As the craze of earnings season draws to a close, here’s a look back at some of the most exciting (and some less so) results from Q4. Today, we are looking at modern fast food stocks, starting with Chipotle (NYSE: CMG).

Modern fast food is a relatively newer category representing a middle ground between traditional fast food and sit-down restaurants. These establishments feature an expanded menu selection priced above traditional fast food options, often incorporating fresher and cleaner ingredients to serve customers prioritizing quality. These eateries are capitalizing on the perception that your drive-through burger and fries joint is detrimental to your health because of inferior ingredients.

The 6 modern fast food stocks we track reported a satisfactory Q4. As a group, revenues were in line with analysts’ consensus estimates.

Thankfully, share prices of the companies have been resilient as they are up 6.9% on average since the latest earnings results.

Chipotle (NYSE: CMG)

Born from a desire to offer quick meals with fresh, flavorful ingredients, Chipotle (NYSE: CMG) is a fast-food chain known for its healthy, Mexican-inspired cuisine and customizable dishes.

Chipotle reported revenues of $2.98 billion, up 4.9% year on year. This print exceeded analysts’ expectations by 0.6%. Overall, it was a strong quarter for the company with same-store sales in line with analysts’ estimates and a decent beat of analysts’ EBITDA estimates.

Unsurprisingly, the stock is down 12.6% since reporting and currently trades at $34.23.

We think Chipotle is a good business, but is it a buy today? Read our full report here, it’s free.

Best Q4: CAVA (NYSE: CAVA)

Starting from a single Washington, D.C. location, CAVA (NYSE: CAVA) operates a fast-casual restaurant chain offering customizable Mediterranean-inspired dishes.

CAVA reported revenues of $275 million, up 20.9% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 2.4%. The business had an exceptional quarter with a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates and an impressive beat of analysts’ same-store sales estimates.

CAVA scored the biggest analyst estimates beat among its peers. The market seems happy with the results as the stock is up 41.4% since reporting. It currently trades at $95.68.

Is now the time to buy CAVA? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Weakest Q4: Sweetgreen (NYSE: SG)

Founded in 2007 by three Georgetown University alum, Sweetgreen (NYSE: SG) is a casual quick service chain known for its healthy salads and bowls.

Sweetgreen reported revenues of $155.2 million, down 3.5% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 2.3%. It was a slower quarter as it posted full-year EBITDA guidance missing analysts’ expectations and a miss of analysts’ revenue estimates.

Sweetgreen delivered the weakest performance against analyst estimates and slowest revenue growth in the group. Interestingly, the stock is up 15.8% since the results and currently trades at $7.11.

Read our full analysis of Sweetgreen’s results here.

Portillo's (NASDAQ: PTLO)

Begun as a Chicago hot dog stand in 1963, Portillo’s (NASDAQ: PTLO) is a casual restaurant chain that serves Chicago-style hot dogs and beef sandwiches as well as fries and shakes.

Portillo's reported revenues of $185.7 million, flat year on year. This print was in line with analysts’ expectations. It was a strong quarter as it also produced a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates and same-store sales in line with analysts’ estimates.

The stock is up 12.7% since reporting and currently trades at $6.52.

Read our full, actionable report on Portillo's here, it’s free.

Shake Shack (NYSE: SHAK)

Started as a hot dog cart in New York City's Madison Square Park, Shake Shack (NYSE: SHAK) is a fast-food restaurant known for its burgers and milkshakes.

Shake Shack reported revenues of $400.5 million, up 21.9% year on year. This number met analysts’ expectations. Zooming out, it was a mixed quarter as it also recorded a beat of analysts’ EPS estimates but revenue in line with analysts’ estimates.

Shake Shack delivered the fastest revenue growth among its peers. The stock is up 10.2% since reporting and currently trades at $101.54.

Read our full, actionable report on Shake Shack here, it’s free.

Market Update

Late in 2025 into early 2026, there was hand wringing around artificial intelligence. For software companies, the fear was that AI would erode pricing power and compress margins as new tools made it easier to replicate what once required expensive enterprise platforms. Crypto investors had their own version of the same anxiety: if AI agents could trade, allocate capital, and manage wallets autonomously, what exactly was the long-term value of today’s crypto infrastructure?

These concerns triggered a noticeable rotation away from these sectors and into safer havens. But markets rarely dwell on one narrative for long. Spring 2026 came, and the focus shifted abruptly from technological disruption to geopolitical risk. The US’ conflict with Iran became the dominant driver of market psychology, and when geopolitics takes center stage, the script changes quickly. Investors stop debating growth rates and start worrying about oil supply, inflation, and global stability.

Want to invest in winners with rock-solid fundamentals? Check out our Top 5 Quality Compounder Stocks and add them to your watchlist. These companies are poised for growth regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate.