The COVID-19 pandemic-era boom in fast casual dining is officially cooling, and the industry's once high-flying "bowl brigade" — Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc (NYSE:CMG), Sweetgreen Inc (NYSE:SG), and CAVA Group Inc (NYSE:CAVA) — is now fighting to keep both customers and investors on their side.
CAVA stock is struggling to find support. Watch the momentum here.
All three chains have seen their stocks hammered in 2025, their same-store sales growth stalling under the weight of shrinking portions, rising prices, and a cautious consumer.
Chipotle: From Market Darling to Menu Damage Control
Chipotle has fallen 27% year-to-date after reporting its second straight quarterly sales decline. Same-store sales dropped 4% in the second quarter — worse than Wall Street's forecast — with traffic down nearly 5%.
CEO Scott Boatwright blamed "ongoing volatility" in consumer trends and admitted the chain's value pitch isn't landing like it did a year ago. The company is betting on new menu items like Adobo Ranch dip and catering to regain momentum, but guidance for the year is now flat.
Read Also: Cava Invests In Chipotle-Backed Hyphen While Investors React To Slower Growth
Sweetgreen: Salad Days Are Over
Sweetgreen is faring even worse — down nearly 69% year-to-date. Same-store sales plunged 7.6% in the second quarter, forcing the company to slash its full-year outlook for the second time this year.
CEO Jonathan Neman pointed to loyalty program missteps, tariff headwinds and inconsistent store performance, with only one-third of locations hitting targets. A new operations overhaul, "Project One Best Way," aims to improve speed, standards, and portion sizes, but the road to recovery looks steep.
Cava: Best of the Bad Performers
Cava reported a modest 2.1% rise in same-store sales, but even that was far below analyst expectations of 6.25%. Shares have tumbled nearly 40% in 2025, and the Mediterranean chain also cut its full-year forecast. CFO Tricia Tolivar cited a "fog for consumers" in the current macro environment.
Bowl Battle Scorecard
| Company | YTD Stock Change | Q2 Same-Store Sales | Full-Year Guidance | Key Challenge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chipotle | -27.8% | -4% | Flat growth | Value perception & traffic drops |
| Sweetgreen | -69.5% | -7.6% | -4% to -6% decline | Loyalty missteps & store unevenness |
| Cava | -37.5% | +2.1% | 4% to 6% growth | Slowing momentum & consumer caution |
The "bowl battle" now comes down to who can reestablish value and keep customers coming back despite economic headwinds. For now, Cava's small positive sales growth makes it the best of these bad performers — but in a race of slowing competitors, that's hardly a victory lap.
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