CEO writes hundreds of thank you notes to staff and still eats in the break room—which ‘always, for whatever reason, blows new employees away’
When’s the last time you walked into the office kitchen and spotted a member of the C-suite eating alongside everyone else?
For most companies, that’s a rare sight. But for First Watch CEO Chris Tomasso, it’s just another Tuesday.
“I tried to minimize the [CEO] title as best I can when I’m interacting with people,” Tomasso told Fortune. “I eat lunch in the break room with everybody, which always, for whatever reason, blows new employees away—that I just sit down next to them and bring my lunch and have lunch with them. I think it’s a shame that there’s that feeling.”
That humility does more than get Tomasso out of his office. It helps him build trust—and see firsthand what’s working and what isn’t across the company.
He also keeps things personal in other ways, like writing handwritten notes to employees who hit tenure milestones—a small gesture that speaks to a bigger leadership lesson: connection matters.
He traces that mindset back to his early career. At age 26 while working at Hard Rock Café, Tomasso received a handwritten thank-you note from his CEO—a letter he still keeps today.
When Tomasso became CEO of First Watch in 2018, he carried that people-first approach forward, proving that a fancy title doesn’t mean you have to stay isolated in your corner office and eat lunch alone. Sometimes, it just starts with pulling up a chair—and remembering what got you there.
—Preston Fore Success Reporter, Fortune
You can also find me on LinkedIn: @forepreston. Got a career tip or dilemma? Get in touch with Orianna: orianna.royle@fortune.com
Tip of the week 💡
It’s good to question whether you belong in the room, at least according to NYU professor Scott Galloway. While he admits he’s faced imposter syndrome throughout his career, not having it is a sign “you’re not trying that hard.”
Leadership Next 🎧
For the latest episode of Fortune Leadership Next, Alexis Ohanian, entrepreneur and co-founder of Reddit, sits down at the Fortune Global Forum in Riyadh to discuss his mission to elevate women’s sports, including the launch of a new professional track and field league and early investments in women’s soccer.
Ohanian reflects on his journey from building online communities to supporting game-changing startups and describes how American excellence and a family legacy inspired his bold business moves. He shares candid insights on the future of social media in the age of AI, why authentic communities matter more than ever, and how technology and storytelling can drive new waves of engagement, innovation, and opportunity around the world.
Listen to the episode wherever you get your podcasts.
Flat organizations with strong leadership find real connections with their employees. Everyone is on the same team and wins together. Proud to be part of a group that practices these ethos!
So great to see a humble leader who truly wants to get to know the team as people, not only as FTEs. 💫
You need www.dealeriq.co
Chris is the best!
This is what leadership looks like! As an HR professional, this warms my heart.