A&W Breakfast: Full Menu, All-Day Hours and History

There’s something about cracking open an A&W root beer float that takes you back to summer road trips. But for many Canadians, the real morning staple isn’t the drink — it’s the breakfast menu that now runs all day, from bacon and eggs to the Beyond Meat Sausage & Egger. This guide lays out the history, the hours, and what you can expect when you walk in the door.

Founded: 1919 · All-day breakfast launched in Canada: February 2017 · Headquarters: Toronto, Ontario · Breakfast items: Bacon, eggs, hash browns, pancakes, wraps, Beyond Meat Sausage & Egger

Six facts, one pattern: A&W built its breakfast identity on clarity – real ingredients, clear origins, and a firm date for all-day service.

The implication: A&W’s breakfast identity ties directly to its independent Canadian ownership and a commitment to real ingredients.

When did A&W start serving breakfast?

The origins of A&W: from root beer stand to breakfast chain

• 1919 – Roy Allen and Frank Wright open a roadside root beer stand in Lodi, California (Wikipedia (encyclopedic source)).
• 1956 – First A&W Canada restaurant opens in Winnipeg, Manitoba (Wikipedia).
• 1972 – A&W Canada separates from U.S. operations when sold to Unilever (Wikipedia).
• 1995 – Canadian investors purchase the brand, making it a fully independent chain (Wikipedia).

From a single root beer stand, A&W grew into a North American classic. But breakfast took decades to become a core part of the menu.

A&W’s expansion into breakfast

• Summer 2014 – A&W Canada revamps breakfast, introducing the Bacon N’ Egger, Sausage N’ Egger, Classic Bacon N’ Eggs, All-Canadian Special, and pancakes (Wikipedia).
• Early 2016 – A&W tests all-day breakfast in 40 select stores, with resounding success, especially among millennials (Daily Hive (Vancouver news outlet)).
• Guests had been asking for afternoon breakfast, which drove the test (Foodservice and Hospitality (industry publication)).

A&W’s all-day breakfast launch

• February 27, 2017 – A&W launches all-day breakfast nationwide, becoming the first national burger chain to offer it in all locations (Daily Hive).
• The move came six days after McDonald’s Canada launched all-day breakfast at 1,100 of its 1,450 restaurants (CityNews Toronto (local news station)). A&W aimed for 95% of its 879 restaurants to offer all-day breakfast by spring 2017 (CityNews Toronto).

Are A&W hash browns all day?

Are hash browns available all day?

• Yes, hash browns are part of the all-day breakfast menu at A&W Canada (CityNews Toronto).

What other breakfast items are available all day?

• Bacon & Egger, Sausage & Egger, Cheese & Egger sandwiches, and breakfast wraps (Foodservice and Hospitality).
• Customers can choose English muffins or buns for sandwiches (Wikipedia).

A&W breakfast menu highlights

• Classic Bacon N’ Eggs (two eggs, bacon strips, hash browns, toast)
• All-Canadian Special (bacon, eggs, hash browns, pancake)
• Beyond Meat Sausage & Egger (plant-based patty, egg, real cheddar)
• Pancake Breakfast (three buttermilk pancakes with syrup, butter, sausage or bacon)

What this means: Hash browns aren’t a morning-only treat at A&W. If you’re craving potatoes at 3 pm, they’ve got you covered – a small but meaningful detail that sets it apart from limited breakfast windows at other chains.

How long does A&W serve breakfast in Canada?

What are A&W breakfast hours in Canada?

• Most Canadian locations serve breakfast all day (Daily Hive).
• However, some locations limit the full Canadian Breakfast (plates with eggs, bacon, and pancakes) to until 11:00 a.m., while still offering all-day Egger sandwiches (YouTube (customer review channel)).

Does A&W serve breakfast all day?

• Yes, at participating locations. The all-day menu includes Egger sandwiches, hash browns, and wraps (CityNews Toronto).

A&W breakfast times near me

• Check the official A&W Canada website or your local restaurant’s posted hours. Franchise owners may set slightly different breakfast windows.

What is the most unhealthiest thing to eat for breakfast?

Calories and nutrition of A&W breakfast items

• A&W does not publish full nutritional data for all breakfast items, but general estimates suggest the Pancake Breakfast with sausage is among the highest-calorie options.
• The Beyond Meat Sausage & Egger (480 calories) is a relatively lower-calorie choice, according to product listings reported by Foodservice and Hospitality.

Healthiest A&W breakfast choices

• Beyond Meat Sausage & Egger – plant-based, fewer calories than traditional sausage.
• Egg whites not an option; cheese is real cheddar, adding fat and sodium.

Unhealthiest A&W breakfast items

• Pancake Breakfast with sausage – high in carbohydrates, fat, and calories.
• Classic Bacon N’ Eggs – bacon and eggs cooked in butter, hash browns add extra oil.

What does A&W stand for?

What does the A&W name mean?

• A&W stands for Allen and Wright – the surnames of founders Roy Allen and Frank Wright (Wikipedia).

Is A&W Canadian or American?

• A&W Canada is a separate company from the U.S. chain. Since 1995, it has been independently owned and operated by Canadian management (Wikipedia).
• A&W Food Services of Canada Inc. is the franchisor, with roots in Winnipeg, Manitoba (Wikipedia).

What is A&W famous for?

• Root beer floats and drive-in service remain the brand’s icons.
• In Canada, A&W is also recognized for its all-day breakfast menu and the Beyond Meat option (Daily Hive).
• The brand’s tagline: “At A&W, we do things the right way” – emphasizing real ingredients like cheddar cheese and cane sugar in root beer.

Timeline: A&W breakfast history

• 1919 – A&W founded as a root beer stand in Lodi, California.
• 1960s – Franchise expansion brings A&W to Canada.
• 1995 – A&W Canada becomes a wholly Canadian-owned entity.
• Summer 2014 – Breakfast menu revamped with new sandwiches and pancakes.
• Early 2016 – All-day breakfast tested in 40 stores.
• February 27, 2017 – Nationwide all-day breakfast launch.

What we know vs what’s uncertain

What customers say about A&W breakfast

“Coffee in mugs and has real cheddar on the sandwich.”

– Reddit user in r/BuyCanadian

“I love the Canadian breakfast at A&W – simple like a good old fashioned diner, and pretty good coffee.”

– TripAdvisor reviewer from Calgary

“Sometimes when Harmony is closed I end up at A&W. Not bad at all but I have a feeling they are using pre-cooked bacon.”

– Facebook reviewer

For Canadian breakfast lovers, the choice is clear: A&W offers a dependable all-day option with real ingredients – but check your local hours, or you might miss the full spread. The brand’s independent Canadian identity gives it the freedom to keep innovating, and the all-day breakfast category is only getting more competitive.