McDonald's still testing breakfast shake-up in the US

Buying a McDonald's breakfast after the current cut-off time of 10.30 may soon be possible - in the US at least.

The fast food restaurant says an all-day breakfast is customers' "number one" request and that it is continuing to "test" the possibility in the US.

The chain is reported to have sent a memo to franchisees suggesting offering breakfast across the US from October.

McDonald's first started testing the idea in March, but said it had not yet made a definite decision.

"We know your mouth is watering, but there's no news on this yet," a spokesperson for the company told the BBC.

'My kids would like it'

In a New York McDonald's on 8th Avenue near Penn Station, customers' reaction to the idea was mixed.

Sunny, a student in her twenties, said she didn't see breakfast as unique enough to be offered all day.

"I consider it just a snack and just grab anything that is available. I just don't think there's a lot of difference between breakfast and lunch," she told the BBC.

And Angela, a mother eating a hamburger, said it wouldn't affect her because she would never come in for breakfast.

"My kids would like it. But I'm not a big breakfast eater," she said.

It was a sentiment echoed by Cesar Becerra, a tourist from Columbia with his wife, who said they didn't like eating breakfast outside.

"We prefer homemade food so wouldn't come here for breakfast," he said.

'Meaningful progress'

But for McDonald's, offering an all-day breakfast would be one way to help it compete better with fast-growing rivals such as Mexican chain Chipotle, which allows diners to customise their dishes.

McDonald's which earlier reported that global sales, in restaurants open at least 13 months had fallen by a worse-than expected 0.7% in the second quarter, is in the middle of trying to transform its business.

New chief executive Steve Easterbrook, who took the helm in March, has already cut jobs and detailed plans to close underperforming restaurants in a bid to turn the chain into "a modern, progressive burger company."

On Thursday, Mr Easterbrook said the firm had "made meaningful progress" and that he expected global sales to rise in the third quarter.

Grill problem

Up until now the chain has blamed the "sheer size of kitchen grills" for its inability to offer both breakfast items and hamburgers at the same time.

"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," it says on its website.

But it seems falling sales have prompted McDonald's to look again at the issue.