Nov 4 (Reuters) - Mediterranean restaurant chain Cava

Group ( CAVA ) on Tuesday cut its annual same-store sales growth

forecast for the second time this year, signaling sluggish

spending on dining out by budget-conscious customers.

Shares of the company were down 4% after the bell.

The company expects full-year same-restaurant sales to rise

between 3% and 4%, down from its prior forecast of 4% to 6%.

Fast-casual brands such as Chipotle Mexican Grill ( CMG )

and Cava ( CAVA ) have warned of margin pressures and slowing demand

while fast-food chains such as Burger King and Domino's Pizza

have gained from their focus on value-menu items.

Customers aged 25 to 35 are also under strain and pulling

back on spending amid rising unemployment, resumed student loan

payments and higher rents, Cava CFO Tricia Tolivar told Reuters,

echoing comments by Chipotle executives last week.

Cava's ( CAVA ) quarterly restaurant-level profit margin fell to

24.6% from 25.6% a year earlier, partly hurt by higher food,

beverage, and packaging expenses linked to tariffs.

The company also lowered its annual restaurant-level profit

margin forecast to 24.4%-24.8% from 24.8%-25.2%.

"In the current quarter, there's about a 20-basis-point

impact related to tariffs, largely for our imported beef that

we've served to our guests every day," Tolivar said.

Revenue for the third quarter was $289.8 million, missing

estimates of $292.59 million, according to data compiled by

LSEG.

Cava ( CAVA ) posted quarterly earnings of 12 cents per share for the

period ended October 5, compared with analysts' estimates of 13

cents.