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First Watch

Engaged Employer

First Watch reviews

3.7

63% would recommend to a friend

(1,898 total reviews)
avatar

Chris Tomasso

69% approve of CEO

61% positive business outlook

Ratings by category

3.9

Diversity & inclusion

3.7

Work/Life balance

3.5

Culture & values

3.4

Career opportunities

3.2

Senior management

3.2

Compensation and benefits

First Watch has an employee rating of 3.7 out of 5 stars, based on 1,898 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The First Watch employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Restaurants & Food Service industry (3.4 stars).

Ratings by demographic groups

Reviews by job title

2K reviews
3.0
Dec 28, 2017

Depends on the market

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

If you're in the market management is supportive, and coaches personal and professional development. If not they can be disrespectful, crude, unavailable and fail to work full schedules regularly.

Cons

They're long hard days. Managers are expected to perform 6 hours of nonmanagement tasks, ie cook on the line, deep cleaning, or working as a host. You're basically a cook who writes schedules, and is treated poorly by midlevel corporate leaders, RDO's, RVP's and often SRVP 's

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First Watch Response
8y
Your feedback is appreciated. The only way to learn is to hear what you have to say and LISTEN. We will continue to work to DO and BE better.
3.0
Oct 17, 2017

Working harder not smarter?

Server
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

This company works hard to create consistency across their many stores. So if you've worked at one, you know how things are supposed to run at any other store. Its easy to jump in from store to store. Food is well made, and on the healthier side of things.

Cons

Can you say Micro manage? I have worked a couple different restaurants as a server. Every server learns tricks to keep up when things get super busy, but First Watch worries more about doing things exactly the same that they often over manage. Too often we aren't allowed to work smarter, but instead work harder, just to follow this model of "everyone does it the same". Depending on the particular manager at that particular store, it can get overly stressful to keep them happy when all you're trying to do is your job well.

2.0
May 27, 2017

General Manager

General manager
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

They close at 2:30, GM leave between 5pm and 6pm. Arrive between 5am and 6am. Count on a 55-60 hour work week, inventory every other week. No vacation on inventory week or holidays, FW pretty much chooses when you go on vacation.

Cons

Corp. motto for employees "you first" NO "Corp. America First". Corp. does everything they can to ensure you will not get your bonuses. Terrible bonus program, unaffordable insurance program, worst retention of management.

Viewing 16 - 18 of 1,898 Reviews
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ReviewsFirst Watch reviews

Glassdoor has 1,926 First Watch reviews submitted anonymously by First Watch employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if First Watch is right for you.