McDonald’s All-Day Breakfast Takes Kitchen To Its Limits

The rollout of McDonald’s all-day breakfast menu has a catch: Customers’ menu choices are limited because the chain’s kitchens aren’t equipped to handle breakfast and burgers at the same time.

McDonald’s stores will serve either McMuffin or biscuit sandwiches—but not both—depending on local preferences; only three options will be available for whichever sandwich is served. Pancakes, sausage burritos, yogurt and oatmeal will be on the menu, but McGriddles and bagels will not. Hash browns may be available at some restaurants.

The chain, deluged by comments and complaints by breakfast fans, posted a statement on its website explaining how the expanded breakfast menu impacts its stores and franchisees: “It comes down to the sheer size of kitchen grills. They simply don’t have the room for all of our menu options at one time—especially considering we use our grill to prepare many items on our breakfast menu.”

Of course, the all-day breakfast menu means a jump in cap-ex for the chain: Franchisees quickly are adding extra grills and toasters to accommodate the new breakfast hours.