The product recommendations in this post are recommendations by the writer and/or expert(s) interviewed and do not contain affiliate links. Meaning: If you use these links to buy something, we will not earn a commission.
Breakfast is often cited as the most important meal of the day, but many will say it’s also the best meal of the day. If sweet meals like pancakes and French toast are as acceptable to eat as a savory plate of eggs and sausage, then breakfast has a compelling argument for being the preferred meal over lunch and dinner. While most restaurant chains that open in the morning have a breakfast menu, many stop serving those meal options by lunchtime.
There are other restaurant chains that only serve breakfast or specialize in breakfast and brunch options, but they simply adjust their hours and are only open during traditional breakfast hours. But when those French toast cravings strike at dinner time, there are many other restaurant chains you can turn to. The following restaurant chains serve breakfast all day, meaning those eggs and bacon can be served for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Village Inn
With locations in 19 states nationwide, Village Inn is a quintessential diner chain and a go-to for many customers. Their breakfast menu, available daily, includes the usual suspects, including omelets, griddle favorites like pancakes, and your traditional plated breakfasts. One highlight for anyone with a sweet tooth is the Strawberry-Banana Supreme French Toast, served with four slices of vanilla-battered French toast topped with sweet cream, fresh strawberries, and sliced bananas. For something a little different you don’t find everywhere else, Village Inn also served savory and sweet crêpes.
Denny’s
Few things in life are guaranteed, like death, taxes, and all-day breakfast at Denny’s. The restaurant chain also has lunch and dinner options on its menu, but those always seem to fade into the background. Competing for diners’ attention with meals like the Grand Slam and Moons Over My Hammy is a difficult task indeed.
IHOP
The International House of Pancakes, more commonly known as IHOP, would likely be committing a cardinal sin if it didn’t serve breakfast all day. The chain is so closely associated with the morning meal that customers might not even realize that you can order lunch and dinner items off the menu, from hamburgers to T-bone steak dinners. Enter an IHOP with a hankering for breakfast, however, and it won’t matter the time of day—those pancakes, omelets, and waffles will be ready.
The Cheesecake Factory
The Cheesecake Factory might not come to mind when you think of all-day breakfast. After all, the restaurant chain is more widely known for its seemingly endless menu, let alone endless breakfast opportunities. From favorites like the Chicken Parmesan “Pizza Style” to the Macaroni and Cheeseburger, The Cheesecake Factory probably pops up more as a lunch or dinner option.
While you can’t necessarily find a full breakfast menu per se (The Cheesecake Factory does serve brunch on Saturdays and Sundays), their menu does include omelets that you can order any hour of the day. You can create your own omelet or choose from one of their pre-built options. For even more breakfast options, try the Grilled Steak & Eggs or the Brioche Breakfast Sandwich.
Waffle House
It’s not just a Jonas Brothers hit! The popular diner chain Waffle House is open 24 hours a day. There are over 1,900 locations scattered across the country, though you’re most likely to one in the southern U.S. Waffles are, of course, on deck no matter what time of day you visit, but all-day breakfast items also include omelets, sandwiches, hash browns, and biscuits.
The Original Mels Diner
Mels Diner is a sort of ubiquitous name used for numerous chains around the U.S., but for this roundup, the Original Mels Diner based in California offers an all-day breakfast menu that’s worth checking out. Its wide array of offerings includes breakfast favorites that range from pancakes to omelets. Breakfast skillets, chicken and waffles, and breakfast burritos are also readily available.
The Original Mels Diner is no stranger to standout breakfast menus. Originating as Mels Drive-Ins in 1947, a family rift caused the brand to bifurcate, with the original owner running The Original Mels and his son running Mels Drive-Ins. The Original Mels currently runs nearly two dozen locations around the West Coast.
Marie Callender’s
Growing up, your freezer may have been filled with Marie Callender’s microwave dinners, but there’s also a small chain of restaurants under the same household name, each serving all-day breakfast. There are not many locations left, and they are mostly found in western states, but the ones that remain open are where you can find all-day breakfast meals like omelets and pancakes. Unique menu items also include quiche, Eggs Benedict, and Sunrise Skillets.
Bob Evans
Regular customers at Bob Evans likely return week after week thanks to the restaurant chain’s commitment to serving fresh ingredients, a practice that was established when the Evans family opened its first sausage shop in 1962. While the chain has been around for decades, its menu stays fresh, including its all-day breakfast offerings. Seasonal options include the Caramel Apple Farmer’s Choice breakfast and newer dishes like its Farmhand Biscuit Sandwich Platter. Whether you like to stick to the classics or you’re looking for something new, Bob Evans will have it ready any time of day.
Cracker Barrel
Just like its oversized rocking chairs beckoning you into the front doors, Cracker Barrel is known for a few key staples that its customers come to expect. With its general store in the front and full restaurant in the back, families have made trips to Cracker Barrel a tradition over the years. One of those tried-and-true features of Cracker Barrel that keeps its hungry customers coming back is an all-day breakfast, with options that include Grandpa’s Country Fried Breakfast and Momma’s French Toast Breakfast. Also, enticing families to frequent its restaurant is an all-new rewards program, so that you can earn points on all those times you order those Loaded Hashbrown Casserole Tots.
Perkins
There are a lot of things to love about Perkins, including the fact that it was ranked as one of the best-tasting breakfast chains. As good as its breakfast items are, they are made even better by the fact that Perkins serves breakfast all day long. Its menu is filled with the usual suspects, as well as more indulgent breakfast meals like the Classic Eggs Benedict and Top Sirloin Steak and Eggs. Can’t decide what to order? Perkins also allows its customers to build their own breakfast so it is exactly to their liking.
Black Bear Diner
Black Bear Diner currently has 161 diners in 13 states, according to its website. That’s a lot of places where you can score an all-day breakfast that caters to every level of hunger. Unique menu standouts include the Cinnamon Roll French Toast, Chicken Sausage Scramble, and the Shredded Corned Beef Brisket Hash. Don’t worry; if you’re looking for something a little more traditional, Black Bear Diner has plenty of options.
Another Broken Egg Cafe
If you look forward to Sunday brunch and mimosas with your friends each week, then you might have stopped by Another Broken Egg Cafe once or twice. This restaurant chain with over 80 locations is known for its indulgent breakfast and brunch offerings, which include an entire brunch cocktails menu. Its food menu is also filled with one-of-a-kind meals you don’t find everywhere, like Crab Cake Benedict, Apple Fritter French Toast, and Lobster and Brie Omelets. The good news is that you don’t have to wait until Sundays to enjoy these items. Another Broken Egg Cafe serves its scrumptious menu every day.
Pig ‘N Pancake
Pig ‘N Pancake is an Oregon mainstay with six locations around the state. Its name gives you a hint of what’s in store when opening its menu with plenty of pancakes and bacon to go around. Its pancake offerings include the traditional buttermilk variety as well as pancakes in all other forms, including Swedish Pancakes, Potato Pancakes, and Crêpes, to name a few. Savory options are also in good supply at Pig ‘N Pancake, with skillets, omelets, and eggs Benedict as just some of the options you can choose from.
Metro Diner
The majority of Metro Diner’s locations can be found in Florida and the surrounding southeastern states, but the chain can also be found as far north as Indiana and Pennsylvania. Inventive breakfast items on the menu at Metro Diner include their Carrot Cake Pancakes, Croissant French Toast, Fried Chicken Benedict, and Huevos Rancheros. No matter what you order, their breakfast items are available during lunch and dinner hours as well.
Penny’s Diner
Not only is Penny’s Diner open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, but their breakfast menu is available around the clock as well. The chain is a known favorite among truck drivers, who can be on the road at any hour, and Penny’s delivers by offering classic breakfast favorites no matter when customers stop by. Savory and sweet breakfasts are offered on the menu, which would pair wonderfully with one of Penny’s Diner’s milkshakes, also available 24/7.
Biscuitville
Biscuitville leaves little to the imagination when it comes to its specialty. Whether you’re looking for a sandwich or a full platter, your breakfast will include biscuits in some capacity. That’s just fine with Biscuitville customers, who frequent the restaurant chain for its fresh ingredients found throughout its menu. That commitment to freshness helped Biscuitville earn the title of best fast-food breakfast joint in 2023 poll by USA Today. Its scratch-made biscuits, along with its other breakfast menu items, are available all day long.
The Original Pancake House
Around since 1953, the Original Pancake House has kept things simple. Even its website is reminiscent of a menu at a diner that serves a top-notch breakfast. According to the website, its all-day breakfast menu items are made with the finest ingredients, “such as 93 score butter, pure 36% whipping cream, fresh grade AA eggs, hard wheat unbleached flour, and our own recipe sourdough starter.” Expect tantalizing items like crepes, sourdough flapjacks, and corned beef hash.
Huddle House
If your idea of breakfast extends beyond the morning hours, look no further than Huddle House. The restaurant chain serves its bacon, eggs, home fries, and more, all day long. Whether you prefer your breakfast to be savory or sweet, there’s a wide selection of menu options available morning, noon, and night. When it’s dinner time, and everyone around you is ordering a hamburger or a ribeye steak dinner, go right ahead and order your western omelet.
Sign up for our newsletter!
