CAVA — Restaurant in Boulder

My wife had gotten Cava a few weeks earlier and I had a bite or two that was delicious so a few weeks later I decided to get lunch for the both of us. I ordered take out online and it said one hour til ready, which seemed like a long time but I went in early thinking they'd be able to make it once I got there. After a couple minutes standing next to the register someone asked if I had a pick up order and after looking at the time on the receipt they ignored me and went back to making in store orders for the people in line. To be fair it was during the lunch rush, but it was another 10-15 minutes before they started making my order after at least a dozen other customers walked in and received their food. While I was waiting I noticed that none of the employees seemed happy at all to be there, and half of them had their masks pulled down below their noses. I'm not crazy about making people wear masks, but when it comes to food service during a county wide mask mandate, managers should be making sure everyone, including customers, are wearing their masks properly. It just looked bad, especially since all the food is sitting there in pans right in front of the employees and customers. One customer even came in and actually removed his mask after noticing that the employees were wearing there's below they're noses. No one said anything to him about it. Then, when I finally got my order they handed a bunch of loose containers to me without a bag. Then I asked where the pita chips for the dip we ordered were. Online it said free pita chips, but at the restaurant I was told that they were an extra cost. Frustrated, I left the restaurant only to realize once I got home that the regular pita that was supposed to come with my wife's bowl also was not included. The food itself was great, but $13 for a pita sandwich and bad service is just bonkers! I can easily eat two of those pitas in one sitting. Overall it was a bad experience, even though the food was once again delicious, which is the only reason they aren't getting one star. If you don't care about the service, by all means give Cava a try, but I would rather get a gyro from Boulder's own Mediterranean Market on...

Boy oh boy, where do I even begin. Max… honey, my pookie bear. I have loved you ever since I first laid eyes on you behind that Cava counter. The way you scooped into the rice—my god—the precision, the finesse. Your silky smooth touch around the rim of the bowl as you drizzled the garlic dressing… and that gorgeous falafel toss. I would do anything for you. I wish it were possible to freeze time so I would never have to watch you clock out.

You’ve had your struggles—lunch rushes, out-of-stock toppings—but you never gave up hope. You stayed strong. You’re amazing even off the line, a great coworker and probably a great son. I forever dread and weep, thinking of the day you’ll serve your last bowl. I would sacrifice my own lunch break if it meant seeing you smile while restocking the harissa.

You’ve given me so much joy—and heartbreak—over the years. I remember that one Tuesday you weren’t on shift… it felt like my world shattered. But then—oh, then—I walked in the next day and there you were, tonging the chicken with the grace of a thousand angels. A tear fell from my right eye as I watched you build a perfect bowl. Deep down, my glorious server deserved all the praise.

And then—allas—you remembered my name. My boy came through and I rejoiced. 2022 was a hard year for us, baby, especially when the pita oven broke. But in 2023 you made history. You stacked that bowl so high I couldn’t believe it. I was crying—bawling even—and I heard your glorious voice say: “Extra feta? You got it.”

Not only have you changed the Cava game, and my lunch breaks, but you’ve eternally changed my world. And now you’re getting older—but still the goat. My goat. I love you, pookie bear. My...

Update: i submitted for a refund via their online portal, they refunded me within 24 hours and were very courteous.

Food is fine when it’s made right. I’ve order d here 3x. 2/3, my order has been wrong (items missing, especially the pita i pay for missing both times). But today was special. I arrived 10 mins after my order was complete, my order wasn’t there. When i asked the girl at the counter, she said it hadn’t made it to their system. I showed her my receipt and she got the manager. The manager found it and told me she’d personally make it. My order was immediately handed off to the girl who didn’t know anything, who proceeded to make my order wrong (adding both dressings to the whole order when i asked for it on the side because i don’t actually know which dressing i like). When i saw the order, i didn’t say anything because it already had been a fiasco. I then realized: i didn’t get the pita i paid extra for. I asked her for it and she got red in the face and warmed it up. I sighed and just walked out. I got to the car and really looked at the order. I couldn’t even tell if it had been made right because there was a lake of dressing in it covering everything. I contacted support as it was an online order. It’s just a contact us form. I’ll be waiting to see if I get a proper refund before calling the bank to...