CAVA — Restaurant in Virginia

I just picked up a "Too Good to Go" meal at Cava Rosslyn and I will never return to Cava, for a full-priced meal or TGTG.

The corporate website makes it look like it's all about slow food, quality, heart, and community, but I encountered surliness and horrible attitudes the past few nights -- which also impacted the food that I got. Making a face as soon as I mention TGTG and no "goodbye" when I left. They did not even ask me to swipe or make sure that I swipe after I got my food; they literally walked away.  There is no explanation or excuse for such behavior -- it is shameful.

The man who served me refused to give me any sauce -- "no sauce for Too Good to Go" -- and they gave me the spiciest meat, which would have been great with some sauce. The whole idea about Too Good to Go is that these are leftovers at the end of the day -- so why be stingy?  Who or what does that serve?  A meal that is not tasty is not worth it, no matter how little it costs.  Also, a bad attitude ruins every part of the experience, no matter how much or how little someone is paying.

I have ordered Too Good to Go from Cava because the first time I got it, it was great -- people were friendly and the meal was incredibly delicious.  Also, I like to get out of the house and take a walk in the evenings.  I also like the mission, to avoid wasting food.

But when I encounter behavior such as what I described, I also question the quality of the food. When staff displays behavior as I've described, confidence that the food is being prepared properly is not engendered.

The idea of Cava is great and it can be tasty but to be so rude to me as a customer, on top of leaving out essential ingredients, is not worth it. I live here, and there are so many other choices in the neighborhood. Still trying to wrap my mind around how this place can operate like this -- getting neighborhood folks on your side as a restaurant is the first...

I am a regular at this location and this place has been generally great (5 stars) until today -- major health code violation!

I ordered a salad and the woman who made the first part of it (who has definitely made my salads there before and is very good) was awesome and helpful and it looked so good and I was so excited...

Then she handed it over to a bored-looking woman I've never seen there before (though maybe she's been there a long time, it's possible) with very enormous fake eyelashes to do the toppings and when I asked for "a lot of pickles and olives" she REACHED IN WITH HER HAND TO SCOOP THEM OUT instead of using the spoon that is there for those purposes. I thought, not great but maybe those are fresh gloves and it's kind of ok? Then she went over to the register and was using the register with the same gloves -- WHICH IS NOT OK. I asked if those were fresh gloves and she looked at me like that is obviously not a thing she thinks about.

She offered to have the salad remade, but it had been exactly what I wanted (the first woman even spooned out for me the brussel sprout that I said looked really delicious in the veggies, and had given me the last scoop of the red pepper hummus). And I knew I wouldn't want the salad without the olives and pickles, which of course were contaminated because the second lady stuck her whole hand in both. I was so disappointed and said nevermind and walked out without my salad (because gross).

Cava: Throw out those olives and pickles (and maybe other stuff too, god knows how long she's been doing this) and clean the containers. And tell your employee with the fake lashes: learn how germs work; don't stick your hands in the toppings; use the register with your bare hands and use fresh gloves for serving...

The employees at this particular location are lazy and rude. Cava is usually good but first time at this location I came to get a steak pita and they barely had any steak left in the pot. I always get this so I know the normal portion but they gave me less than a full portion of steak here from the old leftover steak and didn’t have any more. Instead of refilling it and giving me a normal steak serving they gave me old reduced portion. So I mentioned it to them and said if I want extra they can charge me more. She fought me on it hard like it’s she’s trying to cheat the customers out of a few Pennie’s and it will make a difference in her pocket. I told her she gave me 2 half full spoons since they weren’t packed. Normally a lot full of steak they pack 2 full spoons. I got 2 half spoons. She fought me hard on that. No I don’t want extra I just want normal portion of fresh steak I normally get. They were too lazy to make more. I don’t like their work ethic or customer service here. Then after I they were laughing about it amongst each other in Spanish all looking and pointing at me. And at the end while I’m packing up leaving they keep staring me down mean mugging me waiting for a problem or something. I was quiet. These people are crazy. Yeah real funny....