Breakfast is not only a rush hour for hungry employees, but it appears that it's also a profitable battleground for the fast-food industry.
More than two years after joining the breakfast market, American food chain Taco Bell on Thursday debuted its new $1 breakfast menu consisting of 10 menu items such as bacon-and-egg-stuffed tacos and burritos, as well as a mini skillet bowl.
Americans are found to be veering away from high-carbohydrate breakfasts toward more high-protein meals to start their day, which matches the strengths of fast-food chains, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Despite the change, companies have had to boost convenience to convince commuters to stop by a drive-through on the way to work instead of eating yogurt at home.
In 2013, Taco Bell started trying on breakfast menus by unveiling a scrambled egg-and-sausage combination stuffed inside a waffle called the Waffle Taco.
The meal tested well at five locations in southern California. However, the fast-food chain's new breakfast menu does not include this special taco or the A.M. Crunchwraps.
Taco Bell's recent move comes on the heels of McDonald's all-day breakfast launch in 2015, which proved to increase the latter's otherwise dragging sales.
McDonald's promotion started in October, and its 2015 fourth quarter sales increased by 4.1 percent, according to Burger Business. It is predicted that similar improvements will occur for the early part of this year.
The rise has been so dramatic that other companies such as fast-food chain Jack in the Box are noticing negative effects, Business Insider reported.
Marisa Thalberg, Chief Marketing Officer for Taco Bell, was quick to dismiss notions that the company's $1 breakfast menu is an attempt to spoil McDonald's all-day breakfast menu.
"Our decisions are not based on reacting to what others are doing. This whole menu was borne out of deeply understanding what people wanted in the morning and developing an attractive price point," said Thalberg.
Taco Bell currently has no plans to offer breakfast menus beyond its traditional 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. timeframe.
The food chain's low-priced meals could be a strong draw since a survey conducted by the company conveniently revealed that consumers often go for quick and inexpensive options on their way to work.
$1 Morning Value Menu. And everything is actually $1.
A photo posted by Taco Bell (@tacobell) on Mar 10, 2016 at 12:50pm PST
