Wednesday afternoon is the new peak time for McDonalds as parents grab after school snacks

Happy Meals on wheels: Afternoon is now peak time for McDonalds as parents grab after-school snacks from the drive-thru

  • Afternoon is rush hour for McDonalds as parents rush for after-school snacks 
  • Parents are four times more likely to pullover at 3pm than they were 20 years ago
  • The research comes as Australia battles serious obesity crisis among children 

The afternoon is now peak time for McDonalds with four times as many customers dining after-school as 20 years ago.  

The Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) recorded the number of people going to Maccas around 3.30pm was quadruple the rate of that recorded in 1993 – with around 50 visitors an hour.  

The research, in conjunction with Bitzios Consulting, compared data from 1980, 1993 and 2016, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

Wednesday afternoon has been named as the new peak hour for fast food restaurants as parents drive-thru for after school snacks

‘The “after school” peak period around 3.30pm observed in the current study on weekdays was not present in the 1993 study, potentially indicating that after school McDonald’s trips are a newer development,’ the RMS report said.  

The study of 26 takeaway sites found Saturday lunch time was usually the most busy time for business but not for all. 

But McDonald’s Liverpool, in Sydney’s west, peaked with 272 trips at 3pm on Wednesday.

A McDonald’s spokeswoman confirmed the chain was continuing to see growth at all parts of the day. 

‘The growth we’ve seen in the mid-afternoon period is driven primarily by older Millennials, people over the age of 25, including tradies and young professionals, not those at school,’ she said.

According to research conducted by the Roads and Maritime Services (RMS), motorists are four times more likely to pullover for the 3pm feed than they were 20 years ago

According to research conducted by the Roads and Maritime Services (RMS), motorists are four times more likely to pullover for the 3pm feed than they were 20 years ago

The revelation comes as Australia battles a crippling obesity crisis.

Almost one-quarter of children and two-thirds of adults are overweight or obese, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

The 2011/12 national nutrition survey found that one-third of Australians’ diets involved junk food, with young people more likely to eat poorly.  

The research, in conjunction with Bitzios Consulting, compared data from 1980, 1993 and 2016

The research, in conjunction with Bitzios Consulting, compared data from 1980, 1993 and 2016

Fast food outlets controlled Australia’s food and beverage market in 2017, making about $6.5 billion.

There are about 980 McDonald’s shops around the country with 196 of them located in Sydney.

The chain records growth of about 20 new stores each year. 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk