Baking&Snack - April 2017 - 57

Taco Bell, the 'egg sandwich' concept, whether it's
wrapped in a tortilla or put between an English muffin, checks the 'protein box,' " Ms. Cochran said.
Handheld breakfast items are resonating so well
with consumers that they're looking for them even in
a stationary environment, a lesson that First Watch
has learned. "Handhelds were something that we
wrestled with," Mr. Schaibly said. "We didn't want to
dabble in it or downgrade our dining experience. We
didn't want to become a hybrid of fast-casual and casual dining. We're a full-service restaurant."
But the Elevated Egg Sandwich, initially introduced

Breakfast all day ... or not
As breakfast becomes available at any
time, and breakfast foods appear on
menus across all dayparts, the availability seems limitless.
But there's one area where the offering
is limited, and that's restaurants that are
strictly breakfast/lunch/brunch concepts.
"We get tons of questions about extending our hours," said Shane Schaibly,
corporate chef at First Watch. The company, which has 300 locations under both
the First Watch and The Egg & I brands
across the US, maintains 7 a.m. to 2:30
p.m. business hours in all its restaurants.
"When someone asks that question to
our president or CEO, they just smile and
give the same response: 'Nope.' "
First Watch restaurants offer their full
breakfast and lunch menu at all hours of
operation, giving customers the option
for breakfast at lunchtime or vice-versa.
"People in the industry, and even our
competition, often say, 'You could make
so much more money [by extending
hours],' " Mr. Schaibly said, to which he
replied, "Maybe." But for this company,
it's about more than offering breakfast
night and day. The motivation is internal,
as closing business at 2:30 p.m. also affords workers the opportunity for better
work-life balance.
"That's more important than making
more money," he said.
So First Watch will continue to innovate in the morning and afternoon ...
and leave "breakfast for dinner" to the
other guys.

as an LTO, changed the restaurant's perception of
handheld items. "People flocked to it," Mr. Schaibly
said. "We had to sit back, look at ourselves in the mirror and say, 'This is about our customers and what
they want, not what we think they want.' "
Since then, the company has made the Elevated Egg
Sandwich a permanent fixture and introduced LTO
handheld items such as the Multi-Grain Breakfast
Sandwich, sourced from a multi-grain croissant from
Sweet Street Desserts, Reading, PA. "We usually
don't develop a menu item for a specific ingredient.
We develop a dish, and if I'm doing my job right, I
can pretty much source anything," Mr. Schaibly said.
"But we found this particular product and made the
sandwich."
Sweet Street, a producer of sweet goods such as
cookies and brownies, also makes laminated dough
products and offered this full butter croissant that
is also whole grain with 12 seeds. Additionally, First

"Breakfast isn't going
away ... what's truly
changing is what [people]
want for breakfast."
Christine Cochran, Grain Foods Foundation

Watch uses artisan breads from Cleveland-based
Orlando Baking Co. that supports the foodie culture
the restaurant cultivates.
On the retail side, frozen products to heat at home
and either consume in the kitchen or in the car provide the ultimate in convenience for people wanting
a handheld breakfast. Products such as Jimmy Dean
breakfast sandwiches and Delights (lower-calorie versions of the brand's frozen microwavable sandwich)
meet that need.
Portable breakfast items don't have to be so grandiose, though. The on-the-go nature of products such
as bars, biscuits and even sweet goods also fit nicely
into what's quickly becoming known as the "snackification" of the American diet.
Mini Danish from J. Skinner are available in
10-count packs in cheese, cinnamon or assortments.
"These products provide a convenient format and exciting new flavor combinations that can be consumed
on the go," Mr. Kyle said. Assorted multi-packs cater
to families with varied tastes who are in a hurry to get

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