Theodore Xenohristos

Founder, Chief Concept Officer & Director, Cava

Search every verified Theodore Xenohristos interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Theodore Xenohristos, co-founder and chief concept officer of Cava, has discussed the company’s growth from a single full-service restaurant to over 400 fast-casual locations and its 2023 initial public offering. In interviews, he described early financial struggles, including living with his parents and occasionally sleeping in the restaurant. He stated that the company’s expansion strategy involves a data-driven approach to site selection and a focus on maintaining food quality by owning production facilities and sourcing ingredients such as lentils from Montana and olive oil from Greece. Xenohristos said the company aims to open 1,000 restaurants by 2032. Xenohristos has emphasized the company’s investment in team members, including stock grants for general managers and a starting wage of $13 per hour in 2013. He said the company absorbed the cost impact of California’s minimum wage increase rather than passing it to customers. Xenohristos described Cava’s value proposition as combining food quality, cuisine relevance, convenience, and brand experience, and noted that the company raised menu prices by approximately 2.5 to 3% in 2024, its only planned increase for the year. He also discussed the use of technology, including generative AI, to optimize labor scheduling and inventory ordering.