More breakfast at McDonald’s

If you’re one of those people who hates missing the end of breakfast hours at McDonald’s, hang on just a little longer: the chain says its breakfast menu will be available all day starting Oct. 6.

Items like Egg McMuffins, hotcakes, sausage burritos, fruit and yogurt parfaits, hash browns and biscuits will be available anytime, although the exact menu will vary in different markets. The company said core items like the Big Mac, McNuggets and fries will still be available at all of its locations.

The company has been testing an all-day breakfast menu in San Diego for months. It has been looking for a boost, because sales at established U.S. stores have fallen for seven straight quarters and the company hasn’t replaced its Dollar Menu with anything equally compelling.

McDonald’s is also working to improve its food by toasting buns longer and searing burgers to improve taste, and it’s looking for a way to shake up its image.

Taco Bell began selling breakfast items in 2014 and has said the biscuit taco and other items have lifted its sales.

Mike Andres, president of McDonald’s U.S., acknowledged that the company has struggled with an overcomplicated menu, and that restaurants would remove some items to make room for the breakfast offerings throughout the day.

Core menu items such as Big Macs will remain national. The items that are removed will vary by region.

It’s the largest operational change since McDonald’s introduced the McCafe coffee and espresso drinks in 2009, Andres said.