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Sweetgreen, Inc.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 5 November 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 3 raised, 1 lowered, 1 new. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue rose on new restaurants: Revenue rose 2.1% to $176.0 million. New restaurants added $13.8 million, partly offset by a $10.7 million decline in Comparable Restaurant Base revenue. Source
  • Same-store sales fell 6.4%: Same-Store Sales Change was (6.4)% against (9.5)% a year earlier. The components were traffic down 4.9% and product mix down 2.1%. Source
  • Average unit volume declined: AUV was $2,473 thousand against $2,769 thousand a year earlier, measured on the adjusted Comparable Restaurant Base. Source
  • Restaurant-Level Profit Margin fell to 10.4%: Restaurant-Level Profit was $18.3 million against $22.5 million. Management attributed the 270 basis point margin decline to sales deleverage and higher labor. Source
  • Traffic fell on cyclosporiasis outbreak: Management tied the 4.9% traffic decline to reduced consumer demand from the cyclosporiasis outbreak in the current period. Source
  • Sweet Growth plan taking hold: Management described the Sweet Growth Transformation Plan as beginning to take hold, with sales improving through the quarter. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA was $(6.8) million: Adjusted EBITDA Margin was (3.8)%, against (2.5)%, and the change was primarily due to the $4.2 million decline in Restaurant-Level Profit. Source

“We believe our Sweet Growth Transformation Plan is beginning to take hold, with sales improving through the quarter and positive comparable sales in October, primarily driven by transaction growth,”

Jonathan Neman, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Net New Restaurant Openings Sourcefiscal year 2026Approximately 10Lowered from Approximately 13
Same-Store Sales Change Sourcefiscal year 2026about (5.5)%Raised from (8.0)% to (7.0)%
Restaurant-Level Profit Margin Sourcefiscal year 202611.0% to 11.5%Raised from 10.5% to 11.0%
Adjusted EBITDA Sourcefiscal year 2026$(23.0) million to $(20.0) millionRaised from $(27.0) million to $(23.0) million
Net New Restaurant Openings Sourcefiscal year 2027about half as many as fiscal year 2026New

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance lowered: Fiscal 2026 net new openings guidance was cut to about 10 from about 13. Source
  • Guidance raised: Fiscal 2026 Same-Store Sales Change guidance moved to about (5.5)% from (8.0)% to (7.0)%. Source
  • Guidance raised: Fiscal 2026 Restaurant-Level Profit Margin guidance moved to 11.0% to 11.5% from 10.5% to 11.0%. Source
  • Guidance raised: Fiscal 2026 Adjusted EBITDA guidance moved to $(23.0) million to $(20.0) million from $(27.0) million to $(23.0) million. Source
  • New: Management gave a first expectation for fiscal 2027 openings, at about half the fiscal 2026 count. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue rose on new restaurants: Revenue rose 2.1% to $176.0 million. New restaurants added $13.8 million, partly offset by a $10.7 million decline in Comparable Restaurant Base revenue. Source
  • Same-store sales fell 6.4%: Same-Store Sales Change was (6.4)% against (9.5)% a year earlier. The components were traffic down 4.9% and product mix down 2.1%. Source
  • Net loss narrowed on lower G&A: Net loss was $(30.7) million against $(36.1) million. Loss from operations margin improved to (18.1)% from (21.0)%, helped by lower G&A and impairment costs. Source
  • Thirty-nine weeks include Spyce gain: Net income for 39 weeks was $68.8 million, after a $160.5 million gain on disposal of the Spyce business. Diluted EPS for the 39 weeks was $0.57. Source

Restaurant base and volumes

  • Average unit volume declined: AUV was $2,473 thousand against $2,769 thousand a year earlier, measured on the adjusted Comparable Restaurant Base. Source
  • Network stands at 290 locations: Sweetgreen offers its menus at 290 locations after 3 net new openings in the quarter, against 6 in the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Closures removed from same-store base: Eleven restaurants were excluded from the Same-Store Sales Change calculation for the quarter, two temporarily and nine permanently. Nine were excluded from the AUV base. Source

“We are confident in our plan to build on this progress by investing in our restaurant teams, delivering a consistently great customer experience and expanding our menu with bold, craveable food.”

Jonathan Neman, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Digital and menu mix

  • Owned digital share rose with rewards: Owned Digital Revenue Percentage was 38.0%, up from 35.3%. In-store SG Rewards scan purchases count toward owned digital sales. Source
  • Wraps drove menu mix shift: Management attributed the product mix decline mainly to a shift in menu mix toward wraps. Product mix fell 2.1% for the quarter. Source
  • Total digital near two-thirds of revenue: Total Digital Revenue Percentage was 66.1%, against 61.8% a year earlier, with in-store rewards purchases counted in owned digital. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Restaurant-Level Profit Margin fell to 10.4%: Restaurant-Level Profit was $18.3 million against $22.5 million. Management attributed the 270 basis point margin decline to sales deleverage and higher labor. Source
  • Labor rose as share of revenue: Labor and related expenses were 30.5% of revenue against 29.1%. Food, beverage and packaging costs fell to 28.8% from 30.7%. Source
  • Other restaurant costs rose: Other restaurant operating costs were 19.9% of revenue against 17.6%. Occupancy and related expenses were 10.3% against 9.6%. Source
  • G&A fell on stock compensation: General and administrative expense was $27.6 million, or 15.7% of revenue, against $30.9 million or 17.9%. Higher marketing spend partly offset the decrease. Source
  • Menu pricing added 0.6 points: Menu price increases added 0.6% to Same-Store Sales Change in the quarter, offsetting part of the traffic and mix declines. Source

“Our focus is clear: bring more customers into sweetgreen and give them more reasons to come back.”

Jonathan Neman, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Demand and traffic trend

  • Traffic fell on cyclosporiasis outbreak: Management tied the 4.9% traffic decline to reduced consumer demand from the cyclosporiasis outbreak in the current period. Source
  • Traffic decline deepened from Q2: Traffic fell 4.9% in the quarter after a 2.0% decline in the second quarter. Product mix fell 2.1% after 4.2% in the second quarter.
  • Second-quarter mix drivers cited: The second-quarter product mix decline was attributed to promotional activity, a shift toward wraps, and the removal of ripple fries.

Cash and capital

  • Cash above year-end level: Cash and cash equivalents were $119.8 million at September 27, 2026, against $89.2 million at December 28, 2025. Source
  • Operating cash outflow widened: Net cash used in operating activities was $28.5 million for 39 weeks, against $4.0 million a year earlier. Source
  • Capital spending fell sharply: Purchases of property and equipment were $33.8 million for 39 weeks, against $76.1 million a year earlier. Intangible purchases were $5.3 million. Source
  • Spyce sale partly paid in preferred: Part of the Spyce sale consideration was Series C Preferred Stock of Wonder Group, Inc., recorded at $86.4 million. Source
  • Disposal proceeds in investing cash flow: Proceeds from the disposal of the business were $100.0 million in the 39 weeks, within net cash provided by investing activities of $61.0 million. Source

Strategy and restaurant investment

  • Sweet Growth plan taking hold: Management described the Sweet Growth Transformation Plan as beginning to take hold, with sales improving through the quarter. Source
  • Menu expansion with bold food: Management plans to expand the menu with bold, craveable food, alongside investment in restaurant teams and the customer experience. Source
  • Focus on guests returning: Management stated its focus as bringing more customers into sweetgreen and giving them more reasons to come back. Source

Restaurant-level and adjusted EBITDA

  • Adjusted EBITDA was $(6.8) million: Adjusted EBITDA Margin was (3.8)%, against (2.5)%, and the change was primarily due to the $4.2 million decline in Restaurant-Level Profit. Source
  • Restaurant-Level Profit down year to date: For 39 weeks, Restaurant-Level Profit was $59.7 million against $87.3 million, an 11.3% margin against 16.7%. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA for 39 weeks: Adjusted EBITDA for 39 weeks was $(15.0) million against $2.3 million, excluding the Spyce gain and stock-based compensation. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Traffic SourceDown 4.9% in the quarter
Inventory Source$3.0 million at September 27, 2026 (December 28, 2025: $2.4 million)
Store openings and closings Source3 net new openings in the quarter, against 6; 11 restaurants excluded for closures
E-commerce share SourceTotal Digital 66.1% (prior 61.8%); Owned Digital 38.0% (prior 35.3%)

Risks management discussed

  • Demand: Management cited reduced consumer demand from the cyclosporiasis outbreak as the cause of lower traffic. Source
  • Operational: Higher labor expenses added to margin pressure from sales deleverage in the quarter. 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.