First Watch eliminates chief operations role

First Watch Restaurant Group announced the termination of main operations serviceman Dan Jones arsenic portion of restructuring of the company’s operations structure. With his departure, the company’s operations enactment volition study straight to president and main enforcement serviceman Chris Tomasso. 

In a filing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission Friday, First Watch thanked Jones for his “substantial contributions during a translation play for the company” and wished him well. 

Jones joined First Watch successful 2021, according to his LinkedIn page. Prior, helium served arsenic COO astatine CAVA. He started his vocation arsenic store manager astatine Starbucks and worked his mode done assorted roles astatine the java chain, including determination manager of operations. 

His departure comes connected the heels of First Watch’s 4th fourth and full-year study past month, including 3.6% same-store income maturation successful 2025, with affirmative same-restaurant traffic.

The institution besides precocious rolled retired a caller halfway paper to each restaurants, adding fashionable seasonal items and removing low-performing items. This marks its archetypal important redesign and reengineering of the paper successful astir 10 years, Tomasso said. 

Notably, main fiscal serviceman Mel Hope announced his planned status past period but volition enactment connected committee until a successor is successful place. He besides plans to enactment connected arsenic an advisor until the extremity of 2026.