The Hound hasn't been this happy since discovering a drive-through liquor store somewhere west of Amarillo. What is tickling The Hound is the announcement by Chicago area McDonald's that they're now open 24 hours. You have a middle-of-the-night Big Mac attack? Now you can soothe it, with fries.
Participation varies by restaurant, and 24-hour service is not available everywhere. Yet, the Oak Brook-based chain says as of now the majority of restaurants in the region will offer late-night diners a drive-through menu. What took McDonald's so long to figure out this around-the-clock feature?
It should have happened sooner, especially considering places that used to be all-night diners are now shutting their doors before midnight. Not that The Hound prowls that late at night, but it is a consolation if the hunger pains come calling knowing there is a place open to get a bite.
Does this mean the rest of the fast-food industry will follow the giant's lead? Only time and appetites will tell.
It makes a lot more sense than people would think. As you mentioned, the number of diner-style restaurants are either going out of business or curtailing their hours to save money. McDonalds can keep a minimal crew on duty, since they would only have the drive up and unlike diners, they have a basic menu with fewer choices. That means they don't have to maintain a large variety of supplies for 'just in case'. Finally, turning off some pieces of equipment for just a few hours may actually cause it to reduce its useful life, rather then keeping it on all the time. Considering the huge investment franchisees have in this equipment, they have to ensure that they get the maximum use of of it.
just what this world needs - fast food places open even longer... now the mortally obese can get even bigger. Better now only widen those roads, but also cars themselves.... pretty soon we will outgrow everything
THE HOUND SEZ: Well, Myk, you sure are one worry-wort. Look at it this way: If they die, they die. Or, petition the rederal government to ban late-night fast-food service. That's what usually happens when government runs everything, right?