McDonald's heats up breakfast war with new chicken sandwiches

(Reuters) - McDonald's Corp <MCD.N> will add chicken sandwiches to its breakfast menu at all of its U.S. restaurants, the world's largest burger chain said on Tuesday, to fend off competition from Chick-Fil-A and Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen <QSR.TO>.

Breakfast has been an important sales driver for fast-food chains and as more rivals like Wendy's <WEN.O> and Dunkin' <DNKN.O> move into the space with new products, the pressure to retain customers has become more intense.

Earlier this month, McDonald's expanded its Beyond Meat <BYND.O> vegan burger trials in Canada, catering to the growing demand for plant-based proteins in fast-food restaurants.

Many experts said a nationwide rollout of chicken sandwiches and not plant-based options would put McDonald's ahead in the fast-food battle.

"We're giving our customers more of what they crave: mouthwatering chicken and breakfast options," the company's vice president of menu innovation, Linda VanGosen, said in a statement.

The latest breakfast additions to McDonald's menu are - Chicken McGriddles and McChicken Biscuit sandwiches. They are available at participating restaurants for a limited time while supplies last.

The launch comes after the chain tested a crispy chicken sandwich in Texas and Tennessee late last year.

McDonald's is scheduled to report its fourth-quarter results on Wednesday.

(Reporting by Nivedita Balu in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur)