Good morning. Cava has reached 500 restaurants ahead of schedule, putting it halfway toward its goal of at least 1,000 locations by 2032. But for CFO Tricia Tolivar, the bigger challenge is ensuring the Mediterranean fast-casual chain can sustain its performance as it doubles in size.The early results are encouraging. Cava’s newest restaurants are operating at roughly 100% productivity, Tolivar told me, suggesting the company has room to expand into new markets without sacrificing sales performance.“Even more encouraging is the strength of those new restaurant openings,” she said.Still, Cava’s rapid expansion comes as consumers face mounting financial pressure. The company reported Wednesday that third-quarter Cava segment revenue rose 22.1% year over year to $353.7 million, while same-restaurant sales increased 3.1%, with guest traffic slightly positive. Consolidated revenue totaled $356.4 million, short of analysts’ estimate of about $358.4 million.Tolivar attributed about 150 basis points of the same-restaurant sales impact to consumer concerns about fresh produce following a Cyclospora outbreak, even though Cava wasn’t among the chains linked to it. Excluding that impact, same-restaurant sales would have grown roughly 4.6%. CAVA nevertheless raised its full-year same-restaurant sales guidance to 6% to 7%, up from 4.5% to 6.5%.Cava has been one of the restaurant industry’s strongest performers in recent years, particularly in growth and sales momentum. The challenge now is balancing expansion with operational discipline, particularly as Cava enters new markets and consumers become more cautious about spending.Tolivar said Cava has kept price increases below inflation over the past six years, while investing in technology and employee development to support growth.That includes a new operator portal that allows general managers to manage digital orders and update out-of-stock items in real time. The company’s in-house Cava Command Center also consolidates restaurant performance data, replacing separate systems and spreadsheets.For a chain that now operates in 31 states and Washington, D.C., those investments could become increasingly important. Managing 1,000 restaurants will require more than opening new locations; it will mean maintaining consistent execution, controlling costs and protecting the customer experience across a much larger operation.Cava reached its 500-restaurant milestone through long-term planning, performance tracking, and adapting as circumstances changed, Tolivar said.“When curveballs come your way, how do you then pivot and adjust so that you can continue to meet, if not exceed, expectations?” she said. She added that Cava is investing in the business “not for the next 12 weeks, but for the next 12 years and beyond.”Have a good weekend. Sheryl EstradaSheryl.Estrada@fortune.comThis story was originally featured on Fortune.com