CAVA — Restaurant in Dallas

I have been faithfully visiting this location since it opened. I used to come for lunch three times a week, but I had to switch the time I frequent this establishment until after work.

Up until recently, I never had any issues, and I always recommended this place to anyone who saw me with the carryout bag and asked me about it. However, as of today, that will no longer be the case.

I tried to spare this place, but enough is enough already. I noticed that there is a HUGE difference in coming during lunch and right after work except on certain days when certain employees are there.

I continue to overlook the horrible smell that slaps me in the face outside on the sidewalk. I overlooked the rude employee who gave me an unnecessary attitude because she didn't think a grown woman wanted an adult scoop of rice and tried to charge me extra for a normal scoop.

I always ignore the fact that depending on who is at work, which is usually on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, other customers and I have to wait until employees stop talking about everything but work and finally decide to allow us to order (mind you there is never a line when this happens...it's usually only two or three of us waiting for no reason).

I have overlooked my pita chips being super hard three times within the last month. I overlooked the fact that half of my rice wasn't done once, so I ended up throwing my bowl away at home due to being irritated at trying to chew hard rice and avoid choking.

I ignore that the area where the silverware and drinks are housed needs to be wiped down, restocked, and straightened on these days before the after-work crowd visits this establishment.

I overlook the fact that this establishment is in a horrible location for those of us who drive there because parking and trying to get out of that parking lot is an unnecessary nightmare.

I said all of that to say this: I'm not ignoring today's shenanigans. I walk in (after holding my nose outside) and see that there is only one person in line. He's standing there waiting, and I'm confused because I'm looking at a SLEW of workers doing nothing, yet he's still there waiting to be serviced. Huh?

When I'm finally able to order, as I am placing my order, something tells me to look at the workers standing behind the counter where they cut up the meat. Three women are standing back there talking in which one decides to spit out whatever she's eating in her hand and throw it away in the open (come to find out, she was eating a pita chip). I have never witnessed that in an eatery, and I don't wish to see it again.

Moving along, I finally get to the checkout and pay with cash. The gentleman at the register gives me my change back and goes to get my chips. I'm so glad I watched him because he grabbed a bag of chips with the hand he gave me my change back in and then lied and said he used his left hand.

The moral of the story is...

After today's visit, I'm going to take a break from eating there. When I do come back, it will be on the days when certain employees are there because there is a HUGE difference when I go on Fridays after work.

Those employees greet people, my bowl is always amazing, my pita chips are always fresh because they cook them as I wait (doesn't take long at all), the experience/customer service is great, and they are constantly cleaning, switching out their gloves, plus they send you off with a "thank you" or something positive, meaning I leave happy, which are some of your goals I'm assuming? I tried to spare you all, but I work too hard for my money for these shenanigans to continue, and I allow it.

*Update on June 10, 2025: Once again, training is needed regarding the usage of gloves. The same employee, who tried to give me chips using the gloves he gave me my change with previously, just caught an attitude (as if I care) because I asked him nicely to change his gloves after I watched him, yet again, try to give me chips using gloves he had been doing who knows what with before my arrival. Employees cannot touch everything with gloves AND touch...

This was my first time at a CAVA and I was severely disappointed with my experience here. It was a busy night, and so the mess, the chaos, and the general vibe was slightly underestandable; however, the employee who seemed to be leading the line was one of the rudest people I have met.

A sweet employee started out the line, got me what I wanted and some of the base ingredients (using a sheet to follow - I assume she was new), but when she passed it along to the main person, she started out the interaction by YELLING at the first girl to stop passing down items because she didn't need them. She continued to sling rude remarks to the first girl, as well as the cook behind her, as there was a few items that were not ready at that moment. I had made some changes with the first girl due to these items, but I didn't mind too much until the main employee (who SAID they didn't need the sheet) made my sandwhich based on the meat that I substituted, not the meal I ordered, all the while barking orders and insults about the other orders coming in, where I couldn't even get a word in edge wise to correct her.

This was my first time eating CAVA, and since I didn't really know what was best, I bit my tongue to just make sure I didn't hold up the dozen orders waiting up, but after looking at my receipt afterwards, I noticed that not only was I charged for extra meat (which I didn't order), but also avocado, which I not only didn't ask for, didn't want, but also wasn't on the ingredient list for EITHER item she could have thought I was ordering. To add insult to injury, the avocado she added was barely in the pita (attached photo below). The sandwich was a mess and barely able to be eaten properly. I can't believe this employee is allowed to act this way to her fellow workers, and I feel awful for them for having to deal with so much animosity during their night.

I'd love to give CAVA another try but there is no way I would go back to...

Visited the Uptown Dallas- McKinney location tonight at 8:50, checked out at 8:57 for take out order. As my (2)bowls were being prepared, I didn't see any corn ingredients so I asked if they had anymore corn and the gentlemen told me they didn't, as I noticed another employee making a fresh bowl with corn. So I asked well I thought you all were out of corn and he told me that's used for to go orders online and that they will not accommodate me to make any more corn for the night. Mind you they close at 10:30p as I'm making a purchase at 8:50. As stated I understand you all are closing soon and not having to make a fresh batch but you can't even accommodate me a scoop of corn for each of my bowls as I spend $30 for total order is crazy. Then I asked to speak to a manger on duty and was told there wasn't one but as the gentleman asked another female employee if they could make more corn she stated no and that she wasn't the manger. I then asked for a card with the manager name and number and was told by the female employee (Maria) as she stated that was her name , that I could google the information. I then told her I wasn't going to do that and shouldn't have too frankly, every store should have a point of manger contact . As a customer I frequent at Cava locations 2-3 times of week (spending $50 a week) and never have that experience at the Oaklawn -Dallas location or any for that reason with poor customer service. I only made a stop at Uptown location because I was near the area. Maria on staff was rude & augmentative , not to mention the store food display was sloppy. I would like to be contacted by your corporate office for the inconvenience of service, not to mention spending $30 and I can't even get the complete ingredients...