In March 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold, McDonald’s made a significant change—removing its all-day breakfast menu. At the time, the fast food chain explained that the decision was made to “simplify operations in the kitchen” and to provide the best customer experience.
They reassured fans that all-day breakfast would return as soon as possible, but it never did. While many believed the pandemic was the leading cause of this decision, a former McDonald’s chef, Mike Haracz, has now come forward to share the real reason behind the end of all-day breakfast.
The True Reason Behind the All-Day Breakfast Removal
Haracz, who worked in McDonald’s kitchens, revealed that the pandemic did not drive the decision to remove all-day breakfast but somewhat operational challenges.
According to Haracz, McDonald’s had planned to phase out the all-day breakfast long before COVID-19 emerged. The decision had more to do with how the restaurant’s kitchen was set up and how much extra work the breakfast menu created for employees.
When a TikTok commenter suggested that the pandemic was to blame for the end of all-day breakfast, Haracz quickly corrected them. “I bet McDonald’s is happy you think the pandemic killed all-day breakfast,” he said.
He explained that the company had been looking for a way to simplify its operations for a long time.
Kitchen Space and Resources The Real Issue
The primary challenge with all-day breakfast, according to Haracz, was the amount of space it took up in the kitchen. McDonald’s kitchens are designed to handle a high volume of orders, but when breakfast was available all day, it created more pressure on the kitchen crew.
Breakfast items like the McMuffin and McGriddles require specific cooking equipment, such as a toaster, fryer, and a Universal Holding Cabinet (UHC) to keep the food warm. These appliances and the space for storing additional buns, English muffins, and other ingredients created a logistical nightmare.
Haracz explains that this set-up meant more resources were needed to meet the demand for breakfast items. McDonald’s kitchen had to split resources between breakfast and lunch/dinner items, which led to longer cooking times and more frequent replenishing of ingredients.
For example, the crew needed to constantly refill the UHC with breakfast items while preparing lunch and dinner meals. This complexity slowed down the overall efficiency of the kitchen and made it harder to maintain a quick service time.
What Did Restaurant Owners Think?
One of the main reasons behind McDonald’s decision to end all-day breakfast was the pressure it put on franchise owners. Owner-operators who run the individual McDonald’s locations wanted to avoid dealing with the operational complexities associated with all-day breakfast.
The additional equipment, ingredients, and staff time required to serve breakfast items meant higher costs and lower efficiency.
Although many customers loved having breakfast options available all day, the extra resources needed to run the breakfast menu weren’t worth it from a business perspective.
McDonald’s management and franchise owners realized that the majority of customers would still come in for their usual lunch or dinner orders, even if breakfast weren’t available.
As Haracz puts it, “A lot of McDonald’s consumers will show up, and if the thing they want or the special or the limited-time offer is out, they’re just gonna get my regular thing.”
In other words, McDonald’s believed that most customers would continue to visit without breakfast on the menu, making the added cost and complexity less justified.
McDonald’s Decision to Focus on Profitability
McDonald’s aims to be as profitable as possible. Simplifying operations, reducing kitchen complexity, and streamlining service are vital ways to keep costs down and improve the customer experience.
For McDonald’s, ending all-day breakfast was part of this more significant effort to increase efficiency and profitability.
Haracz believes that the decision wasn’t a direct response to the pandemic but was instead the result of McDonald’s desire to make the kitchen run more smoothly. While the pandemic certainly accelerated the change, it was already a decision that had been on the table long before COVID-19 came along.
Will All-Day Breakfast Ever Return?
As for whether all-day breakfast will ever make a comeback, Haracz’s take is not optimistic. Given the operational challenges and McDonald’s desire to keep things running smoothly, all-day breakfast seems unlikely to return anytime soon.
Although McDonald’s continues to evolve its menu and try new things, the kitchen logistics of serving breakfast all day make it a difficult option to bring back.
For now, fans of McDonald’s breakfast items will have to stick to the traditional breakfast hours from 5 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at most locations. While this is disappointing for many, McDonald’s had to make this tough choice for the sake of its operations and profitability.
FAQs
Why did McDonald’s get rid of all-day breakfast?
McDonald’s removed all-day breakfast to simplify kitchen operations and increase efficiency. The breakfast menu took up valuable space and resources in the kitchen, leading to increased complexity and slower service.
Was the COVID-19 pandemic the real reason for the removal of all-day breakfast?
No, the pandemic was not the primary reason. McDonald’s had been planning to remove all-day breakfast even before the pandemic due to the operational challenges it created in the kitchen.
What operational challenges led to the end of all-day breakfast?
Breakfast items required specific equipment like a toaster and fryer, which took up valuable kitchen space and resources. This meant more time and effort was needed to prepare breakfast items alongside lunch and dinner orders, leading to inefficiency.
Will McDonald’s ever bring back all-day breakfast?
Due to the operational complexities involved, it seems unlikely that McDonald’s will bring back all-day breakfast. The company is focused on streamlining its kitchen operations to maximize profitability.
Can I still get McDonald’s breakfast all day at any location?
No, McDonald’s has officially ended all-day breakfast at all locations. Breakfast is typically only available from 5 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., depending on the area.