‘And would you like pyjamas with that?’

On Tuesday we asked some busy shoppers at Bow Street to give their views on the local restaurant opening 24 hours-a-day seven-days-a-week.

Most people we stopped seemed to think that the idea was positive opening up more choice for all, especially for those who are on shift work or anyone who might be going home in the wee small hours of the morning.

Crumlin busker Josh Cormican, who is a familiar face to any regular shopper in Bow Street, said he would definitely use McDonald’s day or night.

“If I was in Lisburn I would definitely go in for a McDonald’s,” he said.

“If I am coming out of a gig in Belfast I like to go for a burger to one there.

“I would come out at 2am from a club after playing for hours, there is nothing as nice as getting a cheeseburger.

“McDonald’s in Belfast would be open and it is always very busy - you would have to queue up - so there is definitely demand out there.”

Mary McKelvey from Lisburn admits that she has no views either way.

“If I was out and about I might go in into McDonald’s but would not be a regular customer but I can see the benefits of longer opening hours.

“If people are on shift work and they are hungry at least there is somewhere there for them to go.

“As long as anyone going there does not create any litter then yes it would be a good idea.”

Twenty-year-old Chris Godfrey and 22-year-old Tony Stephenson, who are studying sport and exercise at the local college, said they can see the benefits of a McDonald’s store opening 24 hours.

Chris said, “The food is okay. I suppose if you are over 18 you can eat what you want.

“It’s your own choice but I am into sports so I choose what I eat.”

Tony said, “I am very conscious of what I eat so if I was up at 2am and looking for something to eat I would go to the kitchen for something to eat instead of running across to Sprucefield.”

Gordon Bond of Dromara said that he was not worried one way or the other of the new opening times. “I live in Dromara so I don’t think I would travel to Sprucefield just to go to McDonald’s.

“I think I would just sit down with a nice piece of toast if I was hungry.”

Meanwhile, Jamie Given (21) of Lisburn said that he believed that it was a good thing for the area.

“It is definitely a good thing,” he said. “It is a place that I would go to regularly as the food is lovely so if it is open all the time then yes I would be happy to go there day or night.

“If you are having a drink and want something to eat and can get there then why not?”

McDonald’s franchise owner John McCollum said there was huge demand for longer opening hours.

“More and more people are working and travelling earlier as well as later in the day and we have introduced longer opening hours to facilitate our customers’ needs and their ever-changing work arrangements,” he said.

“Whilst no business is ‘recession proof’, the investment that McDonald’s has made in its people, its restaurants and its menu over the last few years has made the company more recession resilient.”