With Wendy’s launching breakfast nationwide, McDonald’s is sending its top breakfast player, the Egg McMuffin, into battle. In a clear move to disrupt Wendy’s March 2 national breakfast launch, the Chicago-based quick service chain announced plans to give away the iconic breakfast sandwich on Monday. The company is declaring March 2 “National Egg McMuffin Day.”  “While we’re giving the Egg McMuffin its moment, we’re really honoring our breakfast fans who have woken up with McDonald’s breakfast for nearly 50 years. And we just thought, ‘hey, why not declare March 2 as National Egg McMuffin Day?’,” David Tovar, vice president of U.S. Communications, said in a statement. “We’re always looking for new ways to show our fans love and remind them, no matter where they might be, a great tasting and convenient breakfast is just around the corner for them at McDonald’s.” Participating restaurants will offer the free sandwich from 6 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. to consumers who download a coupon on the chain’s app. The freebie is not valid on delivery orders.  The price of an Egg McMuffin in Orange, Calif. is $3.69. The Egg McMuffin, a cracked Grade A egg, Canadian bacon and American cheese on a toasted English Muffin, was first introduced in 1971. Like many classic McDonald’s menu favorites, the “Eggs Benedict on-the-go” sandwich was created by an operator. It is largely credited for making the chain’s breakfast menu one of the most popular among fast food fans. Still, McDonald’s has been losing share at breakfast, and understands the importance of shoring up its morning menu.  The chain recently added regional favorites, Chicken McGriddles and the McChicken Biscuit, to the national breakfast menu. “Breakfast is the only daypart in the industry that’s seeing traffic growth. We have to win at breakfast,” McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski said during the chain’s latest earnings call. Wendy’s morning grub menu features nine items arranged in three categories: Croissants, Biscuits and Classics. Prices for a la carte items range in price from $2.59 for an egg and cheese biscuit with choice of sausage or bacon to $4.29 for the Breakfast Baconator or the Maple Bacon Chicken Croissant. Combo prices range in price from $5.29 to $6.39. – Source: NRN.