5 Fast Food Places Where You Can Get a Burger for Breakfast

Sometimes, you just need a juicy, meaty burger. Sometimes, that time is 7 a.m. Usually, finding a hamburger is a piece of cake; you can find fast food chains dappled across the Untied States, and most offer burgers and fries for lunch and dinner. But what about the underrated breakfast burger? Well, that’s less plentiful. Chains such as McDonald’s, which no longer serves all-day breakfast, and Burger King have breakfast and regular menus that are served at different times. It’s all so restrictive, honestly. What are you to do if you want a burger and fries while the roosters are crowing? 

It may seem impossible, but it’s not. Quite the contrary, actually: We found five fast food chains that let you live out your morning burger dreams. Whether or not you enjoy your burger with hash browns or french fries is up to you, though picking between a soda or coffee to sip might prove a touch more complicated. Then again, the stomach wants what it wants.

Jack in the Box is known for its eclectic menu ranging from burgers and tacos to wraps and even egg rolls. Many of the over 2,000 United States Jack in the Box locations are open 24 hours to boot, which means you can probably grab a meal from the quirky fast food giant at any hour. To accompany its 24-hour schedule, the chain serves its whole menu all day, perhaps to avoid confusion in the kitchen or for customers. This means you can order breakfast at midnight and, yes, a burger for breakfast.

If you’re looking for a breakfast sandwich served with bread other than the typical biscuit or English muffin, Jack in the Box has you covered: The chain offers a line of sandwiches called Breakfast Jacks that are made with a burger bun, an egg, a slice of cheese, and one breakfast meat option from ham, sausage, or bacon. But fret not, burger enthusiasts; Jack in the Box also serves up its whole burger menu (including the iconic Sourdough Jack). Feel free to pull up to your local Jack in the box drive-thru anytime, day or night, for a beefy, cheesy bite.

Sonic is America’s drive-in, and it’s more than just a slogan — it’s the national restaurant chain’s defining quality. There is just something about the experience: Parking and rolling down the window to order, enjoying a breeze with your cherry limeade, letting yourself unwind after (or before) a long day. It’s nostalgic, a bit whimsical, and most always delicious. But let’s add a twinkle more magic to the experience; on top of the convenience of curbside ordering, Sonic also offers its menu all day. This means you can have a breakfast burger at the chain, or anything else you’d like, whenever you want (as long as the location is open). 

Don’t worry, you have plenty of burger options at Sonic: With 10 burgers listed on the menu, including smash burgers, which are more than just really thin burger patties, you might just make a morning burger a regular occasion. Maybe order some mozzarella sticks, onion rings, or a hot dog while you’re at it, or a refreshing and oh-so-blue Ocean Water. It really puts a new spin on having it your way. Perhaps Burger King ought to take some notes.

Whataburger has deep, delicious Texas roots. The quintessentially Southern chain is well-known for its orange décor and signature burgers. It currently has over 1,000 locations across the United States, many of which are in the South, though the chain is expanding pretty rapidly for good reason: Burgers are served all day. Since many locations are open 24/7, we really do mean all day. Though Whataburger’s breakfast menu is limited to 11 p.m. through 11 a.m., the chain serves its dinner and lunch offerings at all hours. Don’t you mind the edicts of common practice; order that burger at the crack of dawn and enjoy!

If you want to straddle the line between Whataburger’s regular and breakfast menu, you can order a breakfast burger. At one point, the breakfast burger only came once in a blue moon: It was originally released in 2019 at a limited capacity, and then again in 2022. However, it’s now available on the permanent menu.

First established in California, Carl’s Jr. now extends as far east as Florida. However, its locations are still highly concentrated in the west, with its fast food sibling Hardee’s holding more locations in the south and east. The two chains share similar menus and an identical star-faced mascot, but there are some key differences. 

One key division between the two chains lies in the availability of burgers during breakfast time. While Hardee’s doesn’t begin serving burgers until around 10:30 a.m. or 11:00 a.m., depending on the location, Carl’s Jr. offers burgers all day. In fact, like Whataburger, Carl’s Jr. even offers a special breakfast burger on its menu, and like so many Carl’s Jr. burgers, it’s a sight to behold. It consists of a beef patty, bacon, eggs, hash browns, ketchup, and American cheese, served on a sesame seed bun. Sure, it might have you reaching for your jar of Tums before noon, but it just might prove to be the most delicious breakfast you’ve ever had.

Not too long ago, there was a time when you could rely on Steak ‘n Shake to offer burgers, fries, and shakes 24 hours a day, seven days a week. However, outside of a few outlying locations, that is no longer the case, and while many Steak ‘n Shake locations offer service until midnight, some locations are no longer open in the mornings. 

For this reason, there is an asterisk lodged in the corner of this breakfast burger recommendation. However, if you’re lucky enough to live near a Steak ‘n Shake that is either 24/7 or open in the mornings, you can rely on Steak ‘n Shake to serve you a tasty burger and shake for breakfast. In fact, lunch may be all you can get from a Steak ‘n Shake in the mornings; it seems the chain, or many locations, have eliminated breakfast menus entirely. However, it’s important to note that restaurant hours vary based on location, so you might still have to wait until 10 a.m. or 11 a.m. to order a burger.