McDonald’s takes on Wendy’s with Egg McMuffin Day

McDonald’s has created a new food holiday for its Egg McMuffin and will celebrate by giving away free breakfast sandwiches.

Almost 50 years after the sandwich debuted in 1971, McDonald’s is marking its first-ever National Egg McMuffin Day on Monday, March 2. The day coincidentally – or perhaps purposefully – is when Wendy’s breakfast menu launches nationwide.

To get the free Egg McMuffin between 6 and 10:30 a.m. local time Monday, you’ll need to download the McDonald’s mobile app and register an account. No purchase is necessary to get the freebie at participating locations.

But McDonald’s isn’t alone in giving away free breakfast sandwiches.

Wendy’s has several breakfast coupons on its app, including one for a free Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit with a purchase, which according to the fine print cannot be used with a combo or another offer. Coupon expiration dates may vary.

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Fast-food rivals have been launching food wars frequently and Wendy’s poked McDonald’s in early February when announcing the March 2 nationwide launch.

Many Wendy’s restaurants started serving breakfast ahead of Monday as a soft launch. The menu includes the Breakfast Baconator, Frosty-ccino and Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit. 

Wendy’s app also had coupons for $1 small Frosty-ccino, $2 off any breakfast or premium combo, and buy one B’fast Croissant get one for $1.

The restaurant’s breakfast hours are 6:30 to 10:30 a.m., though times vary for ordering in the restaurant versus the drive-thru.

This is not the first time Wendy’s has tried out a national breakfast menu.

In the mid-1980s, the chain’s morning menu included omelets, French toast and toasted sandwiches. But because the items took too long to make, the breakfast menu was discontinued, though there have been small tests across the nation for several years. 

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