Fast food has become a staple of modern American culture, prized for its speed, convenience, and affordability. In 2022, the U.S. fast food industry generated over $730 billion (via Yahoo!). This immense popularity has led many chains to introduce breakfast menus, catering to the morning rush and the enduring love Americans have for breakfast foods at any time of day. But what fast food restaurants serve all day breakfast?
The Rise of Fast Food Breakfast
Believe it or not, breakfast wasn’t always a given at fast food joints. McDonald’s pioneered the concept of convenient, hot morning meals in the 1970s. Jim Delligatti, a McDonald’s franchisee in Pittsburgh and the inventor of the Big Mac, initially secured approval from Ray Kroc to sell donuts. The donuts were a hit, and the chain’s locations across the country experimented with the idea of a continental breakfast.
Three years later, Herb Peterson in Santa Barbara revolutionized the industry with the Egg McMuffin. Peterson famously challenged Kroc to try the innovative egg sandwich without telling him what it was. Kroc loved it, and the Egg McMuffin quickly became a nationwide sensation. The explosion of fast-food breakfast officially took off by the 1980s, with Wendy’s and Burger King following suit. While McDonald’s briefly offered all-day breakfast, they discontinued it in 2020.
Chains Serving All Day Breakfast
While some chains have discontinued all-day breakfast, several others continue to satisfy those late-night cravings for eggs and hash browns. Here’s a rundown of where you can score your favorite breakfast items at any hour:
White Castle
As the original fast-food hamburger chain, opening in the 1920s, White Castle began offering breakfast in 1986. Unlike some of its competitors, White Castle keeps its breakfast menu available throughout the day.
You can enjoy toast sandwiches, waffles, and breakfast sliders at your convenience. While their website doesn’t explicitly state “all-day breakfast,” there’s also no official cutoff time, White Castle doesn’t stop serving breakfast, meaning you can likely get your fix any time.
Dunkin’ Donuts
A staple on the East Coast, Dunkin’ offers breakfast sandwiches at any hour. Many swear Dunkin’s coffee is better than Starbucks. Dunkin’ serves more coffee than donuts, and it also offers a variety of breakfast options beyond pastries, including bacon, egg, and cheese croissants and avocado toast.
While not all locations offer these items all day, you can always count on donuts, muffins, and bagels.
Jack In The Box
Jack in the Box proudly offers its breakfast menu all day, with the tagline “Get it when you crave it.” With over 25 breakfast options, ranging from sausage biscuits to waffle sticks and loaded sandwiches, there’s something for everyone. Service begins at 6 a.m. and continues until 4 a.m. in most states.
Keep in mind that most Jack in the Box locations are on the West Coast or in Texas.
Quiznos
After a menu revamp, Quiznos is back on the map and offers all-day, everyday breakfast. Quiznos suffered a demise due to low-profit margins after the 2008 recession.
What’s remained consistent is the all-day, everyday breakfast, which you can now find in their actual eatery instead of at convenience stores. Opt for this particular fast-casual restaurant if you want to venture away from standard options and treat yourself to a hearty steak and eggs sandwich.
Sonic
Sonic consistently serves breakfast around the clock at all of its locations, its breakfast sandwich is not rated too poorly.
Alongside its regular menu, you’ll find burritos, French toast sticks, and toasted sandwiches.
Subway
Subway, with around 25,000 stores worldwide, launched its morning menu in 2010 and allows you to pop in any hour of the day and savor the flavor of the morning. Subway’s breakfast sandwich might not be the best, but it does contain all the reliable ingredients of the classic meal.
You can fully customize your breakfast sandwich, an option that’s virtually impossible at other fast food restaurants.
Bojangles
If you’re in the South (with five other states as the exception), you’re likely familiar with Bojangles, which offers a handful of regional dishes like cajun pinto beans, mac and cheese, and Southern gravy biscuits.
Breakfast, which is served throughout the day, doesn’t have its own menu, but is instead mixed in with the lunch and dinner biscuit sandwiches.
Starbucks
Starbucks is now completely in line with the fast food industry, offers a variety of all-day breakfast options with various types of sandwiches, egg bites, wraps, and bagels and muffins, which all taste as good as the company’s cold brews, despite being premade.
Tim Hortons
You can always rely on Tim Hortons for a steaming cup of coffee. As for breakfast, that depends on your nearest franchise. Some spots serve morning meals all day.
The company still offers your classic breakfast options to pair with your favorite drink. You can fuel yourself on wraps, pastries, oatmeal, hash browns, and sandwiches made of buns, biscuits, bagels, or even muffins.
Chains with Limited Breakfast Hours
While the above chains offer breakfast all day, some popular spots have cut-off times.
Panera Bread
Panera stops its breakfast operations at 11 a.m. You can still indulge in a continental breakfast around the clock. Settling for a bagel or pastry might not satisfy your breakfast craving to the fullest, but it gets the job done, especially with a coffee or latte in your other hand.
McDonald’s
The original fast food breakfast champion no longer serves Egg McMuffins or other breakfast items past 11 a.m.
In the era of COVID-19 McDonald’s stopped the fanfare due to a steep drop in profits. However, franchises technically have the power to make their own rules, so keep an eye out for locations that might still offer all-day breakfast.
Satisfying Your Breakfast Cravings Anytime
Whether you’re a night owl craving pancakes or simply love the taste of breakfast for dinner, several fast food chains have you covered. From White Castle’s sliders to Dunkin’s breakfast sandwiches and Jack in the Box’s extensive menu, you can find a variety of options to satisfy your cravings any time of day. Always check with your local branch to confirm their specific breakfast hours, as these can vary.
