Sweetgreen Rebounds & CAVA Keeps Climbing

Sweetgreen & CAVA Outperform Category in Q2 2026

Both sweetgreen and CAVA delivered strong year-over-year (YoY) visit growth in Q2 2026, outperforming both the broader restaurant industry and the fast-casual category despite a challenging consumer environment. While the industry-wide cyclosporiasis outbreak that emerged in July has introduced a new source of uncertainty – particularly for produce-centric concepts like Sweetgreen – both brands seem to be entering the second half of the year with considerable underlying momentum. 

Wraps Drive Same-Store Growth at Sweetgreen While CAVA Continues to Build Momentum

Even more encouraging was the acceleration in same-store traffic. CAVA, which has posted positive same-store visit growth in nearly every month over the past year, delivered two of its strongest results in Q2, with existing restaurant visits increasing 7.7% in April and 7.9% in June. This continued acceleration suggests CAVA's growth remains supported by healthy demand at existing restaurants, reinforcing confidence that its expansion story is being driven by underlying consumer strength rather than new unit openings alone.

Sweetgreen also showed notable improvement, reversing nearly a year of negative same-store traffic as same-store visits rose 1.0% in May and 3.9% in June. The improvement coincided with the nationwide launch of wraps on May 6th, suggesting the menu expansion may already be helping broaden the chain's appeal and drive stronger demand at existing restaurants. As one of the most visible initiatives under sweetgreen's Sweet Growth Transformation Plan, the wraps may also provide an early indication that the company's broader strategy is beginning to translate into stronger customer demand.

Strong Momentum at CAVA, Encouraging Progress at Sweetgreen

While sweetgreen and CAVA enter earnings from very different positions, Q2 visitation trends suggest both companies have reasons for optimism. CAVA continues to demonstrate that rapid expansion has not come at the expense of existing restaurant performance, while sweetgreen's improving same-store traffic suggests recent operational initiatives and menu innovation may be beginning to gain traction. Although macroeconomic headwinds remain, both brands appear well positioned heading into earnings, with visitation trends indicating resilient consumer demand.