On a busy weekday, breakfast looks very different from on Sundays, when the morning meal often turns into a leisurely brunch. Monday through Friday, customers often turn to coffee shops, drive-thrus, or convenience stores for something quick before work.
And instead of seeing it as a snag, this shift in eating habits is creating a new opportunity for restaurant chains traditionally associated with sit-down dining.
First Watch, the popular breakfast and brunch chain with more than 680 restaurants across 33 states, is preparing to introduce a new menu aimed specifically at customers who don’t have time for its usual dining experience.
The chain’s upcoming menu, however, will not be available to everyone.
First Watch introduces $9.99 weekday breakfast menu
First Watch unveiled its new Sun on the Run menu during its November 12 Investor Day, outlining plans to expand the offering in 2027.
The menu will feature six items, including three sandwiches and three burritos, each priced at $9.99 when ordered through the First Watch mobile app.
Unlike the company’s traditional breakfast and brunch offerings, Sun on the Run is designed for customers looking for a convenient meal on their way to work or during a busy morning.
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Among the new offerings is The Banger, a breakfast sandwich featuring avocado mash, bacon, cheddar cheese and folded egg on a toasted brioche bun.
Other items include the OG, Pesto Sunrise, The Early Bird, The Main Character and The Spicy Cowboy.
First Watch Chief Brand Officer Matt Eisenacher said the new menu is designed to offer freshly prepared meals without sacrificing the convenience consumers expect from faster-restaurant formats.
“These are by design meant to be simple but high-quality items,” Eisenacher said during the company’s Investor Day presentation, as reported by Nation’s Restaurant News.
However, customers should be aware of several restrictions.
The menu is available Monday through Friday only, with ordering through First Watch’s mobile app. Although customers will still be able to see the menu on weekends, they will not be able to order the items during those days.
The $9.99 price also does not include a side dish. Customers will have the option to add beverages, including fresh juices, for an additional charge.
First Watch has already been testing the concept through DoorDash, but executives indicated that prices on third-party delivery platforms could differ from the company’s own app pricing.
The chain is also developing curbside pickup, although that service will not be available when the new menu initially launches.
First Watch brings another major change to its menu to attract more diners.
First Watch responds to changing breakfast habits
The new menu comes as Americans increasingly prioritize convenience when choosing what to eat. According to Circana’s 2026 Eating Patterns in America research, 65% of breakfast meals now take less than five minutes to prepare.
This preference for convenience could create an opening for First Watch, which has traditionally focused on sit-down breakfast, brunch and lunch. The company is also looking for new ways to attract diners amid slowing customer traffic.
In its third-quarter 2026 financial results, First Watch reported that visits to restaurants open for at least a year declined 1.9% compared with the previous year, even as same-restaurant sales increased 1%.
The new menu could help the chain reach customers who might otherwise choose a quick-service restaurant for their weekday breakfast.
And not new to changes, earlier this year, First Watch introduced its first major core menu overhaul in more than a decade, a move that helped boost average customer spending, as TheStreet previously reported.
Now, the company’s strategy is shifting toward creating more reasons for customers to visit throughout the week.
Alongside Sun on the Run, First Watch is expanding group-ordering capabilities and exploring corporate catering opportunities through platforms such as ezCater.
For regular customers, the biggest change will be the ability to order First Watch’s freshly prepared breakfast offerings in a more convenient format, without committing to a traditional sit-down meal.
The company has not yet announced an exact nationwide rollout date for Sun on the Run.
