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Cava's success sparks a Mediterranean revival

Though Mediterranean cuisine has been growing across the U.S. for decades, the newly public Cava is drawing attention to the fast-casual niche. Here is a look at 8 growing restaurant chains positioned to ride the wave of interest. By Lisa Jennings on Nov. 16, 2023

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Financing

Despite their complaints, customers keep flocking to Chipotle

The Bottom Line: The chain continued to be a juggernaut last quarter, with strong sales and traffic growth, despite frequent social media complaints about shrinkflation or other challenges.

Operations

Hitting resistance elsewhere, ghost kitchens and virtual concepts find a happy home in family dining

Reality Check: Old-guard chains are finding the alternative operations to be persistently effective side hustles.

Financing

The Tijuana Flats bankruptcy highlights the dangers of menu miscues

The Bottom Line: The fast-casual chain’s problems following new menu debuts in 2021 and 2022 show that adding new items isn’t always the right idea.