and Spiked Lavender Lemonade is mixed with vodka. There are also more traditional morning libations like the Million Dollar Bloody Mary and Mimosa. THE RESTAURANTS EMBODY THE CULTURE The tour continued in a First Watch location in Sarasota. At first glance, it’s clear that the farm theme extends into the restaurants. It starts with the story behind the chain’s single-origin coffee, Project Sunrise. The First Watch team has established long-term rela- tionships with small farmers in Colombia to source the beans and benefit the growers. Each grower is allotted 1.5-2 acres planted with coffee trees. “We started with 25% female growers and grew that by 5% every year,” said Schai- bly, who has traveled to Colombia to meet with the women. “It’s now about 55% female, and the second generation has taken over in several cases. We go back every single year to continue to solidify and build those relation- ships.” On the food side, the mantra is “follow the sun,” which is prominently displayed and applies to both the seasonal menu and sourc- ing. “We work with 40 local produce compa- nies across the country to source ingredients when they are at their peak, following the sun from Florida to California and Mexico,” said Schaibly. During the R&D process, the head chef
PHOTO BY CHRISTINE KOURY
also gets involved in choosing the serving ware for each dish. He’s had input into the color and shape of the bowls, juice glasses and plates for the Benedicts. Schaibly also attends all the photo sessions, which take place at a restaurant in downtown Sarasota. “We have a little side room there, which used to be our corporate office back in the day,” said Schaibly. “The photographer comes down from Orlando and the food stylist comes from the east coast of Florida. We’ve all worked together for 12 years.” An exec team made up of Schaibly, Chief Brand Officer Matt Eisenacher and CEO Tomasso also gets involved in the naming of menu items. “Naming is everything,” said Schaibly, pointing out a new juice that he’s testing now. It has cucumber, lime and coconut in its title and isn’t selling that well—perhaps because of its name. Items like the signature Million Dollar Bacon and trademarked Morning Meditation juice, on the other hand, are proven winners. “Having the team involved in the whole process is our ‘secret sauce,’” said Schaibly. All are frequent visitors to the restaurants and ambassadors of the company culture. There are not a lot of layers in the chain of command. In essence, First Watch acts more like a multi-unit independent than a 630-unit chain span- ning 32 states. A majority of the restaurants—80%—are company-owned. “Our biggest compet- itors are independent restaurants and mom and pops,” said Schaibly. In fact, no other full-service breakfast-and-lunch concepts are expanding as fast and open- ing as many new locations. And traffic and same-store sales were both up year-over-year in the third quarter: 2.6% and 7.1%, respectively . A culture that encourages innovation is putting First Watch ahead of the curve.
PHOTO COURTESY OF FIRST WATCH
APRIL 2026 RESTAURANT BUSINESS
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