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When All The Big Fast Food Chains Stop Serving Breakfast, like Jack in the Box and White Castle
Cheapism; Norm W. / Yelp; Jahan L. / Yelp

Mornings are always hectic, but everyone’s always got to get fed. That’s why fast food breakfast is a life saver. The food is quick, cheap (especially if there’s a good deal), and most of the time you don’t even have to get out of your car to pick it up. 

Driving up to McDonald’s and seeing lunch on the menu board is heartbreaking when you’ve got a craving for an Egg McMuffin, though. To avoid that terrible fate, pay attention to the clock. Here is when all the big fast-food chains stop serving breakfast.

1. McDonald’s

Joe S./Yelp

At most McDonald’s locations, you have until 10:30 a.m. to grab a McMuffin. But franchisees can set their own hours, so sometimes you can get lucky and order breakfast until 11 a.m. 

2. Burger King

burger king egg-normous breakfast burrito
Wilder Shaw / Cheapism

If those BK French toast sticks are calling your name, you’d better get in the drive-thru line before they stop serving breakfast at 10:30 a.m. Interestingly, Burger King is one of the few spots you can get burgers for breakfast if you prefer. 

3. Taco Bell

Taco Bell Breakfast Crunchwrap
Joshua Blanchard/Getty Images

Taco Bell axed its breakfast completely during the pandemic, but it’s back and better than ever. It’s a great spot for late risers, because most locations serve breakfast until 11 a.m.

4. Wendy’s

Jeremiah M./Yelp

Wendy’s launched its breakfast nationwide in 2020, and the biscuits and seasoned potatoes are fan favorites. According to Wendy’s website, the latest you’ll be able to get breakfast at any of their locations is 10:30 a.m.

5. Chick-fil-A

Chick-Fil-A: $3 Chicken Biscuit
©TripAdvisor

You’re going to have to get your order for a chicken biscuit (add honey and hot sauce!) in before 10:30 a.m. at Chick-fil-A. Of course, that doesn’t apply to Sundays, when the entire chain is closed.

6. Panera

Panera breakfast croissant yelp
Nadia Q. / Yelp

If you want a breakfast sandwich, oatmeal, or egg dish at Panera, you’ll have to get it before 10:30 a.m. while they’re still serving morning meals. Of course, coffee and bakery is available all the time, including things like muffins and croissants, so it really just depends on your definition of breakfast.

7. Hardee’s

Morton F. / Yelp

Hardee’s biscuits are the stuff of legend, especially when they’re covered in sausage gravy. But if you get there after 10:30 a.m., you’re out of luck. 

8. Starbucks

a Sausage, Cheddar, and Egg Sandwich from starbucks
Wilder Shaw / Cheapism

Starbucks is one of the few fast-food chains that doesn’t have a breakfast cut-off time. That means they serve breakfast sandwiches, egg bites, and pastries all day long. So throw caution to the wind and get that bacon, egg, and gouda sandwich for dinner along with your iced chai.

9. Sonic

the sausage breakfast toaster from sonic
Wilder Shaw / Cheapism

Guess what? Sonic also cooks up its breakfast menu all day. You can get a SuperSonic breakfast burrito at four in the afternoon, and follow it up by dipping French toast sticks in your half-price shake during all-day happy hour.

10. White Castle

White Castle breakfast yelp
Jahan L. / Yelp

White Castle has a cult following, and apparently those fans love eating breakfast at all hours of the day because the chain serves breakfast whenever it’s open. Waffle sliders, anyone?

11. Dunkin’

Dunkin' Power Breakfast Sandwich
Tara S. / Yelp

Considering Dunkin’ specializes in breakfast foods like donuts and coffee, it’s not really surprising that you can get the entire menu all day long. That includes egg sandwiches, hash browns, and bagels along with doughnuts.

12. Subway

Subway breakfast sandwich yelp
Jennifer N. / Yelp

Subway leaves its breakfast hours up to its franchisees. Many stop serving breakfast items with eggs around 11 a.m., but some operators choose to serve the entire menu all day, including breakfast. This is one chain where it’s really best to call each location for more details.

13. Jack in the Box

Norm W. / Yelp

Jack in the Box is well-known for catering to a very specific subset of customers that are very hungry in the middle of the night. So it makes sense that the chain serves its substantial breakfast menu all day (and night, since many locations are open 24/7) long.

14. Del Taco

the breakfast epic burrito from del taco
Danny T. / Yelp

According to the Del Taco website, breakfast is served until 10:45 a.m. at most locations. That means you can get breakfast Rollers, donut bites, and breakfast tacos right up until lunch time.

15. Bojangles

Bojangles pimento cheese biscuit
Lacey Muszynski / Cheapism

Bojangles is just as much known for its biscuits as its fried chicken. You can get them filled with eggs and sausage or Cajun chicken filet at any time of the day, making those breakfast-for-dinner people super happy.

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Meet the Writer

Lacey Muszynski is a staff writer at Cheapism covering food, travel, and more. She has over 15 years of writing and editing experience, and her restaurant reviews and recipes have previously appeared in Serious Eats, Thrillist, and countless publications in her home state of Wisconsin.