CAVA doesn't publish its interview questions, but its annual report says it hires Team Members who understand its culture, so expect questions on hospitality, teamwork, working at pace on the line and the five core values CAVA publishes. CAVA, the Mediterranean fast-casual chain, doesn't publish an assessment or how long hiring takes either.
Everything below comes from CAVA Group's own annual report and investor site, linked at the end. Where CAVA doesn't say something, we say so rather than guess.
The CAVA hiring process at a glance
| Step | What happens | What CAVA publishes about it |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Find a role | Restaurant Team Member, Assistant General Manager, General Manager, or a non-restaurant role. | The restaurant roles and a promotional track from Team Member to General Manager |
| 2. Apply | Apply through CAVA's careers site. | CAVA's annual report doesn't describe the application |
| 3. Interview | Not described in CAVA's annual report. | No published format, length or number of rounds |
| 4. Offer and training | Training through CAVA's restaurant training network. | Training led by Academy General Managers; no published timeline |
What is the hiring process at CAVA?
You find a role, apply, interview and, if you're selected, start training. CAVA's annual report names the restaurant roles and the training set-up but not the hiring steps themselves, so ask the person who contacts you what comes next.
The restaurant roles CAVA names are:
- Team Member: CAVA's name for its restaurant staff, who it says "carry on the CAVA culture every day."
- Assistant General Manager: a role CAVA introduced as part of its promotional track.
- General Manager: runs the restaurant.
- Academy General Manager: General Managers CAVA picks for strong operational and financial results, who lead its training network.
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How do you apply for a job at CAVA?
Apply through the careers section of CAVA's website. CAVA doesn't publish how long the application takes or what it asks, so read the posting before you start and have your availability and work history ready.
Does CAVA have an assessment?
CAVA doesn't publish an assessment for restaurant roles. If you're asked to complete a questionnaire, answer as you actually work. If it shows you workplace scenarios and asks what you would do, it's a situational judgement format; our guide to situational judgement tests explains how that works in general.
What is the CAVA interview like?
CAVA doesn't publish an interview format, length or number of rounds. When you're contacted, it's reasonable to ask who you'll meet and how long to allow.
What CAVA does publish is what it wants in its people. Its annual report says its success depends on hiring Team Members "who understand and appreciate our culture," and it sets out five core values:
| CAVA value | How CAVA describes it | What to show in an interview |
|---|---|---|
| Generosity First, Always | "We lead with kindness." | Times you helped a guest or teammate without being asked |
| Constant Curiosity | "We are eager to learn, grow, and explore beyond the obvious." | How you learn a new task or menu quickly |
| Act with Agility | "We welcome change; it's the only constant." | Staying calm when a rush or a change hits |
| Passion for Positivity | "We greet each day with warmth and possibility." | How you keep your energy up on a long shift |
| Collective Ambition | High aspirations achieved by working together | A shared goal your team hit |
How long does the CAVA hiring process take?
CAVA doesn't publish a timeline. If you haven't heard back within a week or so of your interview, a short, polite follow-up with the manager or recruiter who contacted you is reasonable.
What happens after you're hired at CAVA?
CAVA says its training runs through a nationwide network led by Academy General Managers, and that it wants Team Members "to build a career, not merely find employment." Its Flavor Your Future platform offers a clear promotional track from Team Member to General Manager, with the Assistant General Manager role as a step on the way.
CAVA's annual report also says Team Members get free meals during working hours and discounted meals outside them, and that virtually all Team Members can join its employee stock purchase plan.
What questions does CAVA ask in interviews?
CAVA doesn't publish its interview questions. The questions below follow from its values, how its restaurants work and the standard questions most restaurant interviews include. For "tell me about a time" questions, use the STAR method: situation, task, action, result.
1. Tell me about yourself.
Keep it to about a minute: what you do now, one relevant strength and why you're applying. Lead with anything guest-facing or kitchen-based, such as a food job, volunteering or a school role.
2. Why do you want to work at CAVA?
Be specific. CAVA's mission is to bring heart, health and humanity to food, and it describes its food as healthful with bold, satisfying flavours. Say what you like about it as a guest and why you'd enjoy serving it.
3. How would you greet a guest who has never been to CAVA?
Guests order by walking the line and choosing a chef-curated meal or building their own bowl or pita. Describe a warm greeting, a quick explanation of how the line works and a suggestion or two if they're unsure. This is where "Mediterranean hospitality," CAVA's own phrase, shows.
4. How do you keep the line moving during a rush without rushing the guest?
Talk about staying friendly and clear, keeping portions and order accuracy right, and calling for help early if the line backs up. CAVA's value Act with Agility is about handling change calmly.
5. Tell me about a time you helped a teammate who was falling behind.
This tests Generosity First, Always, which CAVA describes as acting "in service of others." Pick a real example where you stepped in, what you did and how the shift went afterwards.
6. How do you make sure food is prepared safely and to standard?
CAVA says it freshly prepares most menu items in its restaurants, so prep and food safety matter. Talk about following recipes and labels, cleaning as you go, checking dates and temperatures as you're trained to, and asking when you're unsure.
7. Tell me about a time you learned something new quickly.
This is Constant Curiosity. A new job, a new menu or a new till system all work. Say how you learned it and how soon you were working on your own.
8. How do you stay positive on a long or difficult shift?
CAVA's Passion for Positivity value is about greeting "each day with warmth and possibility." Give a concrete habit, such as resetting after a hard guest or helping someone else, and an example of it working.
9. Tell me about a time your team hit a goal together.
Collective Ambition is about high aims achieved together. Pick a busy service, a project or a sports team, and focus on your part and how you supported others.
10. How would you handle a guest who is unhappy with their order?
Listen, apologise, fix it quickly (remake it or get a manager if needed) and keep your tone kind. Link it to CAVA's "We lead with kindness."
11. What is your availability?
Be honest and exact, including weekends and evenings. Restaurant schedules depend on it, so make sure it matches what you put in your application.
12. Where would you like to be in a year or two?
CAVA publishes a promotional track from Team Member to Assistant General Manager and General Manager. If that interests you, say so, and say what you'd want to learn first.
13. (Managers) How would you train and develop a new Team Member?
CAVA's training network is led by Academy General Managers and it talks about a culture of growth and accountability. Describe showing the task, watching them do it, giving specific feedback and checking back, plus how you'd spot someone ready for more.
For more practice, our list of behavioural interview questions and our situational interview questions give you a wider bank to rehearse.
How to prepare for a CAVA interview
- Read the posting for the role and restaurant, and have an example for each duty it lists.
- Learn the five values and have one story for each.
- Eat at CAVA if you can, and notice how the line works and how staff greet guests.
- Prepare four or five STAR stories about guests, teamwork, pace and learning.
- Fix your availability, including weekends and evenings, before the interview.
- Rehearse out loud, ideally in a mock interview with someone who will give you honest feedback.
- Bring two or three questions about training, shifts and the path to Assistant General Manager.
Practising realistic work tasks
Interviews reward prepared stories. The job itself rewards judgement with guests, and that improves with practice. Cohesyve, which publishes this guide, runs practice job simulations for roles such as customer service, with a scored report on where you lost marks. Cohesyve isn't affiliated with CAVA and doesn't use its questions or assessments.
FAQs
What are CAVA's core values?
CAVA lists five: Generosity First, Always; Constant Curiosity; Act with Agility; Passion for Positivity; and Collective Ambition.
Does CAVA have an assessment test?
CAVA doesn't publish one for restaurant roles.
How long does it take to hear back from CAVA?
CAVA doesn't publish a timeline. A polite follow-up after a week or so is reasonable.
Can you get promoted at CAVA?
Yes. CAVA says its Flavor Your Future platform offers a clear promotional track for Team Members to become General Managers, including an Assistant General Manager step.
Do CAVA Team Members get free food?
CAVA's annual report says Team Members get free meals during working hours and discounted meals outside them.
Sources
CAVA Group's own documents, checked 27 October 2026:
- CAVA Group, Inc.: Annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended 28 December 2025 (filed 25 February 2026)
- CAVA Group, Inc.: Investor relations overview