Can You Franchise CAVA? What to Know Before Investing in Mediterranean Fast Casual
No. CAVA doesn't franchise. Its restaurants are company-owned, so there's no CAVA franchise to buy. If you want to own a Mediterranean fast-casual restaurant, Taziki's Mediterranean Café is a franchise you can actually apply for.
Is CAVA a franchise?
CAVA's annual report to the SEC describes a system of company-owned restaurants: 439 CAVA restaurants in 28 states and Washington, D.C. as of December 28, 2025. Fast-casual brands that keep every unit in-house aren't unusual, but it means the only way to share in CAVA's growth is to buy its stock, not open a restaurant.
People like to compare Taziki’s to CAVA, which makes a lot of sense. There’s a lot the two brands have in common, but there’s a lot that keeps Taziki’s distinct. For one, we do not have a primarily customizable menu. Our founder, Keith Richards went to Greece and fell in love with the cuisine and the hospitality. Because of his background in restaurants, he carefully crafted all the dishes on the menu, from salads to gyros to homemade dips. Our hand-crafted approach to restaurants is just one way Taziki’s stands apart from CAVA.
Why are people looking for a Mediterranean franchise?
Because guests are choosing fresh, flavorful food they feel good about, and Mediterranean cooking more than fits the bill. At Taziki's, it's how we've always cooked. We have no fryer in our kitchens, and our menu is built around scratch-made, fresh ingredients rather than a heat-and-serve approach.
We were Mediterranean before it was a trend
Keith and Amy Richards opened the first Taziki's in 1998 in Birmingham, Alabama, after a trip to Greece where they fell in love with the country’s food and hospitality. The name came from a menu board reading "tzatziki," with two letters dropped to make it easier to understand for American Southerners. We began franchising in 2013, and today we have 100+ restaurants, and Entrepreneur has recognized us as a leading Mediterranean franchise.
What does a Taziki's franchise cost?
Our 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document put the total initial investment at $567,000 to $1,204,000, including a $35,000 franchise fee. Franchisees pay a total 4.75% royalty (4% Royalty and .75% Marketing Fee) on net sales. We look for candidate groups with at least $1.5 million in net worth and $500,000 in liquid capital. Your actual numbers depend on the site, build-out and lease terms, and the FDD is the only authoritative source, so see our Investment page and request the current FDD before you decide.
How does Taziki's compare to other Mediterranean franchises?
Mediterranean fast casual has a handful of franchisors, and each has a different feel. We're not a dressed-up bowl line. We're a café with a warm, hospitality-first feel, a full menu of gyros, plates and salads, a catering business and a team that treats franchise partners like family. A few questions to ask any brand you consider:
What does the investment range include? Ask for the FDD's Item 7 and compare build-out, equipment and working capital line by line.
What do existing owners say? We would be happy to connect you to current partners to help you get a better sense of who we are.
What support will you get? Look at training, real estate help, technology and marketing.
Is there room in your market? Check territory availability early.
Where is Taziki's expanding?
We have restaurants across the Southeast and beyond, and we're growing into the Midwest, Southwest and Mid-Atlantic. See the Availability page to find out whether your market is open.
Do you need restaurant experience?
Not necessarily. We've written about who we look for in a franchise partner, and we welcome both seasoned operators and people new to restaurants who bring leadership, a love of hospitality and the commitment to run a great team.
If you do not have restaurant experience, you are required to have an operating partner responsible for day-to-day operations. Contact Alex Garmezy to find out more.
How do you get started?
Read the Investment page to understand the numbers.
Check the Availability page for your market.
Fill out the Request Information form and we'll reach out.
Ready to own a Mediterranean restaurant?
You can't buy into CAVA, but you can invest in Taziki's. Let's talk about bringing healthy, sustainable food to your community.
