# I wonder why Mcdonald's breakfast hours always ended at 11am? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 10, 2014, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-why-mcdonalds-breakfast-hours-always-ended-at-11am/695246 "2014-08-10T16:58:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![7e42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/7/51bf81/32.png) [@7e42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/7e42)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-why-mcdonalds-breakfast-hours-always-ended-at-11am/695246/1 "2014-08-10T16:58:02Z")
I mean what’s wrong with 12pm since the 11am hour is still considered morning time? And on the weekends it should be extended to 1pm since it’s a day where most people are off from work Just something pointless I needed to share ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-why-mcdonalds-breakfast-hours-always-ended-at-11am/695246/2 "2014-08-10T17:26:12Z")
Because people start eating lunch? ---
**Author:** ![7e42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/7/51bf81/32.png) [@7e42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/7e42)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-why-mcdonalds-breakfast-hours-always-ended-at-11am/695246/3 "2014-08-10T17:27:25Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > Because people start eating lunch? 11am is still the morning time. 11am to 1159am is morning time is it not? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-why-mcdonalds-breakfast-hours-always-ended-at-11am/695246/4 "2014-08-10T17:28:31Z")
Grill(s) and other equipment must be cleaned and changed over for lunch menus and quantities. ---
**Author:** ![7e42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/7/51bf81/32.png) [@7e42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/7e42)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-why-mcdonalds-breakfast-hours-always-ended-at-11am/695246/5 "2014-08-10T17:35:21Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Grill(s) and other equipment must be cleaned and changed over for lunch menus and quantities. oh so that is what goes on between 11am and 1159am? ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-why-mcdonalds-breakfast-hours-always-ended-at-11am/695246/6 "2014-08-10T17:37:20Z")
It ends at 10:30am here, and at about 10:32, you can get French fries. I don’t eat hamburgers, but I assume you can get those as well. My son likes the FFs, however unkosher, and so I use them as a bribe/reward occasionally. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-why-mcdonalds-breakfast-hours-always-ended-at-11am/695246/7 "2014-08-10T17:42:11Z")
They had to pick a time to switch over. They’re going to get a lot more people coming in at 11:00 looking for lunch than they get looking for breakfast. They may even have done some market research and tracked when they stopped selling so many Egg McWhatevers and started selling hamburgers. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-why-mcdonalds-breakfast-hours-always-ended-at-11am/695246/8 "2014-08-10T17:43:39Z")
> [@7e42](#): > > oh so that is what goes on between 11am and 1159am? Before the deadline, some of the reset is done, leaving just enough to handle the few late breakfasters. At some point, the rest need to be switched to handle the increasing number of “before 12” lunch crowd. Try WhammyBurger down the street. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-why-mcdonalds-breakfast-hours-always-ended-at-11am/695246/9 "2014-08-10T17:44:45Z")
> [@7e42](#): > > oh so that is what goes on between 11am and 1159am? At the risk of pointing out the obvious, it’s very common for people to eat lunch starting sometime within this hour. In the case of restaurants that don’t serve breakfast (but do serve lunch), I can’t remember ever seeing one that waited until noon to open. And, as noted, there are often reasons why a McDonald’s would have trouble selling breakfast food and lunch food at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-why-mcdonalds-breakfast-hours-always-ended-at-11am/695246/10 "2014-08-10T18:31:26Z")
> [@7e42](#): > > 11am is still the morning time. 11am to 1159am is morning time is it not? So what? I’ve been known to eat a hamburger for “breakfast,” which is why Jack-In-the-Box is the place to go. McDonald’s has done more market research than you can imagine to determine the optimal time to switch over to lunch from breakfast. The grills have to be cleaned, heated to a different set of temperatures and new foods prepped and readied. The lunch rush puts the breakfast crowd to shame, volume and profit-wise. I was really pissed a week or so ago when I was wanting lunch, but McD’s was still on breakfast, being a weekend. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-why-mcdonalds-breakfast-hours-always-ended-at-11am/695246/11 "2014-08-10T19:11:43Z")
There’s only one way to handle this: [Falling Down - I want breakfast - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eREiQhBDIk) ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-why-mcdonalds-breakfast-hours-always-ended-at-11am/695246/12 "2014-08-10T19:17:57Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > McDonald’s has done more market research than you can imagine to determine the optimal time to switch over to lunch from breakfast. This is really the only answer we need. If McDonald’s thought that serving breakfast until 4.00 in the afternoon would make them more money, they would serve breakfast until 4.00 in the afternoon. Edit: Does anyone know if this is the sort of thing that is mandated by the company, or could individual franchise owners choose to change their breakfast hours to suit local conditions? ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-why-mcdonalds-breakfast-hours-always-ended-at-11am/695246/13 "2014-08-10T19:23:11Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > Does anyone know if this is the sort of thing that is mandated by the company, or could individual franchise owners choose to change their breakfast hours to suit local conditions? I am almost positive it’s by franchise. I’ve rolled up to drive-thrus at 10:40 and been told it was lunch time, and other times been stoked to come in at 10:45 and can get an Egg McMuffin! ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-why-mcdonalds-breakfast-hours-always-ended-at-11am/695246/14 "2014-08-10T19:46:00Z")
Because 11 AM is the beginning of lunch time? At least in my case, 11 AM is the earliest I’ll eat lunch. This theory seems to be supported by the fact that there are other fast-food restaurants that don’t serve breakfast, and they all open at 11. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-why-mcdonalds-breakfast-hours-always-ended-at-11am/695246/15 "2014-08-10T19:59:12Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > I am almost positive it’s by franchise. I’ve rolled up to drive-thrus at 10:40 and been told it was lunch time, and other times been stoked to come in at 10:45 and can get an Egg McMuffin! The Egg McMuffin was created by a [franchisee.](http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/our_company/amazing_stories/food/the_birth_of_the_egg_mcmuffin.html) ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-why-mcdonalds-breakfast-hours-always-ended-at-11am/695246/16 "2014-08-10T20:10:28Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > The Egg McMuffin was created by a [franchisee.](http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/our_company/amazing_stories/food/the_birth_of_the_egg_mcmuffin.html) As was the Fish sandwich. The Cincinnati franchise needed a Lent apropriate sandwich. The franchisee suggested fish, Kroc suggested pineapple (I don’t know why either). They had a contest, better seller on menu. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-why-mcdonalds-breakfast-hours-always-ended-at-11am/695246/17 "2014-08-10T21:30:24Z")
> [@7e42](#): > > 11am is still the morning time. 11am to 1159am is morning time is it not? You’ve never worked a job where your lunch hour was at 11:30? ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-why-mcdonalds-breakfast-hours-always-ended-at-11am/695246/18 "2014-08-10T22:07:55Z")
Since I’ve mostly worked in restaurants (making other peoples’ lunches), retail, and in my basement, I’ve either never had a lunch hour or it was at 6 or 7pm. When I worked the morning shift as a cook, I did a heavy breakfast shift which actually overlapped the lunch. Breakfast was 6am- 1pm and lunch was 11am-1pm. It was definitely a pain to do both at once. But since breakfast (and dinner, which I never worked) was the main revenue generator and lunch was mostly an afterthought, there was no way breakfast was going to be shut down for lunch- we might sell 20 crab omelettes or steak&eggs or something similar for every 5 burgers or reubens or clubs. So I guess I can understand it being pretty difficult to do both at once, especially with limited grill/counter space. I personally would much rather eat breakfast than any other meal, especially fast food. So I wish I could order it later… BTW, I think most fast food places in my area stop earlier than 11. Some have added burgers to the breakfast menu and extended it a little. I believe McDonald’s starts breakfast at midnight now, but that doesn’t help the 10am (or 11 or whatever)- midnight gap. ---
**Author:** ![7e42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/7/51bf81/32.png) [@7e42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/7e42)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-why-mcdonalds-breakfast-hours-always-ended-at-11am/695246/19 "2014-08-10T23:37:09Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > You’ve never worked a job where your lunch hour was at 11:30? No, all my jobs lunch start at 12pm which is why I never understood why Mcdonald’s breakfast ended at 11am ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2014, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-why-mcdonalds-breakfast-hours-always-ended-at-11am/695246/20 "2014-08-10T23:54:07Z")
The last few years my lunch has started at 11:07am. Obviously there are pro-breakfast and pro-lunch factions, and every restaurant has to decide what side they’re on. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-wonder-why-mcdonalds-breakfast-hours-always-ended-at-11am/695246.md?page=2)