First Watch reaches 600-restaurant milestone

Leaders of the daytime dining concept First Watch have said their goal is to aim for 2,200 restaurants. During its Aug. 5 earnings call, the company reported it had reached the 600-restaurant milestone.

First Watch, headquartered in east Manatee County, has 531 company-owned and 69 franchise-owned restaurants across 31 states, as of the end of the second quarter.

It had 584 restaurants as of the end of the first quarter. From April through June, the company opened 17 restaurants systemwide in eight states and closed one location, totaling 600 restaurants in the network. On average, it is opening more than one restaurant a week.