The Wall Street Journal writes this morning about how fast food chains are staying open through the graveyard shift, hoping “to feed a burgeoning market of night owls and ultra-early risers and help wring more sales out of their existing restaurants.”

McDonald’s, for example, says that the midnight-to-five period is the fastest growing daypart in its business. And chains like Burger King and Dunkin’ Donuts also are working overtime to exploit hunger pangs that many people suffer during those hours.

"Whether it's taking on an additional job or just working a late shift, we're seeing more people out later at night," says Steve Levigne, McDonald's vice president of consumer and business insights.

KC's View: This trend says a lot about the economy. I’d guess that part of the increase in graveyard shift traffic comes from people who are working second jobs, or working in jobs that they might not have taken when the economy was healthier.