Celebrate the season with the return of the First Watch Holiday Menu. Enjoy fan-favorite Cinnamon Chip Pancakes and the new Nutella-drizzled Holey Donuts. Find a location near you now.

The holidays are in full swing, and while the theme parks are decked with boughs of holly, the real secret to a perfect park day is fueling up before you hit the turnstiles. Good news for travelers: First Watch has officially rolled out its highly anticipated, limited-time holiday menu, offering an array of festive flavors perfect for powering through your rope drop and staying energized for those late-night spectaculars.

What is First Watch?

First Watch is an award-winning daytime dining restaurant concept that serves made-to-order breakfast, brunch, and lunch using fresh, often seasonal, ingredients from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. daily, known for its innovative menu, including unique dishes like its Lemon Ricotta Pancakes and Million Dollar Bacon, and a focus on a customer-first culture and fresh-squeezed juices. There are several First Watch locations near Universal Orlando, SeaWorld Orlando, and Walt Disney World.

Available nationwide (sort of) from now through January 5, 2026, the new seasonal menu offers a culinary escape that captures the nostalgic warmth of the holidays—a perfect pre-park retreat to recharge before diving into the crowds and excitement.

Shane Schaibly, Senior Vice President of Culinary Strategy at First Watch, captured the sentiment shared by many park-goers who rely on a strong start: “The holidays are all about good food, good company and celebrating the nostalgic flavors of this time of year.”

The First Watch Holiday Menu: Your Essential Park Fuel

The chef-driven lineup is not just indulgent; it’s strategically designed to offer everything from savory, protein-packed fuel to sweet, shareable treats—essential for anyone spending 12 hours walking between lands.

The Protein Powerhouses (Rope Drop Fuel):

• Carne Asada Breakfast Tacos: Three tortillas packed with seasoned carne asada, scrambled cage-free eggs, housemade pico de gallo, fresh avocado, and a kick of Valentina crema. Served with seasoned black beans, this is the high-octane fuel you need for a marathon day.
• Double Bacon Parmesan Hash: A hearty potato hash with hardwood smoked bacon, spinach, and Mozzarella, topped with eggs, more bacon, and a rich Parmesan cream sauce. This is the comfort food you’ll be craving on a chilly morning before the gates open.

The Fan-Favorite Seasonal Spectaculars:

• Cinnamon Chip Pancake Breakfast: Described as having a “cult following,” the return of these Cinnamon Chip Pancakes is like the announcement of a beloved seasonal parade. This plate pairs two cage-free eggs and your choice of meat with one of the signature cinnamon-spiced pancakes. It’s a nostalgic, sweet start that fans count down to every year.
• Cheesecake Holey Donuts with NUTELLA: If you’re looking for a sharable, must-get snack to cap off your breakfast (or treat the family), these new additions are it. Cinnamon sugar-dusted cake donut holes are served over whipped cheesecake filling, drizzled with NUTELLA, and topped with glazed strawberries and spiced gingerbread cookie crumbles.

The Refreshment:

• Tangerine Dream: A vibrant, fresh-pressed juice featuring tangerine, pineapple, organic ginger, and cane sugar, finished with a splash of vanilla coconut milk. A refreshing counterpoint to all the heavy holiday treats.

One Important Detail About the First Watch Holiday Menu

If your plans take you to Tampa to visit Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, the First Watch holiday menu may look very different. Tampa functions as a testing market for the restaurant chain. For example, we visited during the first week of the new First Watch holiday menu to find Cheesecake Holey Donuts with NUTELLA and the Carne Asada Breakfast Tacos replaced by other dining options.

In fact, we ordered the Queso Double Crunch Breakfast Tacos. These consist of two wheat-corn tortillas with refried black beans wrapped around crispy corn tortilla shells filled with cheesy scrambled cage-free eggs, chorizo, and a slice of crispy hardwood-smoked bacon. Topped with lime crema, housemade pico de gallo, fresh avocado, and house-pickled red onions and served with chipotle queso and a side of seasoned black beans for $15.49. For the record, this made a good late brunch. However, we will have to visit an Orlando location to try the Carne Asada Breakfast Tacos.

Logistics: The Perfect Pre-Park Stop

The best part? First Watch’s operating hours are perfect for theme park visitors. With over 600 locations, most are open seven days a week from 7 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. The 7 a.m. opening time ensures you can enjoy a high-quality, sit-down meal and still arrive at the park entrance for “rope drop” (when the park officially opens) without feeling rushed.

If you’re traveling to a major theme park destination this holiday season, look up a nearby First Watch and make it your essential morning stop before the food booths in the park open! But act fast—these limited-time menu items vanish after January 5, 2026.

For more details on the menu and to find a location, visit firstwatch.com. Also, for more theme park-related news and information, visit MSM News. As always, eat like you mean it!

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