First Watch — Restaurant in Allen

Dear First Watch Management,

Yesterday July 9th, my husband and I visited the First Watch location in Allen, TX with the intention of enjoying your delicious food options. Unfortunately, our experience was quite disappointing, and I feel compelled to share our observations in hopes that it will help improve the level of service at this location.

Upon our arrival, we noticed there was no hostess present to greet us. A server who was seated at one of the first tables stood up, adjusted his apron, and escorted us to our table without offering any form of welcome or greeting. Once seated, we waited approximately 10-15 minutes, but no one approached our table to take our order. It was disheartening to note that the restaurant was not busy at that time, and several servers appeared to be present yet merely observed us without offering assistance.

Regrettably, after this extended period without service, as well as witnessing 3 new tables being sat after us and immediately receiving service we made the difficult decision to leave the restaurant. As specialists in customer service, it is particularly disappointing to witness how the behavior of staff members who lack adequate training can negatively affect not only a guest’s experience but also the reputation of your brand.

Additionally, we observed that none of the servers were wearing name tags. In the hospitality industry, this simple detail is crucial for fostering a personal connection with guests and enhancing overall service quality.

We trust that this feedback will serve as a constructive tool to address and improve staff performance at the Allen location. We sincerely hope that future guests will enjoy a more welcoming and attentive atmosphere reflective of the high standards First Watch strives to maintain.

Thank you for your attention to...

First Watch in Allen always has stellar food, a slightly noisy but otherwise pleasant atmosphere, and mediocre service.

This particular morning (September 20th, 2024) it was busy, but not packed. We were seated right away. I'm not one to look at my watch frequently, but I happened to glance at my watch when we sat down because we had a hard stop to go pick up our children and I wanted to see how much time we had. As we sat there talking, two different waiters passed by. After a full ten minutes, my wife started craning her neck and trying to get someone to come.

The manager was apologetic about our wait. It wasn't a huge deal, but it's emblematic of the quality of the service. To their credit they gave us 20% off to say sorry.

I ordered a seasonal skillet and it was amazing. Goat cheese, brussel sprouts, served with eggs to order over a healthy portion of hash browned potatoes with a bit of bacon. Loved it. My wife had the farmhouse style breakfast hash, which she really loves too. We ordered mimosas, and they were fine. Probably not worth ten bucks a pop, but sadly the don't have the option for a pitcher or carafe.

With tax, tip, and one drink each, the two of us ate for about fifty dollars. If we didn't have the discount it would have been a little over $60. No military discount available.

Anyway, the overall experience was great. The servers seem overwhelmed and/or distracted, but the food was excellent, and if you don't mind a lot of background noise, the atmosphere is open and cheerful.

Definitely recommend. Just be patient - the food is...

I've eaten at this venue for 3 years, and my experiences have been awesome. However, I uncovered what seemed to be a dishonest practice during my payment of the bill at this Allen Texas location. The waiter presented the bill and insisted that an online system was the means of payment. So, I scanned the app, selected 20% tip, and noticed the tip seemed a bit more. So, I studied the bill and realized that the waiter added a gift card to my tab, leading to 50 additional dollars being added to the overall bill. But it was removed in the discount section given the appearance it was corrected. So the customer is satisfied in the moment. However, the hidden issue is when you use the suggested tip in the online app, which most will do to avoid math, the tip amount is increased because even though the waiter showed the $50 discount, they should have removed the item list rather than make it a discount. The individual moat likely knew doing it tjis way would increase their tip outcome if the customer selects the suggestive tip option, which automatically calculate the tip for you. I said it was a bad and intended practice because the waiter insisted on payment via this method while I witnessed others going to the cashier after we paid. First Watch is one of our favorite breakfast venues and a great place for brunch, but we will not be visiting this location again. So,...