The CAVA Mediterranean fast-casual restaurant brand has opened its first location in Michigan, a 3,850-square-foot location along Ford Road in Canton Township. // Photo courtesy of CAVA
CAVA, the Washington, D.C.-based Mediterranean fast-casual restaurant brand, has opened its first location in Michigan, at 43450 Ford Road in Canton Township. Brand officials say they have plans to expand its Michigan footprint later this year.
CAVA Canton is a 3,850-square-foot location with a dining room and digital order pick-up and delivery. Operating hours are 10:45 a.m.-10 p.m. daily. It is located at the northwest corner of Ford and Morton Taylor roads.
CAVA’s new Canton restaurant employs 25-40 local people with what the company says is competitive pay and benefits, including paid time off, health care, early wage access, an employee assistance program, and free mental health support.
“We’re thrilled to join the southeast Michigan community and introduce more guests to the bold, vibrant flavors of the Mediterranean,” says Gino Carlin, regional leader at CAVA. “Entering the state of Michigan marks our 28th state, and we’re eager to welcome more guests in the Midwest and throughout the country to our table to enjoy our Mediterranean cuisine and hospitality.”
CAVA’s fully customizable menu comprises 38 ingredients, creating what the brand claims are “17 billion combinations” for guests to enjoy through bowls, pitas, chips, dips, juices, and dressings.
Before the doors officially open to any new restaurant, CAVA invites guests in for a complimentary meal, accepts donations to support a local cause, and matches those donations up to $1,000. Since 2019, this companywide Community Day program has raised more than $600,000 in donations, focused on organizations improving food insecurity in local communities.
In keeping with this tradition, CAVA’s Canton Community Day event raised funds for Gleaners Food Bank of Southeast Michigan.
Prior to the grand opening, CAVA also donated fresh meals prepared throughout the restaurant’s training period to local community members. The company’s food donation program was launched nationally in the fall of 2023 to improve food insecurity and reduce food waste as CAVA expands to new locations.
With a target of 1,000 restaurants by 2032, the company plans to open additional restaurants in Michigan later this year. It opened 58 net new restaurants in the 2024 fiscal year and expects at least 17 percent growth in 2025.