Gen Z Killed Fast Casual Chipotle, Cava & Sweetgreen COLLAPSING

Fast-casual just collapsed. Chipotle's stock is down 50%, Cava is struggling, and Sweetgreen can't survive. Gen Z stopped eating out, and now the entire $50 billion industry is dying.

In this video, I break down exactly what happened. The data is shocking - Gen Z unemployment is higher than the national average, student debt is crushing them, and they literally can't afford $15 burrito bowls anymore. Meanwhile, these companies kept raising prices and wondering why nobody showed up.

Chipotle went from zero debt and record profits in 2006 to filing bankruptcy twice in 7 years. Cava and Sweetgreen are following the same path. This isn't just about one generation being "cheap" - this is about an entire economic shift that's destroying the fast-casual model.

Timestamps:
0:00 - The Fast-Casual Collapse
1:45 - Chipotle's 50% Stock Crash
3:20 - Why Gen Z Can't Afford It Anymore
5:40 - The Death Spiral Explained
8:15 - Cava & Sweetgreen Following
10:30 - What Happens Next

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You just saw it. Real people, real receipts, real frustration. But here's what those viral videos aren't telling you. This isn't just about expensive burritos. Three of the biggest fast-casual brands just reported the worst earnings in their history. Chipotle's stock has been cut in half. Cava is down nearly sixty percent. Sweetgreen is in free fall. And they're all blaming the same group of people. You.

These aren't struggling startups. These are the companies that literally invented the fast casual bowl and turned it into a cultural phenomenon. Lines around the block. Instagram posts. An entire generation's lunch ritual. And now? It's all falling apart. The fast casual boom is officially over. And the reason why should terrify you.

See, for years, these brands were supposed to be recession-proof. While McDonald's and Burger King fought over dollar menus, Chipotle was charging twelve bucks for a burrito and people gladly paid it. The pitch was simple: healthier ingredients, better quality, worth the premium. Fast casual was the smart choice. The adult choice. And it worked. Until it didn't.

Because something shifted in the last year. Traffic is down. Sales are declining. And when these CEOs jump on earnings calls, they're all saying the exact same thing. Young customers aren't coming anymore. The twenty-five to thirty-five year old demographic that built these brands into empires? They've stopped showing up. And when they do come in, they're spending less. Way less.

Chipotle's CEO stood in front of investors and admitted their core customer base is pulling back. Cava's CEO said the twenty-five to thirty-five age group is under the most pressure. Sweetgreen reported that sales from young customers dropped fifteen percent in a single quarter. Fifteen percent. That's not a dip, that's a collapse.

Now here's where this gets really interesting. These aren't McDonald's customers we're talking about. Fast casual brands don't rely on low-income consumers the way traditional fast food does. Chipotle said forty percent of their customers make over one hundred thousand dollars a year. Let that sink in. These are higher-earning millennials and Gen Z. The exact people who were supposed to be insulated from economic problems. The ones with good jobs, decent salaries, discretionary income to burn.


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