2026 Breakfast Hours At 14 Fast Food Chains

Grabbing a fast food breakfast is a lot more convenient than cooking it yourself, with one caveat: Most restaurants put a time limit on their morning menus, and if you show up a few minutes late, you're out of luck. The best way to avoid a last-minute dash to the drive-thru is to memorize the breakfast hours at your go-to spots. We have you covered with this guide on when popular fast food chains start and stop serving breakfast as of February 2026.

This list will not only help you score your favorite fast food breakfast sandwiches and other goodies at the right time — it may also open your eyes to chains you didn't know offered breakfast, as well as the eateries that never stop serving it, so you can indulge in a late brunch or breakfast-for-dinner craving. Some popular chains are also making changes to their breakfast hours or menus for 2026, so you'll want to find out about the latest updates on your most-visited eateries.

It's important to note that fast food breakfast hours may vary depending on how franchisees choose to operate their individual locations, but most chains have standard breakfast hours. Whether you're looking for restaurant chains with breakfast under $5, places with offerings beyond the average egg sandwich and hash brown, or even vegan fast food breakfast items, with our cheat sheet, you're unlikely to miss out on the most important meal of the day.

McDonald's stopped serving breakfast all day in 2020, and sadly, 2026 has yet to bring any hints regarding if and when the chain will bring it back. Right now, you can grab a morning meal at the Golden Arches from opening until 10:30 or 11:00 a.m., with exact cutoff times depending on individual store practices. That's still a decent amount of hours to grab a sausage McMuffin, McCafé coffee, and other popular McDonald's breakfast items.

Burger King usually serves breakfast from opening to 10:30 a.m. (via Parade), though some franchises stretch it to 11 a.m. In exciting news, 2026 is shaking up Burger King's breakfast lineup with the first-ever breakfast Whopper, called the Bacon Cheddar Hash Whopper. Made with a burger patty, bacon, cheddar sauce, hash browns, an egg, and hollandaise aioli, the sandwich debuted in select U.S. cities in January and will hopefully expand nationwide soon.

At most Wendy's, breakfast lasts from opening at 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., but this could change in 2026. Wendy's has had a tumultuous history with breakfast, and in February, the chain announced yet another shake-up: It will allow franchise owners more flexibility in adjusting breakfast hours, so stores can prioritize lunch, dinner, and late-night service (via Restaurant Dive). Watch your local Wendy's closely to see if it starts yanking breakfast away earlier.

Since most patrons visit Starbucks for their morning coffee or tea, the chain could probably get away with only selling egg sandwiches, bagels, and other breakfast staples before noon. Luckily for late-risers, Starbucks serves breakfast all day long, from its beloved egg bites and croissants to steel-cut oatmeal and danishes (via Eat This, Not That!). The coffee chain seems to be sticking to business as usual for 2026, so your random evening Frappuccino cravings are in the clear.

America doesn't just run on Dunkin' — the whole country can count on its breakfast sandwiches, coffee, bagels, and other morning staples to be served at all times of day, which doesn't seem to be changing soon. Our top recommendation is Dunkin's Sausage, Egg & Cheese Croissant, the fast food breakfast sandwich that's worth rush hour traffic, especially since it won't vanish from the menu by the time you're out of the weeds.

Most of us crave Taco Bell's saucy, cheesy Mexican-inspired delights late at night, but the chain also has an underrated breakfast menu full of egg, cheese, and potato-stuffed burritos, hash browns, coffee drinks, and even breakfast-style Crunchwraps. Not all locations serve breakfast, but those who do switch over to the lunch menu at 11 a.m. Verify that your location participates first, and as long as you show up before 11, and you'll be enjoying a Breakfast California Crunchwrap or steak breakfast quesadilla in no time.

Morning is the only time when Chick-fil-A sells biscuit-based chicken sandwiches, which is why some customers race there first thing. But you don't have to set an alarm super early to get a taste, as the chain's breakfast hours end each day at 10:30 a.m. (except on Sundays, when the restaurant is closed). You can also find classic egg sandwiches, breakfast bowls, and a nice and light berry yogurt parfait on the menu.

Though its reputation is built on bread, pastries, and other baked goods often enjoyed in the morning, you can't order breakfast at Panera Bread all day. Most locations stop serving breakfast at 10:30 a.m. on weekdays and at 11 a.m. on weekends, and egg sandwiches, avocado toast, oatmeal, and egg soufflés are among the items that get axed. However, bagels, croissants, and other goods in the restaurant's bakery section are sold until the end of the day.

From the hours of 11 p.m. to 11 a.m., Whataburger can also be called Whatabreakfast. For years now, the Texas-born burger chain has offered its breakfast menu from 11 at night to the same hour the next morning, giving customers a whole 12 hours to grab its breakfast sandwiches, hash browns, and the fan-favorite Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit. You can also snag breakfast for under $5 at this chain by ordering one of its breakfast taquitos.

Sliders are White Castle's claim to fame, and its morning menu capitalizes on the concept with two different breakfast sliders, plus a toast-based breakfast sandwich and bite-sized Hash Brown Nibblers. What's more, you can order its breakfast items from open to close — or open to still open, as many locations operate 24/7. If you're awake way before McDonald's, Burger King, or Starbucks open their doors, the Castle has you covered.

Sonic's breakfast menu deserves more recognition, especially because it's served all day long. That means you can pair a Bacon Breakfast Toaster sandwich with Chili Cheese Tots and a cherry limeade for a breakfast-dinner mashup, or have a Sonic Smasher burger with french toast sticks for dessert, and who wouldn't want that on a Friday night? Having so many options available all day has even led fans to create outrageous Sonic secret menu items.

Subway is pretty much synonymous with lunch, making it a fast food chain with a seriously underrated breakfast menu. Mainly consisting of hearty wraps and flatbreads, Subway's unique breakfast bites are typically sold until 11 to 11:30 a.m. (via Eat This, Not That!). If you just miss the window, try calling your local store to see if you still have a chance — some customers and employees say certain Subway locations offer breakfast all day.

Jack in the Box is another fast food spot that offers its breakfast menu from open to close (via Parade), so if you've never tried its sandwiches, French toast sticks, or sausage burritos, you could likely score one any time of day. Also, if you order one of the Jumbo Breakfast Platters without French toast sticks, you have a solid gluten-free fast food breakfast with eggs, hash browns, coffee, and your choice of bacon, sausage, or both.

Do you call it Hardee's or Carl's Jr.? This burger chain's name changes by region and its breakfast hours are also not cut-and-dry. Several sources say Hardee's/Carl's Jr. ends breakfast at 10:30 a.m., yet as far back as 2019, franchises began stretching it until noon, a trend that continued into late 2025. Some customers even claim their location serves breakfast until 2 p.m. Phoning your local Hardee's (or Carl's Jr.) is best to get a solid answer.