9 Fast Food Chains That Serve Burgers During Breakfast Hours

What is breakfast if not a construct? Sometimes you just don't feel like eating eggs, bacon, toast, or other morning staples during typical breakfast hours, and we're here to tell you that's okay. You're not alone if you want to bite into a nice, juicy burger while everyone else is still on their first cup of coffee. But where can you get a quick, convenient, tasty burger before lunchtime? The list may not be as long as we'd all like, but we still found quite a few fast food chains where you can snag a burger in the morning, including Sonic, Carl's Jr., and Jack in the Box.

Before we get started, let's determine what time frame constitutes breakfast hours. McDonald's, one of the most popular and most widely available fast food chains in the U.S., famously stops serving its breakfast menu at 10:30 a.m. or 11 a.m., depending on the location. The chain has offered all-day breakfast in the past, but this posed a few issues, and many locations have returned to a late-morning cutoff. For the sake of consistency, we're going to borrow this 10:30 a.m. limit to define the end of breakfast hours. On the other end of the spectrum, let's call 5 a.m. the starting point, as that's when most McDonald's (including many of its 24-hour locations) start offering the breakfast menu. So, let's explore where you can find a tasty, satisfying burger before the sun gets too high in the sky.

Sonic (Drive-In, not Hedgehog) began in 1953 as a root beer stand in Shawnee, Oklahoma, but these days, it's a chain restaurant spanning 46 states known for its burgers, shakes, numerous beverages, and roller-skating carhops. This chain does offer breakfast, and in the past, it's even been named one of the best breakfast franchise opportunities out there, but fortunately for the burger lovers among us, it also offers lunchtime options before that all-important cutoff time.

Most Sonic locations are open from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m., and the brand's website specifies that it serves its entire menu all day long. We confirmed these hours with several locations across the U.S., but since many Sonic restaurants are franchised, this may vary depending on your location. If you're unsure, check your nearest store's hours or give them a call.

If you want a Sonic burger before 10:30 a.m., you have plenty of options to choose from. You can always stick with the classics and get the chain's flagship Sonic Cheeseburger (which comes topped with cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, onions, ketchup, and mayo). Or, you can try one of its Smasher options, like the Bacon Deluxe Double Sonic Smasher that comes with two flattened, seared Angus beef patties. And if you think Texas toast sounds tastier than traditional burger buns, the Cheesy Bacon Sonic Stack has your back.

Culver's originated in Sauk City, Wisconsin, but in the time since it opened in 1984, it has spread to 26 states with 1,000 total locations. This chain, started by the Culver family, is known for its frozen custard and ButterBurgers (the namesake butter comes on a toasted bun), and luckily, it does offer these beloved burgers before the breakfast clock strikes 10:30 a.m.

Admittedly, though, that window is pretty slim. As we confirmed over the phone with several locations spread across the U.S., most Culver's locations open at 10 a.m. and close at 10 p.m., so if you want some buttery burger goodness during breakfast time, you have 30 minutes after the restaurant opens (if you're adhering to our self-imposed deadline, of course).

As for what burgers you can snag at Culver's, you can always spring for the aforementioned ButterBurger, which the chain describes as a "family specialty." This offering comes topped with pickles, ketchup, mustard, and onions if you order the works, and it can come with American, cheddar, or Swiss cheese if you so desire. Other burger options include a Mushroom & Swiss burger, a Sourdough Melt, a Wisconsin Swiss Melt, and The Culver's Deluxe, which features Wisconsin cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, red onions, and the chain's signature mayo (you can also order a bacon-topped version if that's more your speed). If you're torn between all these options, you're in luck — we've ranked Culver's burgers from worst to best.

Corpus Christi, Texas was home to the first Whataburger, which opened way back in 1950. Since then, the chain has expanded significantly, opening over 1,000 locations across 15 states, including its first South Carolina location in 2024. Whataburger is known for — of course — its burgers, though it also offers breakfast, as well as select chicken and fish dishes. While many locations offer breakfast between 11 a.m. and 11 p.m., the chain's burgers are available at any time, and most locations are open around the clock. As the chain's website states (and as we confirmed over the phone), "Your Whataburger will be made just like you like it, 24 hours a day, seven days a week." As is often the case with restaurant chains, however, hours and policies may vary by location, so check with your nearest store if you want to guarantee a burger during breakfast time.

Now, on to the good stuff: Whataburger's main offering is its namesake burger, which comes with tomato, lettuce, pickles, diced onions, and mustard. You can add plenty of other toppings to the beef patty, too, like bacon, jalapeños, avocados, grilled peppers, and onions. These options are also found on other Whataburger sandwiches, like the Jalapeño & Cheese Whataburger, the Avocado Bacon Burger, and the Bacon & Cheese Whataburger.

Smashburger, co-founded by chain restaurant legend Tom Ryan, who's worked with both Pizza Hut and McDonald's, isn't as old as some chains on this list. It's only been around since 2007, when the first store opened in Denver, Colorado, but since that time, it has grown to include over 200 restaurants across 31 states. The restaurant's menu doesn't mention anything about breakfast, but most locations open at either 10 a.m. or 10:30 a.m. As just two examples, we called a store located on Michigan Avenue in Chicago and another on Baseline Road in Mesa, Arizona that open at 10 a.m., but to prevent disappointment, we recommend calling your nearest location to confirm its hours.

The Classic Smash is this chain's go-to burger offering, and you can expect it to come topped with American cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, pickles, and ketchup, as well as a concoction known as Smash Sauce. Smashburger is pretty private about the contents of this sauce, but allergen information for the Classic Smash notes that it contains mustard, distilled vinegar, turmeric, and paprika, among other ingredients. The chain's other burger offerings include the Bacon Stack Smash, the Spicy Jalapeño Smash, the BBQ Bacon Smash, the Truffle Mushroom Smash, and the Veggie Smash (which features a vegetarian black bean patty).

Del Taco, which opened its first location in Yermo, California in 1964, is often pitted against Taco Bell, but its surprisingly varied menu features one item Taco Bell doesn't offer: a cheeseburger. While it's definitely possible to snag this burger during the morning hours, this will depend on your location and the policies of your nearest store.

According to Del Taco's website, most locations either operate 24 hours a day or open daily at 10 a.m. The chain does have a breakfast menu, which the website specifies is available "during breakfast hours only," but no hours are listed, meaning this likely varies by location. Fortunately, a Reddit thread from 2022 indicates that Del Taco staff may be amenable to lunch menu requests during breakfast time. As one employee wrote, "[W]e serve lunch and dinner at all times, and we are totally not inconvenienced by [lunch orders during breakfast] because it's normal procedure to prep said foods at all times." Worth noting, however, is that many of Del Taco's locations are franchised, meaning breakfast hours and menu policies may vary from one store to another.

Del Taco's Double Del Cheeseburger comes with two beef patties and two slices of American cheese, as well as tomatoes, lettuce, diced onions, and burger sauce. This sauce (which, as far as we can tell, doesn't appear anywhere else on the menu) contains tomato paste, vinegar, and pickle relish, among other ingredients.

Carl's Jr. started as a hot dog cart in the 1940s, but fast-forward to the 21st century and you won't even find hot dogs on the menu. What this fast food chain's menu does offer, however, is breakfast, and more importantly for our purposes, this includes a breakfast burger. The restaurant's menu does specify that, much like McDonald's, it serves breakfast until 10:30 a.m. (depending on location). But thanks to this sandwich, you're practically guaranteed to find a burger of some description no matter when you pull up to the drive-thru.

Carl's Jr.'s aptly named Breakfast Burger comes with bacon, egg, American cheese, ketchup, and Hash Rounds (the chain's version of hash browns), all piled atop a seeded bun. If you're completely disillusioned with breakfast fare, you can customize the sandwich to omit the egg and Hash Rounds, leaving you with a pretty standard bacon cheeseburger. In fact, save for the onion rings and barbecue sauce, this customized sandwich almost perfectly mirrors the chain's Western Bacon Cheeseburger. If you're feeling bold, you can even try ordering something off the lunch menu during breakfast hours, like its Famous Star or Big Carl, but be prepared in case the staff turns you down.

Jack in the Box launched in 1951 and is now known for its anytime Munchie Meals (which are aimed at exactly who you think), so the chain is no stranger to late-night customers. Many locations are open 24 hours a day, and the restaurant's website even emphasizes that at Jack in the Box, you can "order what you want when you want it, while always getting it fast, hot, and fresh." Fortunately for the breakfast-avoidant among us, this policy extends to its full menu. As the chain explains, "We serve our full menu, including breakfast, all day every day." So, what exactly does this freedom get you at Jack in the Box?

This fast food powerhouse, which runs over 2,000 restaurants across the U.S., has several flagship sandwiches, one of which is the Jumbo Jack. This burger comes with all the standard toppings: lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions, ketchup, and mayonnaise — just remember that the base-level burger comes sans cheese. If you consider cheese mandatory (and who could blame you?), you might want to try the chain's Ultimate Cheeseburger, which forgoes the produce in favor of both American and Swiss cheese, as well as ketchup, mustard, and mayo. The Sourdough Jack is also a popular choice for those who prefer toasted bread over traditional burger buns. This sandwich comes with bacon, Swiss cheese, tomatoes, mayo, and ketchup.

White Castle may not sell full-size burgers, but it has arguably mastered the slider. The chain claims to have created the pint-sized sandwich when Billy Ingram opened the restaurant's first location in 1921, and while some contest this origin story, there's no denying that the chain popularized the slider as we know it today. White Castle's menu has more to offer, including breakfast, but fortunately for those of us who'd rather grab a few miniature hamburgers over waffles and eggs, the chain serves its full menu all day. Many stores are even open 24 hours, though this may vary by location.

White Castle offers a range of tiny sandwich options, but chief among them is the Original Slider. This sandwich keeps it minimal — its only toppings are onions and a single pickle slice. The chain also offers a version with either American cheese, jalapeño cheese, or smoked cheddar cheese, and if you're feeling extra hungry, grab the Double Cheese Slider, a two-patty version complete with a bun in the middle. You can also ask for a Bacon Cheese Slider. If you want a taste of White Castle history, try the 1921 Slider, which comes with caramelized onions, cheddar cheese, tomato, lettuce, and pickles.

Shake Shack is a bit of an outlier on this list. Like Carl's Jr., it started as a hot dog cart, though this one opened in 2001 in New York City's Madison Square Garden. Unlike Carl's Jr., Shake Shack still sells hot dogs and doesn't offer a breakfast menu (except for a handful of locations). Most stores open with the standard menu at 10:30 a.m., but if you happen to be traveling, you might manage to snag a burger during breakfast hours at one of the chain's airport locations.

For example, starting at 5:30 a.m. you can grab a Shake Shack meal from the chain's McCarran Airport location in Las Vegas, and if you happen to be flying into (or out of) the Denver Airport, you can get Shake Shack as early as 7 a.m. Check the website of your home airport to see if the chain has a store inside.

As for what you can expect to get from Shake Shack, the restaurant has no shortage of burgers to choose from. The ShackBurger seems to be its baseline offering, unless you count its Hamburger and Cheeseburger, which lack any default toppings. The ShackBurger comes with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, and ShackSauce — a proprietary mayo-based condiment rumored to include ketchup, mustard, pickles, garlic, and paprika, among other seasonings. Shake Shack also offers an Avocado Bacon Burger, a SmokeShack (topped with smoked bacon and cherry peppers), and a more straightforward Bacon Cheeseburger.