McDonald’s rolls out all-day breakfast in the US, Australia still in ‘trial phase’

NO ONE should be denied the basic human right of hotcakes after 10am. Once again, Aussies are the guinea pigs.

FILE- In this Feb. 14, 2013, photo, a McDonald's breakfast is arranged for an illustration at a McDonald's restaurant in New York. McDonald’s says its breakfast menu will be available all day starting Oct. 6, 2015. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)

ONCE again, Australians are the guinea pigs.

After “overwhelmingly positive feedback”, McDonald’s is rolling out its all-day breakfast menu nationally — in the US.

The fast-food chain is making its McMuffins, hotcakes and hash browns available around the clock from October 6, while cutting some menu items to make room.

It follows months of trials in Australia and San Diego after Mike Andres, president of McDonald’s US, acknowledged the company has struggled with an over complicated menu.

The all-day breakfast is seen as a key strategy for reinvigorating flagging sales, which have fallen for seven straight quarters in the US.

“We’re very excited — we think this could be the next big thing,” Andres said.

McDonald’s is also working to improve its food by toasting buns longer and searing burgers to improve taste, and it’s looking for a way to shake up its image.

The company plans to close about 700 stores this year and will shut down more stores than it opens in the US, something it hasn’t done since at least 1970 and possibly in its entire corporate history.

FILE- In this Feb. 14, 2013, photo, a McDonald's breakfast is arranged for an illustration at a McDonald's restaurant in New York. McDonald’s says its breakfast menu will be available all day starting Oct. 6, 2015. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File)

Mr Andres said in all-day breakfast test markets — like Australia — customer visits increased.

Australia is seen as one of the company's bright spots, with the rollout of the Create Your Taste DIY burger hailed as the future model for the company.

Aussies got their first taste of all-day breakfast on July 1 when stores across Wollongong and the Illawarra began serving the new menu, which rolled out on the Gold Coast on July 29, followed by South Australia last month.

But while Americans no longer have to worry about making the 10am cut-off, McDonald’s Australia is noncommittal on a national rollout. “So far we have received overwhelmingly positive feedback,” a spokeswoman said.

“There is currently no end date for the trials and if all day breakfast continues to be well received we would look at rolling it out nationally.”

She said all-day breakfast was launched off the back of consumer demand. “We are always listening and taking on feedback from our customers and all day breakfast was one that people are always asking of us,” she said.

“We are excited to let our customers know that we have heard them.”

LeAnn Richards, a US franchisee who led the task force on all-day breakfast, said restaurants need to get some new equipment, including a separate egg cooker and toaster, to offer all-day breakfast.