Which Fast Food Chains Serve All-Day Breakfast?

Fast food is omnipresent in modern-day American culture. With taste, convenience, and affordability all rolled into one dining experience, fast food raked in a valuation of over $730 billion in the U.S. in 2022 alone (via Yahoo!). This is why many chains across the nation now offer a breakfast menu.

Logistically, the morning rush is the best time to swing by your favorite fast food joint for an on-demand dose of pancakes, as it saves you time and energy to focus on getting ready (or hitting the snooze button just one more time). But if anything is true, it is that Americans love their dawn eats at any hour of the day. And with the popularity of fast food chains' breakfast options, it begs the question, why aren't they offered all day long?

For one reason or another, unfortunately, some of your favorite fast food restaurants stopped serving an all-day breakfast menu. But there's hope for the hungry out there who crave the unrivaled satisfaction of a melty egg and cheese sandwich and crispy hash browns as dinner or an afternoon snack. If you play your cards right (or stay informed) you'll find all the go-to places that serve breakfast from dusk til dawn, and then some.

Believe it or not, breakfast wasn't always offered at fast food establishments. The concept of a hot grab-and-go morning meal was first introduced in the 1970s by none other than fast food giant, McDonald's. It all started when the owner of some Pittsburgh franchises and inventor of the Big Mac, Jim Delligatti, got the green light from his boss, Ray Kroc, to serve morning donuts. The breakfast treat was a wild success in Pittsburgh, and from there, McDonald's franchises throughout the nation toyed with the idea of a continental breakfast.

Three years later, over in Santa Barbara, Herb Peterson created the legendary Egg McMuffin. Because fast-food egg sandwiches were such a revolutionary concept at the time, Peterson had to dare Kroc to taste the treat before telling him what it was. Obviously, Kroc fell in love at first bite, and so did the rest of the country shortly after.

From there, other popular chains like Wendy's and Burger King jumped on the bandwagon, and the explosion of fast-food breakfast officially took off by the 1980s. Carl's Jr launched the Breakfast Burger in 2004 and Taco Bell hit another breakfast benchmark with the Waffle Taco in 2014. Still, McDonald's remains the industry's top breakfast provider by a landslide, and though there was a brief stint in which they served breakfast all day, they sadly discontinued that service in 2020.

Did you know that White Castle actually wears the crown as the OG fast food hamburger chain? It opened back in the 1920s with the then-radical concept of a carry-out meal, which it advertised with the slogan, "Selling 'em by the Sack." The brand took some notes from its golden-arched competitor, though, first introducing breakfast food to its menu in 1986. Luckily, unlike Mickey D's, White Castle keeps the eggs sizzling throughout the day. Nearly 40 years later, you can still rely on White Castle to enjoy a standard toast sandwich, waffles, or the brand's trademark sliders, but in breakfast form, at your convenience. They even brought back their French Toast Slider to kickoff the start of 2025.

Before you head out the door, double-check that your local castle is in on the all-day sausage patty fest. It can be assumed that White Castle doesn't stop serving breakfast, since there's no official cutoff time on the website. But at the same time, it doesn't declare all-day breakfast, either, which means there's a chance you might still be turned down.

Adored in the East and ignored in the West, it's simply not true that (all of) "America runs on Dunkin." The East Coast is congested with the pastry and java chain while the West Cost and Midwest feature far fewer franchises. Ask any Northeasterner and they'll likely swear Dunkin's coffee is better than Starbucks for its simplicity, flavors, and price point. Love it or hate it, one fact remains true: Dunkin' has your back when the urge for a breakfast sandwich pops up at an unusual hour.

Despite its name, a fun fact about Dunkin' is that it serves more coffee than donuts. The brand even previously toyed with the idea of changing its name to just Dunkin' to better align with its beverage-based operations. Of course, it didn't end up doing that, as around 1 billion munchkins are sold annually alone (via Enterprise Apps Today).

Lucky for breakfast fanatics, Dunkin' Donuts sells more than coffee, donuts, and even bagels. The chain offers a variety of other first-meal options if you want to cut down on sugar or fill up on protein. Some fan favorites include the bacon, egg, and cheese croissant and the avocado toast. Not all locations offer these options through lunch and dinner, but even if your neighborhood Dunkin' falls into that category, it always has donuts, muffins, and bagels to cure your appetite.

No, it's not too good to be true. You can get your hands on one of the best-ranked breakfast sandwiches in America throughout the day and into the night at Jack in the Box, where it's always egg o'clock. The chain boasts its all-day menu with the tagline "Get it when you crave it" and delivers on its message with service that begins at 6 a.m. and continues until 4 a.m. in most states.

With over 25 options, ranging from sausage biscuits to waffle sticks and loaded sandwiches, it would take almost a month of daily morning (or evening) visits to taste everything on their breakfast menu. Unfortunately, most Jack in the Box locations are on the West Coast or Texas, with a few sprinkled in the Midwest and the Carolinas (and one lone location in New Jersey). The rest of you will have to buckle up for a road trip, settle for another chain on this list, or make breakfast yourself.

This thriving sandwich chain of the 2000s is back on the map as of 2022, thanks to a menu revamp. Quiznos suffered a demise due to low-profit margins after the 2008 recession. However, the toasted sandwich empire has made an impressive comeback with new international and plant-based options.

Quiznos launched its breakfast menu in 2010. Rather than selling it at its main locations, the chain offered its breakfast subs and biscuits at affiliated convenience stores. Shultz Hartgrove, the company's Vice President at the time, claimed breakfast was essential in the 24-hour convenience store scope, citing Technomic Breakfast Report's findings that the morning meal accounted for over 35% of convenience store food profits (via CStoreDecisions).

The brand has had to make many changes since its heyday around 20 years ago in order to stay relevant. What's remained consistent through it all 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. Most Quiznos across the board offer breakfast options, but as always, to be safe rather than sorry, contact your nearest location for confirmation.

When you don't feel like cooking a tasty, classic eggs Benedict, you can always head to Sonic. The burger joint made a name for itself thanks to its sinfully delicious meals and refreshing limeades and slushes delivered via servers on roller skates. It's also one of the few fast food places that consistently serves breakfast around the clock at all of its locations. As the business values flexibility, it also allows customers to order the regular menu in the morning hours.

Sonic's breakfast slightly deviates from the norm. Despite this, its breakfast sandwich is not rated too poorly. On the menu, you'll also find various burritos, French toast sticks, and more toasted sandwiches. The restaurant features nearly 3,500 locations, mainly concentrated in the South, but all states except Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire have at least one.

At Subway, you can pop in any hour of the day and savor the flavor of the morning. The popular build-your-own sandwich chain boasts around 25,000 stores worldwide, but, surprisingly, it was tardy in joining the fast food breakfast gang, only launching its morning menu in 2010.

Subway's breakfast sandwich might not be the best, but it does contain all the reliable ingredients of the classic meal, including melty cheese, creamy eggs, and crunchy bacon or cured deli meats. The company sadly halted many beloved breakfast foods like the Sunrise Subway Melt and the Western Egg White Muffin Melt, but it redeems itself by allowing you to fully customize your sandwich, an option that's virtually impossible at other fast food restaurants.

Despite the good news that you can grab an omelet on-demand, some customers complain that prices spike after 11 a.m. Conversely, if you'd rather swap maple syrup for meatballs, you can also order a regular sandwich as soon as the joint opens. Keep in mind that this chain is a franchise and each location plays by its own set of rules to some degree, so you should check in with your local Subway to ensure they offer their breakfast continuously.

If you're not from the South (with five other states as the exception) you may not have heard of Bojangles. One close look at the menu, however, will instantly give away its zone of origin. The chain restaurant that's almost exclusive to the Bible Belt offers a handful of regional dishes like cajun pinto beans, mac and cheese, and Southern gravy biscuits. It's rumored that Pennsylvania and New Jersey might soon get to revel in the lip-smacking express meals with their own Bojangles locations.

Breakfast, which is conveniently served throughout the day, doesn't have its own menu, but is instead mixed in with the lunch and dinner biscuit sandwiches. Options include combinations of egg and cheese with your choice of meat, all served with Bojangles signature buttery biscuit as the bread. One of the reasons Bojangles biscuits taste so heavenly is because the chain makes them from scratch, which is a rare process in the fast food industry. If you don't believe it, you can see it for yourself at one of the restaurant's newest locations, thanks to the Genesis design. As a pro tip, some customers elevate their already-succulent egg and cheese biscuit by combining it with the chicken from the cajun filet for a flavor explosion.

Whether it seems bizarre to do so or not, you can now throw Starbucks into the same category as Taco Bell and Wendy's, because the brand is prioritizing speed and efficiency with drive-thrus and new cold beverage-making systems. With locations engineered for a streamlined experience not catered to sitting for hours chatting over lattes and Frappuccinos, Starbucks is now completely in line with the fast food industry.

That being said, the iconic java establishment, which almost had two other names, offers a variety of all-day golden hour grub options with various types of sandwiches (including one with an Impossible plant-based sausage patty), egg bites, wraps, and bagels and muffins, which all taste as good as the company's cold brews, despite being premade. Just don't expect to leisurely eat your meal on the premises without some hustle and bustle around you.

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, some stop at lunchtime, and many cease their breakfast operations around 4 p.m.

Originating in Canada over 50 years ago, Tim Hortons prides itself on its rich, roasted coffee blends. But while it heavily markets its beverages, 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.

Many customers have complained about the taste and texture of Tim Hortons eggs and buns since they switched up their ingredients. If you fall into that category, note that they are healthier than the old ones, and remember that you can't always have it all. A Tim Hortons Bagel B.E.L.T. is no Egg McMuffin, but thankfully, there's Tim Hortons to save the day when an afternoon breakfast craving hits.

The next on our list is a bit of a tricky one. Known and loved for its nutritious meals, an all-day Panera Bread breakfast would be a dream. Unfortunately, it remains just that, because this fast food chain that leans on the healthier side stops its breakfast operations at 11 a.m., like most other restaurants of its caliber. It's more a logistics issue than anything else, because Panera is often backed up on orders in the morning. Imagine if the chefs had to juggle that along with the lunch rush. It would be pure chaos.

Not all hope is lost for breakfast lovers, though. While you can't order your favorite egg sandwich, a hearty steel oatmeal, or a filling frittata past morning time, 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. Keep in mind that hours may vary (like most other fast food spots), so Panera advises you to check your local café before heading over.

The original fast food breakfast champion and crowd favorite to this day no longer serves Egg McMuffins, Sausage Burritos, Hot Cakes, or the rest of its known and loved early-day menu options past 11 a.m. By 2015, the breakfast menu was such a hit (making up about 25% of the business' profits) that the franchise decided to let customers swap Big Macs for McGriddles at any hour (via Breakfast Hustle). Unfortunately, it was merely for a good time and not for a long time.

It all ended in the era of COVID-19 when McDonald's stopped the fanfare due to a steep drop in profits. Not only that, but restaurants often had little space to store breakfast foods throughout the day, even before the pandemic. But the egg lovers out there can still cling to hope that this too shall pass, as franchises technically have the power to make their own rules. As of now, only Columbus, Ohio has stepped up to serve breakfast throughout the day.