Got hungry last Saturday morning, figured I’d try First Watch downtown. Picked my usual weekend outfit: faded band t-shirt, ripped jeans, comfy flip-flops. Real casual.
Walked in, stood around like an idiot near the “Please Wait to be Seated” sign for five minutes. Hostess finally comes over, looks me up and down real slow. Friendly smile, but kinda stiff. Says: “Sorry sir, we can’t seat guests in open-toed footwear or distressed clothing.” Felt my face get hot. Totally forgot places like this had rules.
What Went Wrong & How I Fixed It
Left feeling kinda stupid. Drove home determined to actually figure this dress code mess out. Here’s what worked:
- Checked their website FAQ first. Way easier than calling. Simple bullet points: “No hats, no flip-flops/slides, no excessively ripped/torn clothes.” Clear.
- Dug through customer reviews on my lunch break. Found folks complaining about stuff like tank tops being turned away. Good intel on what “too casual” really means there.
- Just packed a backup shirt. Next time I went, I threw a basic solid-color polo in my car. Jeans were fine (no rips!), wore clean sneakers.
Why Bother?
Look, it’s just breakfast, right? Why jump through hoops? Here’s the thing: that first time messed up my whole vibe. Wanted biscuits and gravy, ended up annoyed and eating cereal at home. The manager later told me it’s less about being fancy and more about “keeping a respectful vibe” for all guests. Makes sense. Won’t catch me dead in a suit there, but tossing a plain tee in the trunk? Easy. Got seated right away next trip, ate my bacon in peace. Lesson learned: play their little clothes game, get the pancakes.
