Consumers who have late-night cravings for Chicken McNuggets will be able to fulfill them starting this weekend.
A “vast majority” of McDonald’s restaurants are expected to open until midnight or later, with a growing number returning to 24-hour operations, starting this weekend as part of a summertime promotion of late-night hours.
It comes amid a massive hiring push at the Chicago-based fast-food giant as it works to boost lagging sales. Most of those locations that do not open later are in shopping malls and other areas where there are restrictions on operations.
McDonald’s is planning a big advertising push this weekend to highlight the late-night hours, including a giveaway of 1,000 virtual gift cards for McCrispy Strips on Instagram.
The company will also give away the chicken strip product during three major concerts, Beyonce in East Rutherford, New Jersey, The Weeknd in Detroit and Kendrick Lamar in Los Angeles. Late-night hours can capture occasions from consumers hungry following concerts and other events.
The effort comes as McDonald’s works to boost lagging sales. Same-store sales declined 3.6% in the first quarter, the chain’s worst performance since the pandemic. More operating hours typically yield more sales, and McDonald’s has been working with franchisees for months on the late-night hours.
There will be some restrictions on the menu during late-night hours, with items like the Double Filet O’ Fish unavailable for logistical reasons. What is unavailable could vary by location, but franchisees will be required to serve certain items like the Quarter Pounder, Chicken McNuggets and McCrispy Strips.
The expanded hours represent perhaps the last remaining barrier to post-pandemic normalization, at least at McDonald’s. The company pulled back on operating hours after COVID hit in 2020 so franchisees could preserve cash.
While much of McDonald’s business returned to normal in 2021, most restaurants restricted hours because they couldn’t find workers. But more restaurants are fully staffed, paving the way for a renewed push for late-night hours.
One reason for the company’s recent announcement that it is hiring 375,000 workers this summer is to help operators staff those late-night hours.
To be sure, McDonald’s will have plenty of competition. Several chains have expanded hours in recent years in a bid to recapture business lost after the pandemic, including Jack in the Box and Wendy’s.
There has historically been concern among franchisees that more hours would reduce profitability, particularly at a time when labor costs are high.
In operating for longer, companies typically hope to leverage fixed costs, such as corporate overhead. But it can be difficult to recruit workers willing to work during those hours, which can increase wage rates and thus offset that profitability. That McDonald’s is undertaking this effort is a sign that labor is less of a concern than it had been in recent years.
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