Taco Bell has always been a competitor for McDonald’s but McDonald’s has always been able to stay ahead of Taco Bells. In 2014, Taco Bell introduced a breakfast menu into their restaurants which started what is known as “the breakfast war” between the two fast food chains. Breakfast is the fastest-growing segment for restaurants. Breakfasts in the fast food industry amounted up to sales of $34.5 billion in 2015. McDonald’s accounted for one-third of that business. Both McDonald’s and Taco Bell did a launch where they offered their customers a free breakfast. In 2016, there was a 2 week period where McDonald’s franchisees in Philadelphia accepted Taco Bell receipts in exchange for Egg McMuffins.
