First Watch salaries

Q: Is the pay good at First Watch?

No, the pay is not good at First Watch. Compared to the industry average of $32,930 per year, the average annual salary at First Watch is $29,735, which is 9.70% lower.

Q: What is the starting pay at First Watch?

The starting pay at First Watch is $17,000 per year, or $8.17 per hour.

Q: How much does First Watch pay an hour?

First Watch pays $14.30 an hour, on average.

Zippia score 4.3

First Watch salary estimate

$14.30hourly

$29,735 yearly

Entry-level salary

$17,000 yearly salary

Updated April 25, 2024

How much does First Watch pay?

The average First Watch salary in the United States is $29,735 per year. First Watch salaries range between $17,000 a year in the bottom 10th percentile to $49,000 in the top 90th percentile. First Watch pays $14.3 an hour on average. Geographic location also impacts First Watch salaries. First Watch employees in Joplin, MO get paid the most.

Highest paying jobs at First Watch

The highest paying jobs at First Watch are general manager, chef, assistant manager, and kitchen supervisor. General manager jobs at First Watch earn an average yearly salary of $60,730, First Watch chef jobs average $47,377, and First Watch assistant manager jobs average $40,554.

The lowest paying First Watch roles include busser and crew member. First Watch busser average salary is $23,647 per year. So while the average First Watch salary is $29,735 there is a big variation in pay depending on the role.

Highest paying jobs at First Watch

Rank	Job title	Average First Watch salary	Hourly rate
1	General Manager	$60,730	$29.20
2	Chef	$47,377	$22.78
3	Assistant Manager	$40,554	$19.50
4	Kitchen Supervisor	$39,842	$19.15
5	Line Cook	$31,871	$15.32
6	Prep Cook	$28,458	$13.68
7	Security Guard	$26,992	$12.98
8	Security Officer	$26,512	$12.75
9	Volunteer	$26,503	$12.74
10	Server	$26,346	$12.67
11	Food Prep/Dishwasher	$25,858	$12.43
12	Dish Washer	$25,527	$12.27
13	Waitress	$24,908	$11.98
14	Hostess	$24,770	$11.91
15	Crew Member	$24,395	$11.73
16	Busser	$23,648	$11.37

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How much does First Watch pay by location?

The average First Watch salary varies by location. First Watch salaries are the highest in Joplin, MO, at $26,935 per year. First Watch pays the second highest average salary in Fayetteville, AR, at $25,321 per year. It's important to factor in the cost of living when negotiating a salary or choosing a place to work.

Highest paying First Watch locations

Rank	Location	Average First Watch salary	Hourly rate
1	Joplin, MO	$26,935	$12.95
2	Fayetteville, AR	$25,321	$12.17
3	Asheville, NC	$25,318	$12.17
4	Knoxville, TN	$25,043	$12.04
5	Okay, OK	$24,730	$11.89

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First Watch salaries by department

Salaries at First Watch vary depending on the department you work in. First Watch salaries in the business development department are the highest with an average salary of $62,747. Employees in the retail department at First Watch receive relatively high salaries as well, with an average salary of $45,456 per year. Departments that don't pay as well at First Watch include the hospitality/service and the facilities organizational functions, with employees earning average salaries of $27,117 and $28,541, respectively.

Average First Watch salary by department

Rank	Department	Average First Watch salary	Hourly rate
1	Business Development	$62,747	$30.17
2	Retail	$45,456	$21.85
3	Plant/Manufacturing	$34,968	$16.81
4	Facilities	$28,542	$13.72
5	Hospitality/Service	$27,118	$13.04

How much does First Watch pay by department?

Best paying First Watch hospitality/service salaries

Rank	Position	Average First Watch salary	Hourly rate
1	Assistant General Manager	$51,583	$24.80
2	Kitchen Manager	$50,030	$24.05
3	Chef	$47,377	$22.78
4	Kitchen Supervisor	$39,842	$19.15
5	Cook	$30,328	$14.58
6	Server	$26,346	$12.67
7	Food Prep/Dishwasher	$25,858	$12.43
8	Dish Washer	$25,527	$12.27
9	Waitress	$24,908	$11.98
10	Hostess	$24,770	$11.91
11	Busser	$23,648	$11.37

Best paying First Watch plant/manufacturing salaries

Rank	Position	Average First Watch salary	Hourly rate
1	General Manager	$60,730	$29.20
2	Line Cook	$31,871	$15.32
3	Prep Cook/Dishwasher	$27,133	$13.04
4	Food Prep/Dishwasher	$25,858	$12.43

Best paying First Watch retail salaries

Rank	Position	Average First Watch salary	Hourly rate
1	Team Leader	$61,920	$29.77
2	General Manager	$60,730	$29.20
3	Assistant Manager	$40,554	$19.50
4	Hostess Cashier	$24,712	$11.88
5	Cashier/Host	$24,311	$11.69

First Watch competitors’ average salaries

Average salaries at First Watch competitors, like Dunkin Brands, El Jefe’s Mexican Restaurant & Cantina, and Bertucci's, vary. Dunkin Brands employees earn the highest salaries, with an average yearly salary of $47,084. The average salary at El Jefe’s Mexican Restaurant & Cantina is $36,085 per year, and the average salary at Bertucci's is $36,037 per year.

Highest paying First Watch competitors

Rank	Company name	Zippia score	Average salary
1	Dunkin Brands	4.3	$47,084
2	El Jefe’s Mexican Restaurant & Cantina	3.6	$36,085
3	Bertucci's	4.1	$36,037
4	Legal Sea Foods	4.1	$35,979
5	Pita Jungle	3.3	$35,880
6	Metro Diner	3.5	$35,194
7	Fudpuckers	3.2	$34,120
8	North Italia	4.4	$33,802
9	Max & Erma's	4.3	$33,156
10	Waterloo Restaurant Ventures Inc	3.6	$32,569
11	Grand Lux Cafe	4.4	$32,315
12	Texas Roadhouse	4.4	$31,839
13	The Sagamore Resort	2.7	$31,613
14	Hoss's Steak and Sea House	3.9	$31,409
15	The Pasta House Co.	4.1	$30,384
16	Village Inn	4.0	$30,082
17	The Melting Pot	4.4	$29,479
18	Shoney's	3.7	$27,729
19	TGI Fridays	3.9	$27,440
20	Hooters	4.5	$26,406

Recently added First Watch salaries

Job	Location	Date added	Salary
Manager	Fayetteville, AR	06/15/2025	$45,000
Manager	Springfield, MO	06/04/2025	$45,000
Manager	Springfield, MO	05/12/2025	$45,000
Manager	Fayetteville, AR	05/12/2025	$45,000
Manager	Springfield, MO	03/26/2025	$45,000

Frequently asked questions about First Watch salaries

Is the pay good at First Watch?

What is the starting pay at First Watch?

How much does First Watch pay an hour?

Have more questions? See all answers to common company questions.

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Updated April 25, 2024

Zippia gives an in-depth look into the details of First Watch, including salaries, political affiliations, employee data, and more, in order to inform job seekers about First Watch. The employee data is based on information from people who have self-reported their past or current employments at First Watch. The data on this page is also based on data sources collected from public and open data sources on the Internet and other locations, as well as proprietary data we licensed from other companies. Sources of data may include, but are not limited to, the BLS, company filings, estimates based on those filings, H1B filings, and other public and private datasets. While we have made attempts to ensure that the information displayed are correct, Zippia is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of this information. None of the information on this page has been provided or approved by First Watch. The data presented on this page does not represent the view of First Watch and its employees or that of Zippia.

First Watch may also be known as or be related to First Watch and First Watch Restaurants Inc.