And if the online buzz is any indication, you’re going to be lovin’ it
Good News! McDonald’s Will Now Offer This Breakfast Item Nationwide
Published on Feb. 28, 2025
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and when you’re in a rush, it’s never a bad idea to swing by the one restaurant that does it right every time: McDonald’s. Out of all the fast-food chains, McDonald’s morning menu items take the cake. Egg McMuffins! Hotcakes! Hash browns! And let’s not forget the glorious caffeinated goodness that is McDonald’s coffee.
But one delicious McDonald’s breakfast item has been notoriously difficult to track down—that is, until now. A once-elusive McDonald’s favorite is going to be available at McDonald’s locations nationwide for the first time, and breakfast will never be the same.
Keep reading to find out which fan-favorite item is hitting McDonald’s breakfast menus across the country and which other new menu item might be headed to a McDonald’s near you soon.
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What item will now be in McDonald’s locations across the country?
Move over, Egg McMuffins—”for the first time ever, McDonald’s renowned bagel sandwiches are now available across the U.S.,” McDonald’s announced in a recent press release. The change took effect on Feb. 25 (though it has been slowly rolling out in various markets since at least January), so the next time you head on over to the Golden Arches, you’ll be able to choose from the following options:
- Bacon, Egg & Cheese Bagel
- Sausage, Egg & Cheese Bagel
- Steak, Egg & Cheese Bagel
You can customize the sandwiches, adding or removing toppings, or even opt for a totally plain bagel if you’re not in a sandwich sort of mood.
Just like all McDonald’s menu items, prices vary from location to location. However, you can expect to pay roughly $5 for the sausage and bacon varieties and a bit more for the steak. (It is steak, after all, even if it’s in the form of a patty.) A plain bagel costs about $2.29.
Why hasn’t McDonald’s offered bagels in its lineup until now?
This is a bit of a trick question. McDonald’s used to offer bagel sandwiches. They debuted in 1999 but were discontinued in 2020 at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was one of several menu casualties of the time, as McDonald’s attempted to make it easier to fill orders and help lines move more quickly.
Then, in 2024, McDonald’s quietly reintroduced the bagel sandwiches, but only in select markets. Now, they’re finally in McDonald’s locations nationwide—and they’re here to stay.
How are people reacting to this news?
There’s an entire section of the internet that is positively giddy—especially the 25,000-plus members in a Facebook group devoted solely to the effort to bring back the McDonald’s Bagel. (Yes, you read that number right.) The members of the aptly named “Where’s My McDonald’s Bagel?” are thrilled, to say the least. “Thank you to @everyone on this page who fought so hard to make this happen!” wrote one Facebook user.
Others are posting pics with their sandwiches or the remnants of their sandwiches. And one woman’s mom even made a sweatshirt on her new Cricut emblazoned with the words: “I’d rather be eating a BEC bagel at McDonald’s.” Now that’s some serious fandom right there!
The new sandwiches are so popular that one McDonald’s location even ran out of bagels. “I had to have a serious talk with my local steak bagel provider, cause we ain’t about to keep running out of bagels,” wrote a disappointed customer.
And now for the big question: Are the bagels good?
If social media is any indication, the bagels are good. And for some people, maybe a little too good. “I’ve had a breakfast bagel 7 times,” wrote one member of the bagel-centric Facebook group. “I’m showing no signs of getting tired of them, and it’s scaring me.” On the same thread, another fan noted that he and his wife have been buying four per weekend and two more during the week … to which another user wrote, “Those are rookie numbers.”
And this isn’t limited to a fan group. Redditors are also pleased, though their praise is mostly reserved for the Steak, Egg & Cheese Bagel, which they’re calling “the GOAT” and “the bomb” of fast-food breakfast sandwiches. Another says, “It’s weird to get a thing from McDonald’s that doesn’t taste like McDonald’s. I love this thing.” So, yes, they’re loving the bagel … but more as a component of the sandwich.
Of course, not everyone is a fan. And while we have no proof of this, we’re guessing that New Yorkers, who know their bagels, would be in this less-than-enthused bunch. One Facebook reviewer said, “It was the worst bagel I’ve ever tasted: dry, flavorless, no chew,” and over on Reddit, someone commented that “something is not right with the bagel flavor or texture.”
That said, even if you’re not a fan of the new bagel, you may still love the sandwich as a whole, as one fan notes: “These are VERY good, even with the completely mediocre bagel. I love it.”
What other big news did McDonald’s announce recently?
In New York City, bagels aren’t the only round menu items landing at McDonald’s locations this month. Krispy Kreme doughnuts will now be available at all participating locations in the Big Apple, which means New Yorkers can enjoy one of the world’s best doughnuts alongside their favorite McCafé beverage, just like nature intended.
The collaboration between McDonald’s and Krispy Kreme is also underway in other major cities across the country, including Chicago, Cleveland, Louisville, Indianapolis and Pittsburgh, and more are on the way. And to make things even sweeter, the restaurant chain aims to have Krispy Kreme doughnuts on the menu at more than half of all McDonald’s locations by the end of 2026.
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Sources:
- McDonald’s: “Celebrate 50 Years of Mornings at McDonald’s with Special Deals on Breakfast Favorites”
- Facebook: “Where’s My McDonald’s Bagel?”
- Today: “McDonald’s makes its bagel sandwiches available nationwide for the first time”
- Los Angeles Daily News: “McDonald’s adds bagel sandwiches to its menu”
- CNBC: “McDonald’s will keep dozens of items off the menu for the foreseeable future”
