Restaurants Prep For All-Day Breakfast Battle With McDonald’s

In just a few short weeks, McDonald’s will find out whether its move to offering all-day breakfast was a great idea or a rotten egg, but family restaurant chains that rely on breakfast to make their bottom lines aren’t waiting to find out and are launching promotional assaults to win the hearts (and wallets) of America’s pancakes and sausage eaters.

BurgerBusiness.com points to numerous new promotions and marketing campaigns being launched in advance of the Oct. 6 debut of all-day breakfast at McDonald’s.

Like Shoney’s bringing back its “$5 All-Star Breakfast,” which has bacon, potatoes, a biscuit and two “freshly cracked” eggs — and this at a time when egg prices have been soaring.

Similarly, IHOP is talking up its “Double Dipped French Toast,” Perkins has introduced a new “Griddle Up” menu, and Golden Corral ads featuring Jeff Foxworthy espouse the virtues of “Breakfast for Lunch and Dinner 7 Days a Week.”

BurgerBusiness notes that traffic at family dining restaurants has been down about 3% over the last five years, while breakfast has been the fasting growing daypart in fast food for the last year.

Family restaurants and diners have long relied on customers who wanted a breakfast fix after 10:30 a.m., so McDonald’s could pose a threat to their business if it’s able to fulfill those consumers’ afternoon hunger for bacon and eggs. Many of these chains don’t have anywhere near the buying power of McDonald’s and may have trouble keeping prices affordable if egg prices continue to increase.

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.