Many investors have debated whether the better fast-casual restaurant stock is Cava Group (NYSE: CAVA) or Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG). Considering that Cava is following Chipotle's playbook, in the Mediterranean food genre, and is a much smaller company, it is a worthy debate.

However, the calculus changed upon the announcement last week that CEO Brian Niccol would be leaving Chipotle to take over the top job at Starbucks. Niccol was the company's first successful CEO since founder Steve Ellis departed, bringing considerable uncertainty to the fast-casual giant now that he's leaving. Does this all mean investors should should ignore Chipotle in favor of Cava?

Cava remains a founder-led company. Brett Schulman co-founded Cava in 2010, rebranding it from a previously existing full-service restaurant and opening the first Cava in its current form in Bethesda, Maryland, in 2011.

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Source Fool.com