Is Brunch Time The Best Or Worst Time To Order Fast Food?

Fast food is an easy choice for breakfast or lunch, but the brunch window, often from 10:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. can be a logistical nightmare. Just because it's not the busiest time of day doesn't mean it's the best time to hit the fast food drive-thru. There are a lot of moving parts behind the scenes that may lead to your food being served incorrectly. That said, some customers insist they get fresher lunch during this time. 

That stands to reason. For example, McDonald's has some of the best fast food French fries in the game, and you'd be getting the first golden batch of the day. On the flip side, if you were to order hash browns from the breakfast menu around the same time, it may not be the warmest or freshest batch, if they have any at all, as the staff is trying to get rid of the breakfast foods. 

Of course, it's the only time of day you have the opportunity to get the best of both worlds by ordering breakfast and lunch together, though not all establishments allow that. And even if they do, the lunch food is fresher than the breakfast food, and there's still no guarantee your order will get out any faster since brunch presents a host of unique challenges for restaurant staff.

When the menu flips, workers must immediately switch from cooking breakfast to lunch. Tasks like changing grill temperatures, frying french fries instead of hash browns, and replacing items on the warming cabinet all take time — time that isn't allotted to staff when there's a rush of customers at the same moment. Some people have been waiting in line to order their breakfast burritos while others are pulling up for a cheeseburger. To top it all off, brunch is also a common time for staff shift changes, meaning some folks are clocking in while others are clocking out or taking a break.

Some restaurants can get you through the line quicker than others during the dreaded brunch flip. Taco Bell is usually the fastest drive-thru, while another fan-favorite fast food chain is the slowest (in Chick-fil-A's defense, they're also well-known for excellent service, which many faster drive-thrus can't say). Café-style chains like Dunkin' and Starbucks have breakfast items on the menu all day. 

Sometimes, you can't help going during brunch — maybe it's your shift break, or a fast food joint is on the way to work or school. Whatever you do, keep in mind that the brunch flip is a quick one and that you may have to wait longer for your order. Plan ahead by looking at the menu before you get there and preparing your form of payment. And have a backup plan in case they don't have what you planned to order.