First Watch Restaurant Group, Inc. (First Watch), together with its wholly-owned subsidiaries, operates and franchises restaurants in 29 states operating under the ‘First Watch’ trade name that focuses on made-to-order breakfast, brunch and lunch.
The company operates restaurants through its wholly owned subsidiary, First Watch Restaurants, Inc., and is a franchisor through its wholly owned subsidiary, First Watch Franchise Development Co. The company operates company-owned restaurants and comp...
First Watch Restaurant Group, Inc. (First Watch), together with its wholly-owned subsidiaries, operates and franchises restaurants in 29 states operating under the ‘First Watch’ trade name that focuses on made-to-order breakfast, brunch and lunch.
The company operates restaurants through its wholly owned subsidiary, First Watch Restaurants, Inc., and is a franchisor through its wholly owned subsidiary, First Watch Franchise Development Co. The company operates company-owned restaurants and company-owned restaurants, franchise-owned restaurants and franchise-owned restaurants, respectively.
Growth Strategies
The company’s growth strategy targets an accelerating pace of new system-wide restaurant development with a long-term goal of annual percentage growth in the low double digits. The company’s long-term growth strategy includes the acquisitions of First Watch restaurants operated by certain of its franchisees. The company constantly evolves its on-trend menu which highlights quality and freshness. The company’s alcohol platform is unique and reflects its culinary innovation through combinations of fresh juices and ingredients with a variety of liquors. The company has continued to expand on this strategic initiative and acquire the necessary licenses. The company continues to build expertise in, and deploy tested strategies for, utilizing targeted digital channels to reach certain attractive customer segments and build top-of-mind awareness. The company accelerated the implementation of customer data acquisition systems in order to better inform the habits and behaviors of its customers.
Marketing and Advertising
The company uses a variety of marketing channels, including affiliate partnerships, social media interactions, digital marketing, direct mailers, public relations initiatives and local community sponsorships, email communications, promotions and partnerships. The company focuses on increasing its engagement with social media platforms in order to generate brand awareness and also to gather information it can then apply to future marketing efforts.
Franchise Program
As of December 29, 2024, the company had 11 franchisees that operated restaurants, and the company's existing franchisees had new restaurant development obligations. Typically, the company’s franchise agreements provide an initial term of 10 years with additional renewal terms that total 10 years subject to various conditions that include upgrades to the restaurant facility and brand image. All franchise agreements grant licenses to use the company’s trademarks, trade secrets and proprietary methods, recipes and procedures.
Government Regulation
The company is also subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, the Americans with Disabilities Act and various federal and state laws governing such matters as minimum wages, exempt versus non-exempt, overtime, unemployment tax rates, workers’ compensation rates, citizenship requirements and other working conditions.
Intellectual Property
The company has registered ‘First Watch the Daytime Cafe,’ ‘You First,’ ‘Yeah, It’s Fresh!’ and certain other names used by its restaurants as trademarks or service marks with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). In addition, the First Watch logo, website name and address and Facebook and Twitter accounts are the company’s intellectual property.
Seasonality
The company’s quarterly (year ended December 31, 2024) results of operations are subject to seasonal fluctuations.
History
The company was founded in 1983. The company was incorporated in Delaware in 2017. The company was formerly known as AI Fresh Super Holdco, Inc. and changed its name to First Watch Restaurant Group, Inc. in 2019.