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Video: First Watch’s new store design balances to-go culture and in-store dining needsVideo: First Watch’s new store design balances to-go culture and in-store dining needs

First Watch president and CEO Chris Tomasso talks the evolution of the brand from new tech-centric store prototypes to the rollout of a national alcohol program

Joanna Fantozzi, Senior Editor

June 22, 2021

University Park, Fla.-based casual-dining breakfast/brunch chain First Watch is — like many other restaurants in a post-COVID world — rethinking its store formats. But whereas quick-service restaurants are leaning almost entirely into convenience technology, First Watch, as a full-service chain, is looking to balance digital demands with designs that encourage customers to sit and stay for a while.

“The approach we took was, ‘how can we accommodate the growing off premise business but maintain the integrity of the dining experience — which is really what we're about, you know, we're about the environment, the food, the hospitality, the service?’” CEO Chris Tomasso said. “We're really trying to bifurcate those two experiences within one box and one prototype.”

The new First Watch stores have both a dedicated entrance and cookline to meet off-premises demand, as well as renovated outdoor dining spaces and new indoor/outdoor bars to go with First Watch’s new and growing alcohol program.

To learn more about First Watch’s new store designs and their evolving brand, check out the video here.

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About the Author

Joanna Fantozzi

Joanna Fantozzi

Senior Editor

Joanna Fantozzi is a Senior Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality. She has more than seven years of experience writing about the restaurant and hospitality industry. Her editorial coverage ranges from profiles of independent restaurants around the country to breaking news and insights into some of the biggest brands in food and beverage, including Starbucks, Domino’s, and Papa John’s.

Joanna holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature and creative writing from The College of New Jersey and a master’s degree in arts and culture journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY. Prior to joining Informa’s Restaurants and Food Group in 2018, she was a freelance food, culture, and lifestyle writer, and has previously held editorial positions at Insider (formerly known as Business Insider) and The Daily Meal. Joanna’s work can also be found in The New York Times, Forbes, Vice, The New York Daily News, and Parents Magazine.

Her areas of expertise include restaurant industry news, restaurant operator solutions and innovations, and political/cultural issues.

Joanna Fantozzi has been a moderator and event facilitator at both Informa’s MUFSO and Restaurants Rise industry events.

Joanna Fantozzi’s experience:

Senior Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (August 2021-present)

Associate Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (July 2019-August 2021)

Assistant Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (Oct. 2018-July 2019)

Freelance Food & Lifestyle Reporter (Feb. 2018-Oct. 2018)

Food & Lifestyle Reporter, Insider (June 2017-Feb. 2018)

News Editor, The Daily Meal (Jan. 2014- June 2017)

Staff Reporter, Straus News (Jan. 2013-Dec. 2013)

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