Breakfast, brunch and lunch restaurant chain First Watch Restaurants Inc. has expanded in Arizona with the acquisition of The Good Egg, a breakfast and lunch restaurant company with 20 locations. The deal brings First Watch up to 137 restaurants. Tampa Bay Business Journal spoke with Ken Pendery, president and CEO of the Bradenton chain, about what the acquisition will require, and the chain’s plans to expand throughout the United States. Responses are edited and condensed.
TBBJ: Why did First Watch see Arizona as ripe for expansion?
Pendery: Phoenix is a market where we have three licensed restaurants. Our partners operate those restaurants well. This opportunity came along. It is a large, growing metro market. We are familiar with it because of our licensees. That made it all come together.