A Complete Guide to McDonald’s Lunch Hours and the Lunch Menu
Everyone loves a classic McDonald’s hamburger and world-famous fries for lunch. Since opening its doors in 1955, the McDonald’s lunch menu has continued to grow, offering customers new menu items, including chicken, sandwiches, and more.
McDonald’s lunch starts at 10:30 or 11 am and ends at closing time, or 5 am if the restaurant is open 24 hours. You cannot order lunch at McDonald’s during breakfast hours. McDonald’s lunch menu includes combo meals, individual items, $1 $2 $3 Dollar Menu items, and limited specials like 2 for $6 and BOGO for $1.
In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into McDonald’s lunch hours and the McDonald’s lunch menu. We will also cover the McDonald’s Dollar Menu, the McDonald’s secret menu, and some of McDonald’s greatest lunch specials.
| Regular McDonald’s Breakfast and Lunch Hours | Monday-Friday | Saturday & Sunday |
| Breakfast Start | 5 am | 5 am |
| Breakfast End | 10:30 or 11 am | 11 am |
| Lunch Start | 10:30 or 11 am | 11 am |
| Lunch End | Until closing | Until closing |
| 24-hour McDonald’s Breakfast and Lunch Hours | Monday-Friday | Saturday & Sunday |
| Breakfast Start | 5 am | 5 am |
| Breakfast End | 10:30 or 11 am | 11 am |
| Lunch Start | 10:30 or 11 am | 11 am |
| Lunch End | 5 am | 5 am |
What Time Does McDonald’s Start Serving Lunch?
On the weekdays (Monday-Friday), McDonald’s starts serving lunch at 10:30 am or 11 am depending on the restaurant. McDonald’s lunch hours start at 11 am on Saturday and Sunday, when they no longer serve breakfast.
According to McDonald’s, most of their locations are franchise-owned. They leave the decision on when to start serving lunch up to the owner and what works best for their restaurant. Therefore, you may see differing lunch start times among McDonald’s locations (10:30 am or 11 am).
Lunch at McDonald’s starts at 11 am on the weekends because the demand for breakfast is higher on Saturday and Sunday than it is during the weekday. 24-hour McDonald’s typically starts lunch at the same time as regular McDonald’s.
Customers can start ordering from the lunch menu whenever the McDonald’s location has ended its breakfast hours.
You can read our article to find more information on McDonald’s breakfast hours and menu items.
Hi, friend! Individual restaurants make some decisions in regard to their business, including the menu availability times at their location. Please check with your local store for their direct times for lunch hours.
— McDonald’s (@McDonalds) May 13, 2020
What Time Does McDonald’s Stop Serving Lunch?
The time that McDonald’s has set to end lunch/ dinner service depends on whether they are a 24-hour restaurant or not. Regular McDonald’s locations stop serving lunch at closing time, and the 24-hour McDonald’s restaurants stop serving lunch at 5 am.
The McDonald’s lunch and dinner times fall into the same category because the same menu is used through both lunch and dinner.
Regular McDonald’s close the restaurant for the night after the lunch/dinner service. 24-hour McDonald’s will start serving breakfast after 5 am.
Again, the time when your local 24-hour McDonald’s stops serving lunch and starts offering the breakfast menu depends on the franchise owner. Although most locations choose to stop lunch around 4-5 am.
Many 24-hour McDonald’s restaurants will only offer late-night lunch/dinner service through the drive-thru. In addition, they often close down the dining room late at night and reopen it at 5 am for breakfast.
You can find the opening and closing times for the McDonald’s restaurant closest to you by using the McDonald’s Restaurant Locator.
Craving lunch for breakfast can be a bummer, Sam. Be sure to stop by during regular lunch hours, and we’ll have one waiting for you. 😉
— McDonald’s (@McDonalds) August 23, 2019
Can You Order Lunch at McDonald’s During Breakfast?
Most McDonald’s locations do not serve lunch menu items during breakfast. However, if it is close to the start of lunch service, some cooks may already have lunch menu items set up and have started cooking, so it’s more likely for them to allow it closer to 10 am.
Unfortunately, popular lunch menu items such as McDonald’s burgers, the Big Mac, French fries, and Chicken Nuggets are not available during breakfast time.
Customers have to wait until 10:30 or 11 am to order these menu items whenever their location starts serving lunch.
According to McDonald’s, they do not have enough demand to justify running the burger grill in the morning during breakfast hours and having chefs prepare the lunch menu items.
In addition, burgers and eggs cannot be cooked on the same grill because they need to be cooked at different temperatures. This makes serving lunch menu items during breakfast more difficult than it may seem.
What Is McDonald’s Lunch Menu?
McDonald’s lunch menu includes a variety of combo meals, individual items, and dollar menu items. You can order burgers, fries, chicken nuggets, chicken and fish sandwiches, and sweet treats like apple pie and chocolate chip cookies.
Here is a complete list of McDonald’s lunch menu items broken down by category, including the calories and price. Keep in mind that prices may vary by location and are subject to change.
| McDonald’s Lunch Menu Item | Calories | Price |
| Big Mac | 550 | $5.29 |
| Quarter Pounder with Cheese | 520 | $5.19 |
| Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese | 740 | $6.89 |
| Quarter Pounder with Cheese Deluxe | 630 | $6.19 |
| McDouble | 380 | $2.69 |
| Bacon McDouble | 460 | $2.99 |
| Bacon Quarter Pounder with Cheese | 630 | $6.39 |
| Double Bacon Quarter Pounder with Cheese | 820 | $7.59 |
| Cheeseburger | 300 | $2.09 |
| Double Cheeseburger | 450 | $3.19 |
| Triple Cheeseburger | 540 | $4.39 |
| Hamburger | 250 | $1.39 |
| Chicken and Sandwiches | ||
| Spicy Deluxe Crispy Chicken Sandwich | 540 | $5.39 |
| Crispy Chicken Sandwich | 470 | $4.39 |
| Spicy Crispy Chicken Sandwich | 530 | $4.69 |
| Deluxe Crispy Chicken Sandwich | 530 | $5.39 |
| 4-piece Chicken McNuggets | 170 | $2.39 |
| 6-piece Chicken McNuggets | 250 | $3.49 |
| 10-piece Chicken McNuggets | 420 | $5.19 |
| 20-piece Chicken McNuggets | 830 | $8.49 |
| McChicken | 400 | $1.99 |
| Hot and Spicy McChicken | 400 | $1.99 |
| Filet-O-Fish | 380 | $4.99 |
| Combo Meals (Include Fries & Soft Drink) | ||
| Big Mac Meal | 870 – 1110 | $8.89 |
| Quarter Pounder with Cheese Meal | 840 – 1080 | $8.29 |
| Quarter Pounder with Cheese Deluxe Meal | 950 – 1190 | $8.99 |
| Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese Meal | 1060 – 1300 | $9.39 |
| Bacon Quarter Pounder with Cheese Meal | 950 – 1190 | $9.29 |
| Double Bacon Quarter Pounder with Cheese Meal | 1220 – 1460 | $10.49 |
| 2 Cheeseburger Meal | 920 – 1160 | $7.69 |
| Crispy Chicken Sandwich Meal | 790 – 1030 | $7.79 |
| Spicy Crispy Chicken Sandwich Meal | 850 – 1090 | $7.99 |
| Deluxe Crispy Chicken Sandwich Meal | 850 – 1090 | $8.99 |
| Spicy Deluxe Crispy Chicken Sandwich Meal | 860 – 1110 | $8.99 |
| 6-piece Chicken McNuggets Meal | 290 – 1140 | $5.79 |
| 10-piece Chicken McNuggets Meal | 740 – 980 | $8.69 |
| Filet-O-Fish Meal | 700 – 940 | $8.69 |
| Snacks & Sides | ||
| World Famous Fries | 220 | $2.69 |
| Apple Slices | 15 | $0.69 |
| Baked Apple Pie | 250 | $1.49 |
| Chocolate Chip Cookie | 160 | $0.89 |
Happy Meals are also available on the McDonald’s lunch menu costing between $4-6. Kids have the choice between a hamburger, 4-piece Chicken McNuggets, or 6-piece Chicken McNuggets. Each Happy Meal comes with fries, apple slices, milk or water, and a toy.
There is a wide array of beverage choices on the McDonald’s lunch menu, including soft drinks, coffees, smoothies, McFlurry, and more.
Save on lunch now with the $3 Classic Chicken Sandwich from the new $1 $2 $3 Dollar Menu, so you can splurge on an upgrade later. pic.twitter.com/IYpdmDDfns
— McDonald’s (@McDonalds) February 13, 2018
What Is on McDonald’s Dollar Menu for Lunch?
The McDonald’s lunch menu includes a dollar menu that you can order several of McDonald’s most popular items at just $1, $2, or $3. The $1 $2 $3 Dollar menu provides customers with many choices, including individual items, beverages, and sweet treats.
The McDonald’s $1 $2 $3 Dollar Menu includes:
- McChicken
- Cheeseburger
- Double Cheeseburger
- Hamburger
- Double Hamburger
- McDouble
- Bacon McDouble
- 4-piece Chicken McNuggets
- 4-piece Chicken McNuggets Happy Meal
- World Famous Fries
- Plain Sundaes
- McCafe Beverages
- Apple Pie
- Soft Drinks
The $1 $2 $3 Dollar Menu will rotate through different menu items, and some locations may offer other dollar menu options. However, you can always find the McDouble, McChicken, Chicken McNuggets, and Fries on any McDonald’s Dollar Menu.
What Are McDonald’s Lunch Specials?
Other than the $1 $2 $3 Dollar Menu, the McDonald’s lunch menu offers some additional lunch specials to save a few extra dollars. Two of the most popular McDonald’s lunch specials include the 2 for $6 and the BOGO (Buy One Get One) for $1.
One McDonald’s lunch special perfect for splitting with someone else is the 2 for $6 deal. With this deal, you can choose between two Big Macs, Quarter Pounder, 10-piece Chicken McNuggets, or Filet-O-Fish for just $6.
McDonald’s will run the BOGO for a $1 special for a limited time, periodically throughout the year.
The McDonald’s BOGO lunch special allows customers to purchase a select menu item (usually a Big Mac, Quarter Pounder with Cheese, Filet-O-Fish, and 10-pc McNuggets) and receive a second select menu item of equal or lesser value for $1 more.
McDonald’s offers 3-4 lunch specials at a time, although these specials are typically dependent on new menu items or services offered at McDonald’s.
Downloading the McDonald’s app and signing up for MyMcDonald’s Rewards is the easiest way to learn of McDonald’s latest, limited deals.
An added perk to downloading the McDonald’s app and signing up is receiving your free choice of Hash Browns, Vanilla Cone, McChicken, or a Cheeseburger after your first purchase.
Are McDonald’s Lunch and Dinner Menus the Same?
The McDonald’s lunch and dinner menus are exactly the same. Typically, McDonald’s dinner service starts at 5 pm and continues until closing or when breakfast starts at 5 am the following day.
Some items on the McDonald’s dinner menu may become unavailable after midnight that is available all day on the lunch menu.
These menu items often include the Spicy Crispy Chicken Sandwich and 40-piece Chicken McNuggets. Excluded menu items will vary by location.
Not that there’s a secret menu or anything, but if there was, what’s your order?
— McDonald’s (@McDonalds) June 1, 2017
Does McDonald’s Have a Secret Menu?
McDonald’s does have a secret menu. The McDonald’s secret menu includes burgers, sandwiches, and sweet treats. In addition, the secret menu consists of some unique twists to your McDonald’s lunch menu favorites.
One of the most popular secret menu items is the Grilled Cheese. Just as it sounds, this menu item is grilled buns with cheese in between and usually costs $1.
The Land, Sea, and Air Burger are some of the largest items offered on the McDonald’s secret menu. This secret menu sandwich combines a Big Mac, Filet-O-Fish, and McChicken all in one. The sandwich costs $8.50.
Another colossal sandwich you can order off the secret menu is the Monster Mac. This Big Mac includes 8 beef patties and the option of 8 slices of cheese!
Some popular sweet treats available on McDonald’s secret menu include the McCrepe, the Apple Pie McFlurry, the Ice Cream Sandwich, and the Caramel Apple Sundae.
Conclusion
Now you know exactly what and when you can order from the McDonald’s lunch menu. Be sure to check with your local McDonald’s to confirm their specific lunch hours and lunch menu items.
While most McDonald’s won’t allow you to order lunch during breakfast service, it never hurts to ask, especially as the time nears 10 am. Once it hits lunchtime, don’t forget to take advantage of McDonald’s amazing deals (including the $1 $2 $3 Dollar Menu) and order some unique items off the secret menu to spice up your order.
If you’re interested in finding out more tips about McDonald’s, check out the related articles below.
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All You Need to Know About McDonald’s Big Mac and the Big Mac Sauce
Deconstructing McDonald’s Happy Meal and the Happy Meal Toys
McDonald’s Desserts: What You Need to Know Before Ordering
McDonald’s Delivery: How to Order McDonald’s Online Using McDelivery
