First Watch has used COVID-19 as an opportunity to bring something new to its customers in Cincinnati

Just like many other restaurants, First Watch and its Cincinnati restaurants had to close their doors early this year due to the pandemic. But instead of immediately pivoting to carryout, the breakfast, brunch and lunch chain used that time to improve by updating its app, creating a new system for carryout, delivery and curbside pickup, and developing a new alcohol menu. Since First Watch began re-opening restaurants, all of these new features have made an impact in the Cincinnati market.

“Cincinnati is a legacy market to First Watch,” says Lauren Fohlen, regional marketing manager for First Watch Restaurants. “We’ve been in the market almost 30 years. And so using Cincinnati as a test was great because we’re really established here. We have such a loyal, awesome customer base.”

One of the first things First Watch did when it closed its doors was update its app. The app had been available for several years in Cincinnati and throughout the country, but customers could only reserve their place in line.

“We did not have any kind of capability to do online ordering and our customers have been asking for it. And so when COVID hit, we in a matter of a few of weeks made huge changes to this app. It was pretty amazing how quickly we were able to evolve it.”

The chain partnered with Olo to build a new user interface, incorporate online ordering and make it easier to get in line virtually.

“[We] upgraded our app like tenfold. COVID kind of pushed us and allowed us to do this,” Fohlen adds.

First Watch has also made it possible for Cincinnatians to get carryout and delivery from the restaurant, something they couldn’t do before. Pre-pandemic, diners had to call and have a server take their order. Delivery was unheard of. Now it’s just part of the way First Watch does business. Community tables were converted to no-contact pickup stations, and a separate area has been set aside for delivery drivers. Curbside pickup is also in the works.

“We are looking at dedicated areas for pickup to make it easier for our customers because we feel like this whole carryout delivery business isn’t going to go away,” says Fohlen. “It’s only going to continue to grow and evolve. The goal is to make that an easier process for our customers.”

First Watch’s new alcohol program has already rolled out here at four different Cincinnati restaurants—Hyde Park, Liberty Township, Harrison Greene and Northgate—and the rest of the Cincinnati market will launch the program in 2021.

Some breakfast and brunch restaurants focus on items like bottomless mimosas, but First Watch is aiming for a more curated experience that reflects the current menu, like its fresh juices. The popular non-alcoholic Kale Tonic, for example, now has an alcoholic counterpart, the Vodka Kale Tonic.

“We’re always looking for ways to evolve and to stay fresh and relevant for our customers in Cincinnati. And we will continue to do that as we hit our 30th anniversary this coming year,” says Fohlen.