There’s A 24/7 Chicken And Biscuits Restaurant In North Carolina You’ll Love
It is hard to forget the day when I ran into Time-Out at three in the morning after a concert, half-asleep but fully starving. That first bite of their legendary chicken biscuit felt like a warm hug made of butter and crispy coating.
Time-Out Restaurant has been keeping Chapel Hill, North Carolina, fed around the clock since 1978, serving up Southern comfort at any hour your stomach demands it.
Nestled on Franklin Street near UNC’s campus, this place doesn’t care if you’re craving breakfast at midnight or fried chicken at dawn – they’re always ready with hot biscuits and hospitality that never sleeps.
Franklin Street’s Always-Open Beacon
On college nights that stretch into sunrise, a red-and-white awning glows over 201 E. Franklin Street, promising hot biscuits and fried chicken any hour you wander in.
Time-Out is open twenty-four hours, seven days a week, and that neon promise has saved countless late-night cravings.
Campus energy pulses around this corner, but the restaurant stays calm and welcoming inside. You can count on the doors being unlocked at 2 a.m. or 2 p.m., rain or shine, finals week or summer break.
Few places commit to true all-day, all-night service anymore, but Time-Out holds that torch high. It’s a beacon for hungry souls who refuse to let the clock dictate when they eat comfort food.
The Legend In Your Hands: Chicken ‘n Cheddar Biscuit
What locals dream about at 2 a.m. is simple: a hand-breaded chicken breast tucked into a big, buttery biscuit with melty cheddar. It’s the house signature, born for late nights and early mornings when nothing else will do.
The biscuit alone could star in its own show – flaky layers that pull apart like clouds, brushed with just enough butter to make your fingers shine.
Then comes the chicken: crispy on the outside, juicy inside, seasoned in a way that makes you forget every other sandwich.
Cheddar melts into every crevice, binding the whole masterpiece together. One bite and you’ll understand why students plan their weekends around this thing.
A Chapel Hill Ritual Since 1978
Time-Out has been feeding Tar Heels since 1978, growing into the town’s first true twenty-four-hour restaurant and a tradition that anchors big wins, bad losses, finals, and family visits alike. Four decades of biscuits build serious loyalty.
Students who ate here in the ’80s now bring their own kids, pointing out the same counter stools and steam tables. Generations overlap over plates of fried chicken, swapping stories about all-nighters and game-day celebrations.
Chapel Hill changes fast, but Time-Out stays rooted. That consistency matters when you need a taste of home at odd hours, or when you want to show someone new what this town really tastes like.
What To Order When Hunger Won’t Wait
Start with that Chicken ‘n Cheddar Biscuit, then roam the steam table: fried chicken plates, collards, mac, green beans, and cinnamon rolls if you’re sweet-toothed. Comfort hits fast, portions feel generous, and breakfast runs all day.
I once watched someone order pancakes at midnight while their friend grabbed fried okra and mashed potatoes at noon. Nobody blinks here because the menu refuses to follow normal meal rules.
Sides rotate but staples stay dependable – creamy mac and cheese, tangy collards cooked low and slow, and those sticky-sweet cinnamon rolls that could double as dessert or breakfast. Build your plate however hunger dictates.
Who You’ll See At 2 A.M.
Game-day diehards, third-shift nurses, road-trippers sliding off I-40, and sleepy students sharing foil-wrapped biscuits at the counter. Time-Out is the rare spot where “see you after midnight” actually means a hot meal together.
You’ll spot scrubs next to jerseys, backpacks leaning against briefcases. Everyone’s united by hunger and the understanding that good food doesn’t punch a clock.
Late-night crowds here feel less like strangers and more like a sleepy club bound by cravings.
Conversations drift between tables, laughter echoes off the tile, and nobody judges your 3 a.m. pancake order. It’s community served hot.
Where To Find It (And How To Park)
Set your map to 201 E. Franklin Street, right in downtown Chapel Hill, across from campus life; nearby garages and lots make quick work of parking before you duck inside for a biscuit. Finding it is easier than resisting that chicken smell.
Franklin Street runs through the heart of everything UNC, so you’ll pass shops, bars, and bookstores on your way. Time-Out sits in plain sight, impossible to miss once you know the red-and-white awning.
Parking downtown can feel tricky during peak hours, but evenings and late nights open up plenty of spaces. Street meters and public garages flank the block, so you’re never more than a short walk away.
Delivery, Any Hour You Need It
If the couch won’t let go, they’ll come to you. Time-Out calls itself the town’s only 24-hour restaurant with delivery, a lifesaver on stormy nights and study marathons when leaving home feels impossible.
I’ve ordered biscuits at 4 a.m. during a writing deadline, and they arrived hot enough to steam up the bag. That kind of service turns a rough night into something bearable, maybe even a little comforting.
Check their website or call to arrange delivery across Chapel Hill. Knowing a hot chicken biscuit can show up at your door anytime gives you options most towns can’t match.
Quick Facts Before You Go
Open 24/7/365; address 201 E. Franklin St., Chapel Hill; signature Chicken ‘n Cheddar Biscuit appears on the menu with other oversized biscuit builds; prices stay student-friendly. Order at the counter, take a seat, or carry out.
No reservations needed because the doors never lock. Cash and cards both work fine, and the staff moves fast even when the line stretches.
Expect counter service with a smile, quick turnaround on orders, and zero pretense. Time-Out keeps things straightforward so you can focus on eating, not navigating complicated menus or fancy protocols.
Just show up hungry and leave happy.