Breakfast restaurant chain First Watch is coming to the Springfield market.
The restaurant will be opening in the former Red Robin location at 2881 S. Veterans Parkway in White Oaks Plaza. Red Robin shuttered its only Springfield location in August as part of a push to close 70 underperforming stores.
Quattro Development, an Oak Brook-based real estate developer, purchased the property in February for $1.7 million, according to Sangamon County tax records. Rob Walters, principal with Quattro, confirmed that First Watch would be the building’s new tenant.
First Watch will be renovating the building, with plans to open in the fall, Walters said.
First Watch operates 633 restaurants across 32 states, according to the company’s annual report filed in December. New restaurants are a major part of the company’s growth strategy, with the company stating in its annual report that it believes First Watch has the potential to grow to more than 2,200 restaurants in the continental U.S. During 2025, the restaurant chain opened 64 new restaurants across 23 states, and the company said it plans to increase the number of restaurants opened annually.
In 2025, First Watch reported total revenue of $1.2 billion, up 20% from 2024.
Currently, the First Watch restaurants closest to Springfield are in the St. Louis metropolitan area. The company operates 11 restaurants in Illinois and 27 in Missouri, according to its annual report.
Red Robin opened at 2881 S. Veterans in July 2013 and closed on Aug. 22, 2025. Prior to Red Robin, the site was home to Lonestar Steakhouse, which operated there for nearly two decades.
Love first watch great food million dollar bacon too die for
Very excited to be getting a First Watch in Springfield. Yes, million dollar bacon is the best! I’ve eaten at several different locations. Glad we’re getting one close to home.