If you’re a fan of Sausage, Egg & Cheese McGriddles all day, I have some sad news for you. Pretty soon, your fave breakfast items might be available only at breakfast time.
It seems like McDonald’s just announced their all-day breakfast menu, which was a change that fast food fans had been asking about for decades. Prior to, you had to wake up early to snag an Egg McMuffin. Probably an easy task for full-grown adults, but not so easy for college kids and young adults. In October of 2015, it became a nationwide reality after testing well in several markets. Which was no surprise.
But since the change happened, the McDonald’s breakfast menu has expanded a little.
In 2018, they unveiled their Triple Breakfast Stacks, which were reportedly inspired by a secret menu item. Even though they were a welcome addition, that means that breakfast just got a little more complicated.
It might not be the exact reason why McDonald’s has chosen to limit their all-day breakfast items, but it’s probably part of it. This shouldn’t come as a huge surprise, as their late night menu also shrank in recent weeks. Let’s trust that they know what they’re doing with these severe cuts.
Here’s the good news. Breakfast will still technically be available all day.
According to their press release, it’s up to the franchise owners to decide what makes the cut. That means that if you really depend on those 7 p.m. hotcakes, you might want to talk to someone in charge to plead your case.
By now, each location probably knows what will sell best. Chances are, the Egg McMuffin will make the cut (but, the company has surprised us before).
“Menu changes will allow restaurants to offer the most popular items while also serving delicious food at the speed and convenience our customers expect,” the press release stated. “Specifically, local markets will have the flexibility to choose which items they serve and at what times they serve them.”
The release also made it clear that technically, the concept of all-day breakfast was still alive and well. “Most importantly: 10:30 a.m. is still not the end of breakfast at McDonald’s!” it stated.
Even though they seem to be judging what to serve by what the community wants, it’s still possible for one McDonald’s to carry something that another location a few miles away might not. So, it may require some effort to check out the offerings at each franchise.
I take advantage of McDonald's All-Day Breakfast much more than a normal human should
— Hunter Collins (@hccollins21) June 25, 2017
If you’re truly a big fan of breakfast for dinner, maybe this big change will inspire you to try something different. Variety is the spice of life, after all.
So, when is this all happening? Good question.
The press release didn’t have a firm date, but did say that the “refresh may come as early as July and will be finalized by the end of the third quarter of 2019, as local restaurants determine what is best for them.” So, you still have some time.
McDonald's all-day breakfast saved my marriage.
— Daniel Carrillo (@DanielRCarrillo) February 17, 2016
It’s a hard decision to make, for sure. Each McDonald’s breakfast item brings something special to the menu.
Fans are a little upset over the news, especially since it’s not cut and dry. They have to wait to see if their afternoon fast food routine may be switched up for good.
And surely some skeptics out there fear that this may be step one in ending McDonald’s all-day breakfast forever. After all, it took them years to implement it in the first place.
But, doing so would be an upsetting move for the company. Keep in mind, not everyone’s morning starts at 7 a.m.
The Takeout reports that these changes may be in place since franchisees aren’t happy about how much the McDonald’s menu has expanded recently. So, this move would make things a little easier for them, and possibly save the company some money.
If you’re bummed about the news, just remember: Fast food companies make big moves like this all the time. If the menu change-up isn’t beneficial for both the company and the customers, it could easily be switched back.
