Is McDonald's still open 24 hours?

Some McDonald's are still open 24 hours, but many aren't, and hours vary by location. Most US stores are run by franchisees, and a lot of the ones that stay open overnight serve only through the drive-thru while the lobby is locked.

McDonald's reported that 95% of its US restaurants were franchised at the end of 2025. That's why two stores a few miles apart can keep very different hours, and why the late night menu can differ from one owner to the next.

In May 2025, the company said the vast majority of its US restaurants would stay open until midnight or later all year. Airports and shopping malls were left out. That's a promise of midnight or later, not of 24 hours.

Why it's hard to find a McDonald's lobby open all night

Overnight crews are small. Worker accounts collected by Mashed in 2025 describe three or four people on overnight at many stores, with the lobby closing around midnight so the crew can clean while the drive-thru keeps going. Some locations don't let workers step outside after the lobby closes, for security reasons.

Local rules matter too. A McDonald's on La Brea Avenue in West Hollywood has run its drive-thru all night since 1999, but its lobby closed at 2 AM for about a year and a half. It needed a city permit for extended hours, and the city approved an all night lobby in March 2026, with a licensed security guard required on site from 2 AM to 6 AM.

If you want to sit down, check the store's dining room hours, not just the drive-thru's. Late Night Food Spots listings note when a lobby closes but the drive-thru keeps serving.