In this episode of Restaurant Pulse, we break down one of the biggest stories in restaurant growth right now: Darden vs CAVA — two winners taking completely different paths.
Darden is the blueprint for scale, operational discipline, and portfolio strength. CAVA is the modern growth play: brand heat, throughput, and a digitally savvy fast-casual engine. So what do these strategies reveal about where the industry is heading — and what “winning” looks like in 2025 and beyond?
In this video, we cover:
The new rules of restaurant growth (and what changed)
Darden’s playbook: scale, consistency, and margin protection
CAVA’s playbook: demand, speed, tech, and unit economics
What operators can copy right now (big brands and independents)
The biggest risks ahead for both models
Whether you’re a restaurant owner, operator, multi-unit leader, or investor, this breakdown will help you spot the trends early — and apply them to your own business.
