Cava - how much moat is there for healthy fast casual restaurant?
CAVA operates with attractive restaurant-level unit economics (25.7% margins, sub-2-year payback on $1.3M investment), but lacks proven durability as it scales. The author questions whether current performance reflects structural moat or early-stage growth advantage, noting Sweetgreen's collapse. At current valuation (22x P/E on 2032 targets of $2.25 EPS), upside is limited unless unit economics hold through 1,000 locations.