Head-to-Head Franchise Intelligence
Chipotle Mexican Grill vs Cava
Commercial comparison of unit economics, FTC Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) Item 19 average unit volume (AUV), startup capital requirements, and store tech stacks.
Contender 1Rank #7
Chipotle Mexican Grill
Mexican Fast Casual
Food with Integrity
Parent Holding:Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.
Contender 2Rank #58
Cava
Mediterranean Fast Casual
Mediterranean Made Fresh
Parent Holding:Cava Corporation
Unit Economics & Financial Benchmarks
Verified against FTC FDD Item 19 and SEC Form 10-K regulatory disclosures.
| Metric | Chipotle Mexican Grill | Cava | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median AUV (Annual Sales) | $3.05M | $4.59M | Cava (+50%) |
| Active Store Locations | 3,938 | 439 | Chipotle Mexican Grill (Larger Fleet) |
| Initial Investment Range | $1.10M – $2.40M | $2.20M – $4.80M | Varies by site format |
| Min Liquid Capital Required | $500k | $750k | FDD Item 7 Requirement |
| Royalty Fee % | 5.0% | 4.5% | Cava (Lower Fee) |
| National Ad Fund % | 3.0% | 3.0% | Marketing Contribution |
| Annual Systemwide Sales | $10.20B | $2.00B | System Scale |
In-Store Tech Stack
Point-of-Sale Hardware/Software
Chipotle Mexican Grill:NCR Aloha Cloud / Chipotlane
Cava:Toast Restaurant POS
Kitchen Display System (KDS)
Chipotle Mexican Grill:Aloha Kitchen
Cava:Toast KDS
Delivery Multi-Homing
DoorDash Marketplace Penetration
Chipotle Mexican Grill:98% (4076 stores)
Cava:0% (0 stores)
Uber Eats Marketplace Penetration
Chipotle Mexican Grill:86% (3572 stores)
Cava:0% (0 stores)
Need deeper store-level datasets?
Explore individual geocoded address lists, multi-unit franchisee portfolios, and full FDD Item 19 exhibits.