Mediterranean fast casual Cava’s “reimagined” rewards
program is adding a feature not common among restaurants: The chain will match customers’ rewards status not just at competing chains, but also from airlines, hotels, cruises and retail/beauty
loyalty programs.
Cava’s new “first-of-its-kind Status Matching Program” will be active from Oct. 13 through Nov. 23. During this period, customers who hold status in select
loyalty programs across various aforementioned industries will be eligible to be matched into the chain’s Sand or Sun levels for the remainder of 2025.
“As someone who has always
loved the thrill of a strong loyalty program through tracking status, unlocking perks, and feeling at home with certain brands, I couldn’t be more excited to bring that same sentiment to
Cava,” says Andy Rebhun, the company’s chief experience officer. “Great hospitality creates loyalists, and we’re proud to have so many at CAVA already. With our revamped
loyalty program, we’re borrowing the best of travel and hospitality, and introducing it to an untapped industry: fast casual dining.”
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The new Cava status levels include Sea, Sand,
and Sun. Sea is entry-level, providing core rewards, birthday surprise, sneak peek information and member-only offers. Sand is unlocked when customers reach 1,500 points, and offers elevated benefits
and more frequent surprises, plus access to periodic multipliers. The Sun level is unlocked when customers reach 4,500 points, at which point they receive “the most generous offerings and
opportunities to earn points even faster during featured promotions.”
Points are tracked in the Cava app and on Cava.com, and once a customer qualifies, they will keep that tier for the
remainder of the current year as well as for the next calendar year.
In order to qualify to have their loyalty points matched, customers can submit proof of their current qualifying status via
a status match form. Eligible programs consist of “expansive, popular brand programs spanning travel/hospitality and select retail/restaurant brands,” with a complete list available here.
Cava currently has over 400 locations across the U.S., and reported Q2 2025 net income of $18.4 million, down from
$19.7 million in Q2 2024.