FELLOW VEGANS, HERE IS YOUR PLACE
I live right around the corner from this location, and was on my way home from picking up a quick coffee at Starbucks when I offhandedly suggested to my boyfriend that we stop in and see what they had to offer for vegans--we are very new vegans and don't quite have the lay of the land yet so we're trying to discover all the hidden vegan gems we can. We popped in during their busiest time of day I imagine--lunch hour--and were the first in line. The overhead menu didn't indicate what was vegan or not, so we started to try to explain what we were looking for but realized we'd be holding up the rapidly growing line if we were to do that, so we said we'd step aside and figure it out first.
Almost instantly, two employees came up to us with menus in hand to go above and beyond--and I mean above and beyond--to show us through the menu and the little key, which made it very simple to easily single out vegan items or a variety of other dietary restrictions (like just dairy free, gluten free, etc.). It was very clear to us that they wanted to make sure we felt welcomed and that our dietary "restriction" would most definitely be happily accommodated (no eyerolls or irritated glances, which we have experienced elsewhere). They even said that if we told the employee we were placing our order with at the beginning of the line that we were vegan, they would help us make all of our selections and make sure everything was vegan.
They were patient with us while we took longer than the average customer to sift through each section of options--the proteins, the bases, the dressings, the dips, etc.--and they even gave us a free pita on the side just to be nice. We ordered a lot because we were so excited to have SUCH a vegan friendly option...guys, almost this ENTIRE MENU excluding the meat and feta cheese is vegan. It's amazing! We got double proteins--the veggie mix and falafels--along with one pita each and one drink each. So, our bill had to be close to $30, and then when I went to pay I realized--I had left my credit card on my coffee table! Hadn't brought it with me because I was just planning to get Starbucks which I use the app to pay for...rats. We told them one of us would wait with the food and the other would drive home to get the card, but when a man who I assumed to be the manager saw us figuring out who would stay and who would go, he told us to just take our food and that they would cover it this time. We couldn't BELIEVE it. We said we felt bad, and that we would call in and pay in 5 minutes when we got home, but he said they don't take payments over the phone for security reasons and that it was no worries at all and to please enjoy our meals.
UM...can you say superior customer service?! We came in, brand new vegans new to their menu and they were extremely accommodating and helpful. Their menu was one of the most vegan friendly menus I've seen yet. Then on top of that, they gave us an entire free meal, sides and drinks and double protein included, because they are a GOOD BUSINESS that knows how to treat its customers (and I think could tell we were being honest and really had forgotten my card).
If you are vegan or have any other dietary restrictions, I would HIGHLY recommend trying Cava out--not only will they very likely have a plethora of options to fit your dietary needs, but they will be super friendly and helpful about it and not act like you are a pain in the butt. Or, if you just like good customer service and want to support a company that practices it, check Cava out! We will most definitely be back! Thanks Cava!!
P.S. Our meals were *delicious* and we would've gotten them and loved them whether or not we were vegan! read more