MCDONALD'S GETS BAGEL-BASED BREAKFAST

CHICAGO (FNS) -- McDonald's restaurants in Chicago and northwest Indiana were the first to introduce a new line of sandwiches aimed at deepening their breakfast business. The new bagel-based items come in three flavor versions -- steak, egg and cheese; ham, egg and cheese; and Spanish omelet.

Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana. "Breakfast sandwiches, like the Egg McMuffin, have been long-time favorites and we are confident our customers will enjoy our Bagel Sandwiches just as much."

The items are being prepared on toasted, buttered bagels. The steak, egg and cheese item includes a piece of steak, two slices of American cheese, sauteed onions, an egg and breakfast sauce. The ham, egg and cheese item features ham, an egg, two slices of American cheese and the chain's signature breakfast sauce. The Spanish Omelet Bagel Sandwich has a sausage patty, one slice of pepper jack cheese, one slice of American cheese, and an egg with diced green peppers and onions topped off with the breakfast sauce.

Some of the area's McDonald's locations are also adding plain bagels to their breakfast offerings. Both regular and light cream cheese are available.