Are all McDonald’s really open 24 hours?

Weekday or weekend, every day is Fry Day for McD lovers. McDonald’s, reflective of modern American cuisine, has been serving the staple dishes—crispy fries, cheesy hamburgers, and syrupy apple pie since 1950 (via McDonald’s). Mickey D’s Big Mac is the first choice for late-night cravings, during a serious streaming session on Netflix. Therefore, the accessibility of nearby outlets becomes essential.

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“McDonald’s feeds 25 million people per day, which is about 7.5% of the US population,” reports Finance Online. With its customer base and public popularity constantly climbing success stairs, the operational hours of McD play a vital role in sustaining its image as a fan favorite.

So, what’s the beef? While most of the outlets promise 24/7 availability, it is common knowledge that we often find those golden slices of goodness out of reach during certain hours.
This pops up the question: Are all McDonald’s open 24 hours?

What does 24/7 mean for McD?
The meaning of 24 hours is as diverse as McDonald’s menu – containing a wide array of cheap items, sodium-filled cheesy treats, and several healthy food options. While some mean partially open, others can convey available only “when it is convenient for us,” according to a customer’s experience posted on Consumerist.

McDonald’s noted a significant rise in its outlets being open and available to serve. The number surged from 0.5 in 2002 to 40% in 2007, as per a Bloomberg report. By 2008, around 50% of the outlets stay open at least once a week. According to Mickey D’s report to 24/7 Wall Street, “more than 30% of its 13,700 US stores are up 24 hours, seven days a week.” It further adds that “over 50% are open 24 hours at least one day a week.”

The need for the “24 hours” approach is to meet the rising needs without investing in real estate. Getting an outlet to run for longer hours is more economic for new-generation McDonald’s than building a new one. It has aimed at maintaining the consistency of sales per site by retaining and, in fact, increasing its overall profitability. Also Read: McDosa For Breakfast?

Dependent on McProfit
It comes without a shock that the answer for “Are all McDonald’s open 24 hours” is negative. McDonald’s logo is highly popular but its history has mystery, just how the knowledge about its working hours is not an open secret. The decision to whether a store qualifies to be open 24/7 is based on several factors.

The primary factor is business, of course. If a store or the area, in general, generates good profit for the brand, its doors are always open. The location also comes in handy, for example, an outlet near a suburban area is likely to do better business as Business Insider defines the biggest McDonald’s
consumer as “a married white woman between the ages of 41 and 56.”

Another reason is based on cost-effectiveness. Is it practical to pay more employees or to save resources and stick with the “operational at busy hours” approach? The answer usually varies.

To conclude, quick research can always come in handy to find out whether the store is available or the burger-for-night is out of reach.