Company: FWRG
Filing Date: 2025-03-11
Form Type: 10-K
Source: 0001789940-25-000010
Chunk: 12

Company: First Watch Restaurant Group, Inc.
Filing Date: 2025-03-11
Form: 10-K
Item: Item 1
Chunk 12
---
 organizational culture continues to foster overall favorable relations with our employees.

Each restaurant operates with a staff of approximately 30 team members led by general manager(s). 

During a restaurant’s 7:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. shift, our staff focus on gracious service, food preparation, order accuracy and “instagrammable” plating. General managers interview each applicant and identify motivated employees who are friendly, service oriented, eager to prepare high-quality food and a fit for our “You First” culture. We employ a narrow span of supervisory control, which we believe contributes to the consistency of our restaurants’ performance across our system.  

Training

Our training programs share our legacy and culture of operating excellence. We have a training facility at our corporate headquarters named the F.A.R.M. (“First Watch Academy of Restaurant Management”), to which we invite managers-in-training for a week-long immersive brand experience where we teach everything from our history and cultural pillars to leadership and management tools. We have enhanced this training program to also focus on building a more diverse and inclusive team. In addition, managers-in-training also complete a comprehensive 10-week C.A.F.E. (“Culture and Food Experience”) training program in the restaurants, alongside experienced managers. Training for all in-restaurant management positions was also enhanced to clearly define and delineate roles in order to drive both results and engagement. New hourly employees participate in at least three days of initial onboarding training and shadowing. Our general managers and directors of operations conduct in-restaurant training for our staff who also train online through our Virtual Learning Academy.  

Purchasing and Distribution

Our Supply Chain department manages and negotiates directly with qualified, national suppliers and distributors with the dual goals of securing the supply of high quality, fresh products and controlling cost. Our selected vendors undergo inspections to ensure that products purchased conform to our standards. Our Quality Assurance department requires third-party supplier audits or Global Food Safety Initiative certification for all food distributors and manufacturing facilities to ensure good manufacturing practices, food safety, pest control, sanitation, training, regulatory compliance and food defense systems are in place. To ensure freshness, most of our restaurants accept produce and broadline distribution deliveries at least three times per week. 

Management Information Systems 

All our restaurants use digital management information systems, which we believe are scalable to support our future growth plans. These systems are designed to enable functionality, improve operating efficiencies, provide us with timely access to financial and marketing data and reduce restaurant and corporate administrative time and expense. In addition, our in