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Chipotle vs CAVA: which is better for your macros?
The top protein play at Chipotle is the Double High Protein Bowl (81g protein, 760 cal); CAVA answers with the Spicy Chicken + Avocado Pita (51g, 970 cal). Below, all 29 meals we track at both chains go head-to-head on protein, calories, low-carb and vegetarian options — from each brand's official nutrition data, not AI guesses — with a verdict for cutting, bulking and keto.
The tale of the tape
Chipotle vs CAVA, by the numbers
| Head-to-head | Chipotle | CAVA |
|---|---|---|
| Highest-protein meal | 81g Double High Protein Bowl | 51g Spicy Chicken + Avocado Pita |
| Leanest meal | 385 cal Chicken Salad Bowl & Diet Coke | 345 cal Steak + Greens Bowl & Unsweetened Tea |
| Avg protein per meal | 44g | 38g |
| Avg calories per meal | 540 cal | 682 cal |
| Meals at 425 cal or less | 2 | 2 |
| Low-carb / keto meals | 3 | 4 |
| Vegetarian meals | 1 | 1 |
| Meals tracked | 13 | 16 |
✓ marks the stronger number for that row (more protein, fewer calories, or more options). Computed from the 29 meals we track — not the chains' full menus.
Top 5, ranked by protein
The highest-protein meals, side by side
🌯 Chipotle
| # | Meal | Protein | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Double High Protein Bowl Double adobo chicken (8 oz), light white rice, black beans, fajita veggies, fresh tomato salsa, Monterey Jack cheese, romaine lettuce | 81g | 760 |
| 2 | Double Chicken Salad Bowl Double chicken (8 oz), supergreens mix, black beans, fajita veggies, fresh tomato salsa | 74g | 550 |
| 3 | High Protein-High Fiber Bowl Adobo chicken, light brown rice, black beans, fajita veggies, roasted chili-corn salsa, fresh tomato salsa, romaine lettuce | 46g | 545 |
| 4 | Chicken Brown Rice Bowl Chicken, brown rice, black beans, fajita veggies, fresh tomato salsa | 45g | 565 |
| 5 | Chicken Salad Bowl & Diet Coke Chicken, supergreens mix, black beans, fajita veggies, fresh tomato salsa, tomatillo-green chili salsa & Diet Coke (0 cal) | 42g | 385 |
🥙 CAVA
| # | Meal | Protein | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spicy Chicken + Avocado Pita Warm pita, grilled chicken, harissa, Crazy Feta, tzatziki, avocado, cucumber-tomato, pickled onions, fire-roasted corn, feta | 51g | 970 |
| 2 | Greek Chicken Pita Warm pita, grilled chicken, hummus, tzatziki, cucumber-tomato, kalamata olives, feta, red onion, Greek vinaigrette | 48g | 870 |
| 3 | Spicy Lamb Power Bowl Power Greens, brown rice, spicy lamb meatballs, tzatziki, red pepper hummus, sumac slaw, pickled onions, feta, cucumber-tomato, tahini Caesar | 44g | 910 |
| 4 | Spicy Lamb + Avocado Bowl Saffron basmati rice, spicy lamb meatballs, Crazy Feta, hummus, avocado, cucumber-tomato, pickled onions, fire-roasted corn, hot harissa vinaigrette | 43g | 795 |
| 5 | Harissa Avocado Bowl Saffron basmati rice, black lentils, grilled chicken, harissa, hummus, avocado, fire-roasted corn, pickled onions, cucumber-tomato, feta | 42g | 840 |
MacroBite scores these against your daily protein & calorie targets and logs them in one tap. Get the app →
The verdict
Which is better for your goal?
Cutting
Chipotle takes it. Its leanest high-protein pick, the Double Chicken Salad Bowl, packs 74g of protein into 550 calories — 13.5g per 100 cal, ahead of CAVA's best (Steak + Greens Bowl & Unsweetened Tea, 32g for 345 cal, 9.3g per 100 cal). Chipotle lists 2 meals at 425 calories or less; CAVA has 2.
Bulking
Chipotle wins on raw protein. The Double High Protein Bowl tops out at 81g (760 cal), beating CAVA's biggest hitter, the Spicy Chicken + Avocado Pita, at 51g. For repeat trips, Chipotle has 12 meals with 30g+ protein vs 14 at CAVA.
Keto
CAVA is the keto-friendlier menu with 4 low-carb meals vs 3 at Chipotle. Best keto pick: the Steak & Feta Keto Bowl — 39g protein, 25g carbs, 650 calories. At Chipotle, the Chicken Keto Salad Bowl (41g protein, 16g carbs) is the standout.
How we score it: cutting = most protein per calorie (25g protein floor) · bulking = highest absolute protein · keto = low-carb meals (20g carbs or less, or flagged low-carb in the official data). General nutrition info, not medical advice.
Dig deeper: full Chipotle menu → · full CAVA menu → · all chains ranked →
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Settle Chipotle vs CAVA with your own macros.
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