New brunch restaurant First Watch and 2nd Chipotle planned in Algonquin

Another Chipotle Mexican Grill and the brunch restaurant First Watch could be the latest additions to Randall Road in Algonquin.

The building that would house both eateries, located at 1721 S. Randall Road, is proposed to be about 6,000 square feet and have two outdoor patio areas for First Watch and Chipotle.

First Watch would take up about 3,800 square feet, according to village documents.

Kensington Development Partners first proposed the project to the local planning and zoning commission Sept. 11. The commission unanimously voted in favor of the project.

The Village Board will take a final vote on the proposal Tuesday evening.

Chipotle would have a mobile order pickup lane, branded as a “Chipot-lane,” that would act as a small drive-thru lane but only for customers to pick up orders made ahead of time online. There would not be a menu board or speaker, Algonquin senior planner Patrick Knapp said.

The same type of Chipotle location was approved by the Huntley Village Board in July.

Village Trustee Laura Brehmer spoke at a meeting Oct. 11 about concerns regarding the learning curve customers would have with the mobile order pickup lane.

“Algonquin just happens to be one of the first ones in the market,” Algonquin Director of Community Development Jason Shallcross said. “As we see more of these, they will just become more well-known.”

The mobile order pickup lane is expected to have four cars or fewer “98% of the time,” said Daniel Rea, director of development services for Kensington Development.

This would be the second Chipotle location in Algonquin; the other one is about a mile north at 412 S. Randall Road.

Village President Debby Sosine said a Chipotle representative explained that the company expects to draw 35% of its business from that existing location, particularly from mobile orders since the existing site doesn’t have a pickup lane.

For the new location, there would be sit-down seating for 10 to 15 people, and ordering inside also would be available, Shallcross said.

Plans call for 89 parking spaces for the building, according to village documents.

It would be an addition to the area that already is constructing a Raising Cane’s, Portillo’s, Cooper’s Hawk and Belle Tire, Rea said.

First Watch is described as a sit-down brunch restaurant that creates seasonal menus that change up to five times a year. Hours of operation would be from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Rea said.

Sosine endorsed the plan, but with the condition that the building would be a cohesive color palette with neighboring buildings.

“It’s a great use for the space,” she said.