If your post-midnight cravings usually end in a sad bag of gas station snacks, Burger King just gave you a better option: flame-grilled and open late.
After a rough few years of store closures, franchise bankruptcies, and playing ketchup with the competition (sorry), Burger King is finally doing something fans have wanted for a long time: staying open longer.
That’s right. Over 1,200 Burger King locations are now extending their hours, and for some fans, that might just be the comeback they’ve been waiting for.
The move is part of a bigger glow-up for the brand, which has been on damage control since multiple franchise groups—including one that ran 57 stores in Florida and Georgia—filed for Chapter 11. All told, that string of bankruptcies dragged down Burger King’s growth and left more than a few Whopper-less neighborhoods in its wake.
But now the King is fighting back.
Burger King’s parent company, Restaurant Brands International (RBI), bought out its largest U.S. franchisee, Carrols Restaurant Group, in a $1 billion all-cash deal. That deal handed over control of more than 1,000 restaurants and let RBI hit the gas on a major reboot.
After testing extended hours at select stores and seeing a noticeable bump in sales (1.5% up last quarter), Burger King is making it official. The late-night menu will now be available at more than 1,200 stores nationwide, with even more expected to join in the months ahead.
So yes, that means your midnight Whopper-and-fry run might finally be a thing again.
The expanded hours are just one piece of Burger King’s “Reclaim the Flame” strategy—a multi-year plan that also includes remodeling stores, upgrading kitchens, and giving the brand a much-needed digital facelift.
RBI is planning to invest $700 million by 2028, with additional moves like refranchising up to 100 stores to top-tier operators. The goal: cleaner restaurants, faster service, better food, and more of what people actually want—like late-night options.
It’s a smart pivot, especially since fast-food rivals like McDonald’s and White Castle already dominate the midnight crowd. And with chains like IHOP, Jack in the Box, and Whataburger returning to 24/7 service, Burger King’s decision couldn’t have come at a better time.
If you’ve been quietly rooting for Burger King to get it together, this might be your moment. The brand’s still got work to do, but longer hours, bigger investments, and a very real focus on giving fans what they want is how you mount a comeback.
So go ahead, check your local BK. The lights might still be on. And the Whopper might still be hot.