,072 472,745 Less accumulated depreciation (180,856) (142,015) Total property and equipment, net $ 363,216 $ 330,730

ACCRUED EXPENSES AND OTHER (Tab

ACCRUED EXPENSES AND OTHER (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Oct. 06, 2024
Payables and Accruals [Abstract]
Schedule of Accrued Liabilities	The following table presents the Company’s accrued expenses and other: (in thousands) October 6, December 31, Accrued payroll and payroll taxes $ 29,244 $ 23,370 Accrued capital purchases 6,142 7,935 Sales and use tax payable 6,096 3,807 Gift card and loyalty liabilities 4,479 4,096 Other accrued expenses 21,933 20,011 Total accrued expenses and other $ 67,894 $ 59,219

LEASES (Tables)

LEASES (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Oct. 06, 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 Forty Weeks Ended (in thousands) October 6, October 1, October 6, October 1, Cash paid for operating lease liabilities $ 14,580 $ 12,067 $ 42,990 $ 35,220 Operating lease assets obtained in exchange for operating lease liabilities 17,297 8,457 50,694 42,341 Derecognition of operating lease assets due to termination or impairment — 236 109 3,022

EQUITY-BASED COMPENSATION (Tabl

EQUITY-BASED COMPENSATION (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Oct. 06, 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 (316) 2.42 Forfeited or expired (53) 15.34 Outstanding - October 6, 2024 2,716 $ 12.52 6.5 $ 309,841 Exercisable - October 6, 2024 1,522 $ 8.20 4.9 Vested and expected to vest - October 6, 2024 2,716 $ 12.52 6.5 $ 309,841
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 (790) 11.31 Forfeited (137) 14.77 Non-vested - October 6, 2024 1,760 $ 14.12 $ 222,816

EARNINGS PER SHARE (Tables)

EARNINGS PER SHARE (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Oct. 06, 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 Forty Weeks Ended (in thousands, except per share amounts) October 6, October 1, October 6, October 1, Net income $ 17,966 $ 6,833 $ 51,700 $ 11,231 Weighted-average shares outstanding: Basic 114,434 113,584 114,158 43,244 Dilutive awards 3,996 4,129 4,033 2,722 Diluted 118,430 117,713 118,191 45,966 Earnings per common share: Basic $ 0.16 $ 0.06 $ 0.45 $ 0.26 Diluted $ 0.15 $ 0.06 $ 0.44 $ 0.24
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 Forty Weeks Ended (in thousands) October 6, October 1, October 6, October 1, Options to purchase common stock — — 2 — Time-based vesting restricted stock units — — 1 — Total common stock equivalents — — 3 —

SEGMENT REPORTING (Tables)

SEGMENT REPORTING (Tables)	9 Months Ended
	Oct. 06, 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 Forty Weeks Ended (in thousands) October 6, October 1, October 6, October 1, Revenue CAVA $ 241,499 $ 173,759 $ 729,173 $ 541,609 Zoes Kitchen — — — 3,867 Other 2,318 1,794 7,145 6,054 Total revenue 243,817 175,553 736,318 551,530 Restaurant operating expenses (1) CAVA 179,680 130,179 541,473 403,430 Zoes Kitchen — — — 4,044 Other 1,490 887 4,472 3,574 Total restaurant operating expenses 181,170 131,066 545,945 411,048 Restaurant-level profit (loss) CAVA 61,819 43,580 187,700 138,179 Zoes Kitchen — — — (177) Other 828 907 2,673 2,480 Total restaurant-level profit 62,647 44,487 190,373 140,482 Reconciliation of restaurant-level profit to income before income taxes: General and administrative expenses 29,830 24,472 91,951 76,817 Depreciation and amortization 14,325 11,528 45,380 35,096 Restructuring and other costs 230 1,092 582 5,160 Pre-opening costs 2,819 3,410 9,500 12,809 Impairment and asset disposal costs 1,675 1,190 3,795 4,295 Interest income, net (4,091) (3,956) (12,829) (4,630) Other income, net (50) (120) (188) (412) Income before taxes $ 17,909 $ 6,871 $ 52,182 $ 11,347 __________________

NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND BASI_3

NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION (Details) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands		9 Months Ended
	Jun. 20, 2023 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Oct. 06, 2024 USD ($) segment restaurant state	Oct. 01, 2023 USD ($) shares
Description Of Business And Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of restaurants | restaurant		352
Number of states in which entity operates | state		25
Number of reportable segments | segment		2
Underwriting discounts and commissions		$ 22,800
Offering expenses		0	$ 5,141
Proceeds from IPO		$ 0	$ 342,604
Conversion of preferred stock (in shares) | shares	95,200,000		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		9 Months Ended
	Oct. 06, 2024	Oct. 01, 2023	Oct. 06, 2024	Oct. 01, 2023
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue	$ 243,817	$ 175,553	$ 736,318	$ 551,530
Restaurant revenue
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue	241,499	173,759	729,173	545,476
CPG revenue and other
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Total revenue	$ 2,318	$ 1,794	$ 7,145	$ 6,054

REVENUE - Narrative (Details)

REVENUE - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Oct. 06, 2024	Oct. 01, 2023	Oct. 06, 2024	Oct. 01, 2023	Oct. 07, 2024
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Gift card revenue recognized	$ 0.3	$ 0.3	$ 1.5	$ 0.7
Subsequent Event
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Inactive accounts, points expiration period					6 months
Converted points, expiration period					60 days

FAIR VALUE (Details)

FAIR VALUE (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Oct. 06, 2024	Oct. 01, 2023	Oct. 06, 2024	Oct. 01, 2023	Dec. 31, 2023
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Operating lease, impairment loss	$ 0	$ 236	$ 109	$ 3,022
Operating lease assets	$ 314,073		$ 314,073		$ 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		600		1,300
Operating lease assets		$ 700		$ 700

PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET (De

PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT, NET (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Oct. 06, 2024	Dec. 31, 2023
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Total property and equipment, gross	$ 544,072	$ 472,745
Less accumulated depreciation	(180,856)	(142,015)
Total property and equipment, net	363,216	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	24,284	0
Leasehold improvements
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Total property and equipment, gross	315,602	268,245
Equipment and other
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Total property and equipment, gross	103,622	79,268
Furniture and fixtures
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Total property and equipment, gross	20,526	19,694
Computer hardware and software
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Total property and equipment, gross	50,668	46,437
Construction in progress
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Total property and equipment, gross	$ 28,770	$ 58,501

ACCRUED EXPENSES AND OTHER (Det

ACCRUED EXPENSES AND OTHER (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Oct. 06, 2024	Dec. 31, 2023
Payables and Accruals [Abstract]
Accrued payroll and payroll taxes	$ 29,244	$ 23,370
Accrued capital purchases	6,142	7,935
Sales and use tax payable	6,096	3,807
Gift card and loyalty liabilities	4,479	4,096
Other accrued expenses	21,933	20,011
Total accrued expenses and other	$ 67,894	$ 59,219

DEBT (Details)

DEBT (Details) - USD ($)	9 Months Ended
	Oct. 06, 2024	Dec. 31, 2023
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	$ 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)	Oct. 06, 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		9 Months Ended
	Oct. 06, 2024	Oct. 01, 2023	Oct. 06, 2024	Oct. 01, 2023
Leases [Abstract]
Cash paid for operating lease liabilities	$ 14,580	$ 12,067	$ 42,990	$ 35,220
Operating lease assets obtained in exchange for operating lease liabilities	17,297	8,457	50,694	42,341
Derecognition of operating lease assets due to termination or impairment	$ 0	$ 236	$ 109	$ 3,022

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (Details) $ in Millions	Oct. 06, 2024 USD ($) letterOfCredit	Dec. 31, 2023 USD ($) letterOfCredit
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Number of irrevocable letters of credit | letterOfCredit	4	4
Letter of Credit
Other Commitments [Line Items]
Aggregate amount of letters of credit | $	$ 0.7	$ 0.7

EQUITY-BASED COMPENSATION - Nar

EQUITY-BASED COMPENSATION - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Oct. 06, 2024	Oct. 01, 2023	Oct. 06, 2024	Oct. 01, 2023
Share-Based Compensation Arrangement by Share-Based Payment Award [Line Items]
Compensation expense	$ 3.5	$ 3.2	$ 12.2	$ 6.2
Options to purchase common stock
Share-Based Compensation Arrangement by Share-Based Payment Award [Line Items]
Unrecognized compensation costs related to option awards	9.6		$ 9.6
Vesting period (in years)			3 years 2 months 12 days
Time-based vesting restricted stock units
Share-Based Compensation Arrangement by Share-Based Payment Award [Line Items]
Vesting period (in years)			2 years 8 months 12 days
Unrecognized compensation expense related to RSUs	$ 20.6		$ 20.6

EQUITY-BASED COMPENSATION - Sch

EQUITY-BASED COMPENSATION - Schedule of Stock Option Activity (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 06, 2024	Dec. 31, 2023
Number Of Options
Beginning Balance (in shares)	3,078,000
Granted (in shares)	7,000
Exercised (in shares)	(316,000)
Forfeited or expired (in shares)	(53,000)
Ending Balance (in shares)	2,716,000	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)	2.42
Options forfeited or expired, Weighted average exercise price per share (in $ per share)	15.34
Options outstanding, Weighted average exercise price per share - Ending Balance (in $ per share)	$ 12.52	$ 11.45
Stock Options Additional Disclosures
Options outstanding, Weighted average remaining contractual term (in years)	6 years 6 months	6 years 9 months 18 days
Options outstanding, Aggregate intrinsic value (in USD)	$ 309,841	$ 97,054
Options exercisable, Number of options (in shares)	1,522,000
Options exercisable, Weighted average exercise price per share (in $ per share)	$ 8.20
Options exercisable, Weighted average remaining contractual term (in years)	4 years 10 months 24 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)	2,716,000
Options vested and expected to vest, Weighted average exercise price per share (in $ per share)	$ 12.52
Options vested and expected to vest, Weighted average remaining contractual term (in years)	6 years 6 months
Options vested and expected to vest, Aggregate intrinsic value (in USD)	$ 309,841

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	9 Months Ended
	Oct. 06, 2024	Dec. 31, 2023
Unvested Restricted Stock Outstanding
Beginning balance (in shares)	2,653,000
Granted (in shares)	34,000
Vested (in shares)	(790,000)
Forfeited (in shares)	(137,000)
Ending balance (in shares)	1,760,000
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)	11.31
Forfeited, Weighted average grant date fair value ($ per share)	14.77
Outstanding, Weighted average grant date fair value, Ending Balance ($ per share)	$ 14.12
Aggregate Intrinsic Value	$ 222,816	$ 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		9 Months Ended
	Oct. 06, 2024	Oct. 01, 2023	Oct. 06, 2024	Oct. 01, 2023
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Net income	$ 17,966	$ 6,833	$ 51,700	$ 11,231
Weighted-average shares outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	114,434	113,584	114,158	43,244
Dilutive awards (in shares)	3,996	4,129	4,033	2,722
Diluted (in shares)	118,430	117,713	118,191	45,966
Earnings per common share:
Basic (in usd per share)	$ 0.16	$ 0.06	$ 0.45	$ 0.26
Diluted (in usd per share)	$ 0.15	$ 0.06	$ 0.44	$ 0.24

EARNINGS PER SHARE - Schedule_2

EARNINGS PER SHARE - Schedule of Antidilutive Shares (Details) - shares shares in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Oct. 06, 2024	Oct. 01, 2023	Oct. 06, 2024	Oct. 01, 2023
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Total common stock equivalents (in shares)	0	0	3	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)	0	0	1	0

SEGMENT REPORTING (Details)

SEGMENT REPORTING (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Oct. 06, 2024	Oct. 01, 2023	Oct. 06, 2024	Oct. 01, 2023
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenue	$ 243,817	$ 175,553	$ 736,318	$ 551,530
Total restaurant operating expenses	181,170	131,066	545,945	411,048
Total restaurant-level profit	62,647	44,487	190,373	140,482
Reconciliation of restaurant-level profit to income before income taxes:
General and administrative expenses	29,830	24,472	91,951	76,817
Depreciation and amortization	14,325	11,528	45,380	35,096
Restructuring and other costs	230	1,092	582	5,160
Pre-opening costs	2,819	3,410	9,500	12,809
Impairment and asset disposal costs	1,675	1,190	3,795	4,295
Interest income, net	(4,091)	(3,956)	(12,829)	(4,630)
Other income, net	(50)	(120)	(188)	(412)
Income before taxes	17,909	6,871	52,182	11,347
Segment Reconciling Items
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenue	2,318	1,794	7,145	6,054
Total restaurant operating expenses	1,490	887	4,472	3,574
Total restaurant-level profit	828	907	2,673	2,480
CAVA | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total revenue	241,499	173,759	729,173	541,609
Total restaurant operating expenses	179,680	130,179	541,473	403,430
Total restaurant-level profit	61,819	43,580	187,700	138,179
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)