First Watch's national expansion (1983–2023)
Two partners opened the first First Watch cafe in Pacific Grove, California in 1983, serving breakfast and lunch. The cafe franchised and grew across the U.S., reaching more than 500 locations by its stock-market debut in 2023.
Franchising carried First Watch from one California cafe to dozens of states.
The chain went public in 2023, showing a breakfast concept can become a national player.
Famous Toastery is following the same franchise-fueled path, moving from a regional base toward a broader footprint.
