For the majority of individuals, convenience comes first. Many fast food establishments are now open 24 hours a day because we want to have access to items whenever we want. So, if you’re in the mood for fast food French fries or just want a late-night snack, you’re in luck.
Not every fast food establishment is open 24/7. Therefore, you can find yourself at a loss about where to drive. Some chains operate all of their locations continuously, while others only operate a few stores or don’t open at all at night.
The best fast food restaurants that are open 24 hours a day are listed in this article. If you are interested to know what these restaurants are, scroll down and continue reading.
Best 24 Hour Fast Food
1. Dunkin’ Donuts
An American fast food restaurant, Dunkin’ Donuts was established by Bill Rosenberg in Quincy, Massachusetts. Dunkin’ is one of the leading coffee shop and donut shop chains around the world, with about 12,900 stores in 42 countries. Donuts, bagels, coffee, and “Munchkins” donut holes are some of its specialties.
For individuals who may need their coffee and doughnut fix, there are many Dunkin’ Donuts locations that are open 24 hours a day. A growing portion of their menu consists of items other than donuts. You may now have a steak and egg sandwich, ham and cheese, or their Big and Toasted, which includes two eggs, bacon, and cheese on Texas toast, whenever you want at participating or most locations.
2. IHOP (International House Of Pancakes)
IHOP is a multinational American restaurant chain with a specialization on American morning dishes. It is owned by Dine Brands Global, a business established following IHOP’s acquisition of Applebee’s, and 99% of the eateries are independently owned and operated franchisees.
Although IHOP specializes in breakfast cuisine, it also provides a lunch and dinner menu. IHOP has a lunch and dinner menu in addition to its emphasis on breakfast meals. In the Americas (the United States, Canada, Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, and Guatemala), the Middle East (the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar), and the Indian Subcontinent (India and Pakistan), the company operates 1,841 locations, which include 161 that are owned by local licensees and 1,680 that are franchised. The chain’s minimum operation hours are 7:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m., even though many of its outlets are open 24 hours a day.
International House Of Pancakes or IHOP is one of the best restaurants to go if you’re craving for fried chicken. You may grab an all day breakfast or pancakes whenever you want because almost every IHop location in the US is open 24 hours a day. Therefore, it is always a safe bet if there is an IHop close by.
Only a few IHOP restaurants, mostly in large cities, are open around-the-clock, and those that do usually stay up until at least 10 p.m. during the week and on weekends till midnight. There aren’t many 24-hour chains that serve a finer breakfast after midnight, complete with plenty of pancakes, waffles, crêpes, omelettes, and French toast. However, the dinner options, which also include burgers, fried chicken, and sirloin steak tips, are also quite good.
3. Waffle House
Waffle House is an American restaurant brand with 1,900 locations in 25 states. The chain’s majority of outlets are in the South, where it is a well-known local institution. In the Atlanta metropolitan region, in Norcross, Georgia, is where Waffle House is headquartered.
Every Waffle House location is open every day of the year, 24 hours a day. You should try visiting your local waffle house if you want a midnight snack.
The restaurant advertises that it sells more of its menu items than any other business in the world, including its signature waffles, ham, pork chops, grits, and T-bone steaks. Additionally, it states that it serves 2% of all eggs in the United States.
Waffle House goes above and beyond to keep all of its locations open around-the-clock, regardless of bad weather or national emergencies. Therefore, if there is a Waffle House nearby, you can always count on this business to provide you with food at odd hours.
Waffle House is the standard late-night business. When they state that all of their sites are open around-the-clock, they really mean it. Not only are they open on major holidays, but they also stock up on supplies when a major storm is approaching to ensure that they won’t run out of anything. Indeed, emergency management teams even have a “Waffle House Index” they use to assess the severity of a natural disaster because if the neighborhood Waffle House is closed, it must be awful. The cuisine is also unbeatable; whether you’re seeking breakfast, lunch, or a t bone steak, they can satisfy almost every late-night craving or if you just want a decent meal.
4. Burger King
Another American restaurant that is opened 24 hours a day is Burger King. Burger King (BK) is a global chain of fast-food restaurants serving hamburgers.
Burger King’s menu has broadened to include a wider variety of items in addition to its standard selection of burgers, French fries, drinks, and milkshakes. The “Whopper,” which was included to the menu for the first time in 1957, has now come to symbolize Burger King. Burger King, on the other hand, has released numerous products that did not succeed commercially. In other countries where Burger King has likewise adapted its menu for local tastes, some of these flops in the US have achieved success.
You might not think of this fast food chain right away when considering eating at odd hours of the night. However, many of their stores are genuinely open around-the-clock. This implies that you can have a Whopper or a Chicken Royale whenever you want.
5. Whataburger
Whataburger is a chain of regional fast food restaurants in the United States with its corporate headquarters and base in San Antonio, Texas. In 1950, the busines, which was started by Harmon Dobson and Paul Burton, opened its first restaurant in Corpus Christi, Texas. The chain was until 2019 family-owned by the Dobsons; it is currently run by a private equity company, with the Dobson family still owning a minor portion.
More than 670 locations, 126 of which are franchised, are located in Texas, along with more than 150 in New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and the southern United States.
Whataburger has long been recognized for its distinctive A-framed buildings with orange and white striped roofs. The 24th Whataburger to open its doors, the first A-frame restaurant was constructed in Odessa, Texas, and was a historical monument. In 2019, the location was demolished, and a new structure was constructed.
The “Whataburger”, the “Whataburger Jr.”, the “Triple Meat Whataburger”, the “Bacon & Cheese Whataburger”, the “Justaburger”, the “Whatacatch”, and the “Whatachick’n” are among the company’s signature dishes.
The majority of Whataburger restaurants are open 24 hours a day and serve their whole menu at all times. And it’s not just about burgers, there are also pancakes, biscuit sandwiches, cheese taquitos, and grilled and fried chicken sandwiches available.
6. McDonald’s
McDonald’s is recognized throughout the world for keeping its doors open round-the-clock, yet just a few of their locations truly provide this service. Despite this, McDonald’s is renowned for being a pioneer in this industry. There is a very high likelihood that your local McDonald’s will be open for you to acquire your Big Mac even though not all of them are open 24/7.
7. Jack in the Box
Robert O. Peterson founded the American fast food restaurant company, Jack in the Box on February 21, 1951. The chain, which mostly serves the West Coast of the United States, has more than 2,200 outlets.
There are numerous types of chicken tenders and French fries, as well as hamburger and cheeseburger sandwiches and a variety of dishes with an international flair, like tacos and egg rolls.
Besides tacos, Jack in the Box also sells egg rolls, breakfast burritos, and poppers, which are ethnic delicacies that have been Americanized. Every three to four months, new products are added to the menu, including the Philly cheesesteak and the deli-style pannidos (deli trio, ham & turkey, zesty turkey), which were replaced by Jack’s ciabatta burger, which also featured the bacon-and-cheese ciabatta and the original ciabatta burger. During the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons, Jack in the Box also sells seasonal goods including eggnog shakes, Oreo mint shakes, and pumpkin pie shakes. Local specialties are a frequent feature of the menu in some places.
The taco, which Jack in the Box has been selling since opening its first restaurant in the 1950s, is its most well-liked item despite being better known for its hamburgers. If you have a craving for Mexican food, this is perfect for you. As of 2017, the business was selling 554 million products produced in three plants in Texas and Kansas annually. The taco is unique in that it is made in facilities in Texas and Kansas using hard taco shells and meat, which is then frozen for storage and transportation. It is then deep-fried at the restaurant and dressed with lettuce, cheese, and mild taco sauce before being served.
Most of the more than 2,250 Jack in the Box stores are open around-the-clock, and drive-thru make up the majority of their late-night business. But in 2013, they introduced a new late-night approach to get customers in, turning up the dance music, outfitting staff in purple and black uniforms, and offering $6 special dish combos starting at 9 p.m. until 5 a.m.
8. Denny’s
It is an American chain of table-service diner-style restaurants that also goes by the name Denny’s Diner on some of the locations’ signage. It runs more than 1,700 restaurants in several countries.
Denny’s was renowned for its 24-hour availability of breakfast, lunch, and dinner when it first started out as a coffee shop called Danny’s Donuts. Unless otherwise mandated by law, Denny’s did not close on holidays or at night. Nearby bars, in-service areas, and motorway exits are all locations of many restaurants.
The low-key table service restaurants offer an expansive menu that is generally accessible 24/7. To help satisfy just about every craving, there is everything from the famous Grand Slam breakfast to chicken-fried steak, burgers, salads, pot roast, spaghetti & meatballs, and sirloin steak. The restaurant franchise takes itself in being “always open, always inviting, and always offering up hearty diner food with a mug of fresh hot coffee”.
Since 1963, when Denny’s began franchising, most of its establishments are currently owned by franchisees. In most cases, franchise agreements call for round-the-clock support. Many Denny’s had to close for the first time due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s effects on the American restaurant sector, and they may now only be open during certain hours.
9. Steak ‘n Shake
Many Steak ‘n Shake locations are open around-the-clock. So even if this isn’t your preferred fast-food restaurant, you can still get a nice burger. Most Steak ‘n Shake locations serve their main meals from the end of breakfast, often 10AM to midnight, then after they revert back to their breakfast menu. Therefore, depending on when you visit, your options could be a little bit limited, though you can always get your hands on a wonderful meal from this fast food joint.
10. Perkins
In the US and Canada, Perkins has more than 400 outlets; several of its franchises have the option of operating around-the-clock. Those who are fortunate enough to live close to a 24-hour Perkins can enjoy a large selection of omelettes and egg dishes, Southern fried chicken pancakes, biscuits, Belgian waffles, salads, sandwiches, and dishes with fewer than 600 calories. Be sure to try their pie because every restaurant also has a bakery.
11. Taco Cabana
In Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico, Taco Cabana has more than 160 outlets, the majority of which are open round-the-clock. The chain’s patio dining areas and daily preparation of the majority of its menu items, including tortillas, are its two most recognizable features. They make excellent breakfast tacos, and their Cabana Plates, particularly those with shredded brisket, are the epitome of drunk food.