First Watch restaurants enter Chicago-area market in Oak Brook
Editor's note: The first Illinois location of First Watch: The Daytime Cafe is in O'Fallon, Illinois, east of St. Louis.
A high-growth breakfast, brunch and lunch restaurant chain has chosen Oak Brook to be its first Chicago-area location.
First Watch: The Daytime Cafe is opening today next to Nordstrom Rack at The Shops at Oak Brook. First Watch officials are set to attend an "egg-cracking ceremony" (as opposed to a ribbon-cutting) at 9 a.m. Tuesday.
First Watch president and CEO Chris Tomasso boasted that the restaurant has more than 400 locations in 30 states. Tomasso also hinted that more suburban Chicago locations are in the pipeline.
"In 2019, we were the fastest-growing full service restaurant company in America," Tomasso said. "The Chicagoland market has quite a few breakfast, brunch, lunch players, which is a good thing that tells us that there's a breakfast culture there."
First Watch is based out of Florida and takes its name from the nautical expression for the early-morning crew. Tomasso said the sunrise and daytime-only hours means that First Watch has been able to attract loyal workers who like having their evenings free.
On top of traditional breakfast fare, Tomasso said First Watch offers "a highly differentiated and curated menu" with cage-free eggs and organic mixed greens. Tomasso also highlighted First Watch items like a pesto chicken quinoa bowl, the trendy avocado toast and fresh kale- and carrot-juice mixed drinks.
"We don't have any deep fryers, heat lamps or microwaves in our restaurants," said Tomasso, emphasizing the made-to-order nature of the menu items.
Tomasso also highlighted how the Oak Brook First Watch will offer alcoholic cocktails. These range from the traditional mimosa to a "Cinnamon Toast Cereal Milk" that features coconut rum and cold-brew coffee.
In a nod to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Tomasso said the Oak Brook location will feature patio seating in addition to reduced indoor dining for the first few months of operation.
Tomasso said the increased demand for takeout and delivery meant that the Oak Brook location was constructed with an entrance exclusively for those orders.
"We want to put our best foot forward," Tomasso said. "Our goal is to give our food to everybody that wants it."