# Blind Box Meals Cava's Hot Harissa Meal Comes with a Surprise Pita Plushie By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2025-08-06 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hot-harissa-meal References: [adweek](https://www.adweek.com/commerce/cava-cashes-in-on-labubu-craze-with-blind-box-pita-plushies/) & [cava](https://cava.com/)  Collectibles are all the rage again and they're making a comeback in meals like [Cava's](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/harissa-bbq-pita-chips) 'Hot Harissa Meal,' enticing kidults with a dose of nostalgia and the thrill of childhood. This first-of-its-kind meal box from Cava features a 'Harissa Avocado Bowl,' 'Hot Harissa Pita Chips' and a pita chip plushie on a keychain. In all, there are four plush pita chips to collect, and as part of a blind box-inspired experience, diners won't know which one they've gotten until they open their meal. “We saw the rise of [Labubu](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pop-mart-1) and felt that we could be a part of the conversation in a way that was unique and didn’t feel overly gimmicky,” Andy Rebhun, chief marketing and experience officer at Cava, told [ADWEEK](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/liquid-iv-hydration-product). Cava teamed up with Hippy Potter to create the plushie lineup, which includes characters like Peter Chip, who debuted for National Pita Chip Day. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 8.0/10 - Popularity: 98% | Activity: 95% | Freshness: 47% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Food](https://www.trendhunter.com/food) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Collectible Dining:** This trend merges dining with collectible merchandise, tapping into the nostalgia and thrill that attract 'kidult' consumers. - **Blind Box Experiences:** Dining experiences are increasingly adopting elements from the unboxing trend, offering surprise elements to elevate customer engagement. - **Nostalgic Consumer Engagement:** Brands are leveraging nostalgia to create memorable dining experiences, effectively capturing the imagination of adult consumers who grew up in the collectible era. ### Who This Affects Most - **Restaurant and Food Service:** The incorporation of interactive, collectible elements in meals drives brand differentiation in the competitive dining industry. - **Toy and Collectible Merchandise:** Partnerships between food brands and collectible manufacturers present new cross-promotional avenues. - **Marketing and Advertising:** Creative marketing strategies are evolving to include nostalgic and interactive elements to capture diverse consumer demographics. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Playful Snack Collectables](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/once-you-pop.md) - [Spicy Mediterranean Pita Chips](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hot-harissa-pita-chips.md) - [Harissa-Spiced Pita Chips](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/harissa-bbq-pita-chips.md) - [Blind Box Restaurant Charms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/panda-express-bag-charms.md) - [Collectible-Inspired Chocolates](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/palm-bites.md) - [Mediterranean-Inspired Pita Crisps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/garlic-ranch-pita-chips.md) - [Health-Conscious Kidult Meals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/happy-healthy-meal.md) - [Plush Cafe Collectibles](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/frappuccino-siplings.md) - [Grocery Store Blind Boxes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/aldi-mystery-boxes.md)