Leaked documents reveal McDonald's is rolling out the McChicken Biscuit and Chicken McGriddle nationally in January, as fast-food's breakfast wars heat up

• McDonald's is rolling out the McChicken Biscuit and Chicken McGriddle across the US in late January.
• Fast-food's breakfast battles are set to heat up in 2020, with Wendy's rolling out its own breakfast menu.
• "What came first, the chicken or the egg? Set your alarm for more reasons to visit McDonald's for breakfast in 2020," a McDonald's representative said in a statement to Business Insider.
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McDonald's is launching its McChicken Biscuit and Chicken McGriddle across the US.

The chicken breakfast items will hit menus across the US in late January, according to leaked documents obtained by Business Insider. In some markets, McDonald's will also serve spicy versions of the two new breakfast menu items, according to the documents.

Business Insider first reported on McDonald's plans to launch chicken for breakfast across the country in late October. The chain currently serves chicken offerings at breakfast at roughly half of its locations in the US.

"What came first, the chicken or the egg? Set your alarm for more reasons to visit McDonald's for breakfast in 2020," a McDonald's representative said in a statement to Business Insider when asked for comment.

KeyBanc analysts said in an October note on McDonald's that "breakfast and chicken are the new battlegrounds" for fast food.

Wendy's is launching its breakfast menu in early 2020, with a menu that includes a honey butter chicken sandwich. On Tuesday, Taco Bell announced it plans to roll out 21 $1 offerings in 2020, as part of the chain's Cravings Value Menu.

"We continue to have the dollar menu on breakfast," Taco Bell's senior vice president of brand marketing and consumer insights, Melissa Friebe, told Business Insider. "Our competitors are having a hard time just having that for the rest of the menu, let alone for breakfast."

With the new menu items rolling out nationally, McDonald's is set to be a major player in 2020's breakfast wars.

"Breakfast is a competitive day part. I mean, we've seen competitors ramp up their activity during this year as well actually," then-CEO Steve Easterbrook told investors on a call in October. "So having another entrant in next year will just ensure that the market share fight remains as competitive as ever."

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• McDonald's creates new 'vice president of operator diversity' position after backlash from black franchisees
• As the dollar menu disappears from fast-food chains, Taco Bell is doubling down in preparation for 2020's breakfast wars