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Sweetgreen, Inc.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 6 August 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 3 lowered, 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue rose on new restaurants: Revenue rose 3.8% to $192.7 million, with 36 net new openings adding $18.4 million of incremental revenue. Source
  • Same-store sales fell 6.2%: Same-store sales declined 6.2%, against 7.6% a year earlier, as comparable-base revenue fell $11.2 million. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA fell to $(0.2) million: Adjusted EBITDA was $(0.2) million, a (0.1)% margin, against $6.4 million and 3.5%. Management attributed the change to lower Restaurant-Level Profit. Source
  • Traffic and mix both declined: The same-store decline split into a 2.0% traffic decrease and a 4.2% product-mix decrease. Source
  • Restaurant-level margin fell to 13.1%: Restaurant-Level Profit Margin was 13.1%, down about 600 basis points from 18.9%. Management cited higher ingredient usage, chicken and tofu portion investments, and promotions. Source

“Our results are not where they need to be, but the progress we saw in the second quarter reinforces our confidence that the plan is working,”

Jonathan Neman, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Same-Store Sales Change Sourcefiscal year 2026(8.0)% to (7.0)%Lowered from (4.0)% to (2.0)%
Restaurant-Level Profit Margin Sourcefiscal year 202610.5% to 11.0%Lowered from 14.2% to 14.7%
Adjusted EBITDA Sourcefiscal year 2026$(27.0) million to $(23.0) millionLowered from $1.0 million to $6.0 million
Net New Restaurant Openings Sourcefiscal year 2026Approximately 13Kept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance lowered: Full-year same-store sales, Restaurant-Level Profit Margin and Adjusted EBITDA ranges were lowered; the net openings range was kept. Source
  • Ended: Ripple fries were removed, and the company cited this as one driver of the product mix decline. Source

Results and same-store sales

  • Revenue rose on new restaurants: Revenue rose 3.8% to $192.7 million, with 36 net new openings adding $18.4 million of incremental revenue. Source
  • Same-store sales fell 6.2%: Same-store sales declined 6.2%, against 7.6% a year earlier, as comparable-base revenue fell $11.2 million. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA fell to $(0.2) million: Adjusted EBITDA was $(0.2) million, a (0.1)% margin, against $6.4 million and 3.5%. Management attributed the change to lower Restaurant-Level Profit. Source
  • Net loss rose to $(26.3) million: Net loss was $(26.3) million, a (13.6)% margin, against $(23.2) million and (12.5)%. Management cited lower impairment and closure costs as a partial offset. Source

Traffic, mix and menu

  • Traffic and mix both declined: The same-store decline split into a 2.0% traffic decrease and a 4.2% product-mix decrease. Source
  • Promotions and wraps shaped mix: Management attributed the mix decline mainly to promotional activity and a shift in menu mix toward wraps. Source
  • Wraps test had lifted prior quarter: In the prior release, management said wraps' market test drove guest acquisition and retention, and contributed to April momentum.

“Guests are responding to wraps, restaurant execution is improving, and transactions strengthened throughout the quarter.”

Jonathan Neman, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Restaurant costs and margin

  • Restaurant-level margin fell to 13.1%: Restaurant-Level Profit Margin was 13.1%, down about 600 basis points from 18.9%. Management cited higher ingredient usage, chicken and tofu portion investments, and promotions. Source
  • Labor and food costs rose as share: Labor and related expenses were 29.2% of revenue, against 27.5%; food, beverage and packaging were 29.8%, against 27.7%. Source
  • Occupancy and other costs rose: Occupancy and related expenses were 9.4% of revenue, against 8.9%; other restaurant operating costs were 18.5%, against 17.0%. Source

Overhead and stock compensation

  • G&A fell to 15.4% of revenue: G&A was $29.7 million, or 15.4% of revenue, against $34.5 million and 18.6%. Source
  • Stock compensation down $2.8 million: Management tied the $2.8 million stock-compensation decrease to restricted and performance-based units issued before the IPO. Source
  • Management salary expense down $1.2 million: Management salary and benefits expense also fell $1.2 million within G&A. Source

“We remain focused on delivering a consistently great guest experience, bringing more guests into Sweetgreen, and rebuilding restaurant-level profitability.”

Jonathan Neman, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Digital channels and loyalty

  • Total digital share rose to 66.3%: Total digital revenue was 66.3% of revenue, up from 60.8%; owned digital was 38.8%, up from 33.4%. Source
  • Loyalty purchases count as owned digital: In-store purchases using scan-to-redeem or scan-to-earn on SG Rewards count toward owned digital sales. Source
  • Year-to-date digital share 66.7%: Year-to-date total digital was 66.7%, against 60.3% a year earlier. Source

Openings and unit volumes

  • Two net openings, against nine: Two net new restaurants opened in the quarter, against nine a year earlier; year-to-date openings were six, against 14. Source
  • Average unit volume fell to $2,516: Average unit volume for the comparable base was $2,516 (in thousands), against $2,831, on trailing four-quarter revenue. Source
  • Eight restaurants left comparable base: Eight restaurants were left out of the comparable base for the quarter and year-to-date; management said this did not materially change AUV. Source

Cash, investments and Spyce proceeds

  • Cash rose to $142.6 million: Cash and cash equivalents were $142.6 million at June 28, 2026, against $89.2 million at December 28, 2025. Source
  • Operating cash outflow widened: Net cash used in operating activities was $(17.6) million for the twenty-six weeks, against $(2.7) million a year earlier. Source
  • Spyce disposal brought $100.0 million: Proceeds from the disposal of business were $100.0 million for the twenty-six weeks, which the filing ties to the Spyce transaction. Source
  • Wonder Group preferred stake received: Part of the Spyce consideration was Series C Preferred Stock of Wonder Group, Inc., recorded at $86.4 million. Source
  • Capex fell to $22.5 million: Year-to-date purchases of property and equipment were $22.5 million, against $40.3 million; intangible asset purchases were $3.8 million. Source

Demand and non-GAAP ranges

  • Recovery timing still uncertain: Management said the pace and timing of recovery remain uncertain. Source
  • Non-GAAP ranges not reconciled: Restaurant-Level Profit Margin and Adjusted EBITDA ranges are not reconciled to GAAP because reconciling items are uncertain and variable. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Comparable sales Source(6.2)%, against (7.6)%
Traffic Sourcedown 2.0%
Inventory Source2,873 (in thousands) at June 28, 2026; 2,384 at December 28, 2025
Store openings Source2 net new openings, against 9
Store closings Source7 closures in the quarter (1 temporary, 6 permanent)
E-commerce share SourceTotal digital 66.3%; owned digital 38.8%

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Management said the timing and pace of demand recovery remain uncertain. Source
  • External: A multistate cyclosporiasis outbreak is named as the source of lower demand for fresh prepared foods. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management said 2026 was set to focus on executing the Sweet Growth Transformation Plan, which it now says is working.
  • Not stated: The fiscal 2026 openings expectation of about 13 was kept from the prior release. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.