CAVA — Restaurant in Scottdale

It has taken about 4 office lunch orders for me to write this review. I write a lot of google reviews and most of them are good but im so livid right now after my 30 min wait to get a bag that was behind the counter when I got there and a 20 min drive back to the office—this is EARNED.

Let’s talk about service. Is there even a Manager? If so they are shameful and terrible at their job. The lunch rush for a place like CAVA is expected and working in production, ive picked up lunches at a few diff locations, this is the ONLY one I experience this problem with. The team only has the capacity to make food and ring up in-store customers, they have 0 capacity for to-go order. They are NEVER sitting on the to-go shelf, but it takes up a large amount of space and no one stops you acknowledge the incredibly long line of people who ordered ahead no matter how many to-go orders pile up in the window behind them.

I ordered for 12pm pickup and stood in line for 20 min (i got their late because of knew it wouldn’t be ready on time) and though i could see my order, no one even acknowledged those of us waiting for pickup. I finally had to say “CAN SOMEONE PLEASE TAKE CARE OF TO-GO ORDERS?!” and gesture to the 7 people behind me and 2 in front of me so the man at the register would acknowledge we existed. I finally got my bag and had to go back because they forgot the side dressing. Figures.

Im not a manager at your location, why TF am I delegating to your employees on behalf of a full restaurant not setup for To-go orders. Sorry, you’re setup, but you’re not utilizing the setup.

Which brings me to my next issue. The only place to wait for to go orders is near the drinks where everyone is trying to get their drinks and utensils which makes this area extremely crowded ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU DONT HAVE 1 employee WITH A WORKING BRAIN TO SAY, “let me handle these to-go orders PILING UP!.

Anyway, i will be switching our lunch locations to the Toco Hills location and the other office PAs on the show will be doing the same since this location is too slammed and understaffed (although there seems to be plenty of staff) to handle a lunch rush.

And if the manager is somewhere in the back sitting on their butt during a rush and not out front supporting your staff then you should be fired. Im sending this review to corporate to re-evaluate this setup...

I got off work and went to pick up dinner for my family at cava and i get to the toppings and it’s literally 5 things on the line. The staff is already unfriendly and mean and doesn’t greet you doesn’t say hi and rushes me. I get my food and go to grab utensils and one of the dressings spilled because it was literally thrown in the bag by the rude employee with an attitude. i had to grab a new bag and new lids for my 3 bowls and they never said sorry or anything. I’m over cava as a whole. the company hires the WORSE employees who don’t care about customer service. you would think i’m being inconvenient by coming in to order food for my family after work! is my food coming out of their paycheck? why aren’t they putting new toppings on the line if you’re out of it? i understand you’re closing but you have more in the back you just don’t wanna prepare more for the next day or mess up your stock. It’s lazy and honestly makes me never wanna eat here again. I’m paying the same amount of money for my bowl minus the toppings i actually want because staff is LAZY. I rather take my hard earned money else where. I work had for my money and all i wanna do is enjoy dinner with my family. This is insane and management obviously doesn’t care. They’re obviously bribing people to write these good reviews because this is my second bad experience here in 2 weeks. Does it kill an employee to smile or show a little bit of compassion? i mean damn. I rather make the extra drive to druid...

To Whom It SHOULD (DEEPLY) Concern,

Today was my family's first and LAST visit to your Decatur, Georgia location. Why? Here goes:

1. Sulky, disaffected line staff who clearly wanted to be anywhere but where they were;

2. Unapologetically out of EVERYTHING by 2PM EST on a Sunday afternoon that did not appear to be busy (though I acknowledge that you probably do a brisk online business that in-store customers won't see). This included: Avocado, Pickled Red Onions, Lamb Meatballs, Pita, Ice, and at least one of your fruit beverages;

We saw ALL of this within a six or seven minute visit and if we hadn't been absolutely starving already, we'd have turned on our heels and gone to any one of DOZENS of competing restaurants in the immediate vicinity.

This was my first visit to a location outside of Northern VA--where my experience has always been excellent...and, unfortunately, this was my family's first experience EVER with CAVA...which I'd talked up mightily before stopping.

I hope your team will take heed of this message, because word travels fast in ATL and tastes are already fickle...people need very few excuses to go spend their fifteen bucks per person elsewhere and this is a HIGHLY competitive market for fast-casual dining.

Feedback is a gift...y'all have the opportunity to correct course to ensure the long term viability of this outlet. Do NOTHING at the peril of this particular...