Breakfast and brunch are possibly the most polarizing dayparts for restaurants. We have seen more and more fast-food chains try to capitalize on the morning craze, while some casual dining chains avoid it entirely. For many, the daypart takes advantage of an extremely limited window of time that often starts in the early morning and ends by lunch. For others, breakfast is the only daypart that matters, and their entire brand is built around it. First Watch is a goliath in this breakfast/brunch restaurant space that has set a template for how to get the most out of pancakes and eggs. The chain offers an array of higher-end brunch options with a menu that also caters to healthier choices. There is always room for competition though, and challengers emerge every year to get in on this unique brunch craze. A serious contender to first watch is Vicious Biscuit, a brunch concept that eschews healthy choice for decadent biscuit themed items. Does Vicious Biscuit have enough to ride the gravy train all the way to the top?

First Watch is a brand that is built on simplicity and connecting with consumers. Despite resonating with younger consumers, the company was founded in 1983. They began their operations in California, yet just three years later they moved across the U.S. and set up in Sarasota, FL. First Watch is unique in that their restaurants have no microwaves or deep fryers. Everything is made with fresh ingredients and the menu is geared towards health-conscious options with a few decadent items. The menu itself is constantly changing as corporate designs a new menu for every season. This strategy keeps customers coming back to try new things and allows the company to constantly test new items without alienating repeat customers. Most of their locations close by 2:30 in the afternoon allowing them to deploy only one shift of employees which helps cut down on the turnover rates that plague restaurants. Their restaurants have an upscale feel and mimic a café setting. Prices are higher than what you might find at an IHOP or Denny’s, yet the brand has positioned themselves as quality over value proposition.

Brunch can mean different things to different people, and it has opened the door to an endless array of options for an aspiring restaurant to design their menu around. For Vicious Biscuit, the menu inspiration comes from their namesake and involves tons of made from scratch biscuits. The company is relatively new, getting their start in 2018 in South Carolina. They have built their brand around elevating classic southern breakfast items into decadent creations that feel at home in a high-end kitchen. Instead of a traditional sit-down format, Vicious Biscuit asks customers to order at the counter before taking a seat and having their food brought to the table. This hybrid approach allows the company to increase table turnover while still generating similar checks to a full-service restaurant. Like First Watch, the company uses the freshest ingredients, yet there are plenty of deep fryers in a Vicious Biscuit. The menu has little interest in healthy options and instead focuses on southern comfort classics that almost always include their special recipe biscuits. The brand has attracted quite a following with their impressive looking creations and cleverly named menu items.

Brunch and breakfast are still niche options in the restaurant space, and it takes a strong identity to last long. First Watch has established themselves with their seasonal heart healthy menu, yet competitors like Vicious Biscuit have proven that healthy options are not the only thing consumers want in their brunch options. Vicious Biscuit doesn’t have the longevity of its competitor, yet it has proven that the upscale biscuit concept works and that there is untapped potential for a breakfast restaurant. Both First Watch and Vicious Biscuit have brought fresh ideas that have drawn in new customers at a time when other brands have struggled to maintain their customer base. Whether sipping on mimosas or digging into a fried chicken biscuit with gravy, breakfast has never looked so good.