Fast-Food Chains Extend Late-Night Hours as 24-Hour Dining Fell 18% Since 2020

1 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 23

Wendy's, McDonald's, Burger King and Taco Bell are expanding late-night service again as restaurant traffic has ticked up since 2023, reversing part of a pandemic-era pullback.
An 18% drop in 24-hour restaurant service between 2020 and 2024 followed a 47% plunge in restaurant sales in April 2020, and many operators never restored overnight schedules.
Nearly 30% growth in U.S. away-from-home food prices since 2020, along with higher wages, staffing shortages, safety concerns and local rules, has made overnight shifts harder to run profitably.
Wendy's said about 90% of its restaurants now stay open until midnight or later, while chains see the strongest late-night demand near highways, airports and major cities rather than smaller towns.
Consumer habits still limit a full comeback: 37% of Americans said in a 2025 YouGov survey they were eating out less often, with 69% citing higher prices.

Is the return of late-night dining sustainable, or will inflation make it unaffordable for most?

As labor costs and food prices soar, can automation revive the struggling 24-hour fast-food industry?

Are new health trends and weight-loss drugs permanently killing the appetite for late-night fast food?