McDonald’s is giving away free Egg McMuffins for 1 day only

McDonald's is honoring its signature breakfast sandwich with its very own holiday on March 2.

The chain, which has officially declared Monday as National Egg McMuffin Day, is celebrating by giving away free McMuffins all morning long at participating locations.

Today, it seems pretty hard to imagine a time when fast-food places weren't all slinging morning meals. The Egg McMuffin, which McDonald's says "changed the breakfast game forever," made its debut in 1971. Unlike many other egg sandwiches at quick-service restaurants, the Egg McMuffin is made with a freshly cracked egg, not an egg patty with various fillers.

According to the chain, the breakfast item was actually the result of a happy accident when Herb Peterson, a McDonald's restaurant owner based in Santa Barbara, California, was trying to make a version of eggs Benedict. Peterson is also credited with creating the Teflon ring that the eggs are cracked into.

Food

To score a free breakfast sandwich, customers first need to download McDonald’s mobile app to access the in-store offer. Then, just head to a McDonald's between 6 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. on Monday.

If Egg McMuffins aren't really your thing, there are a few other noteworthy morning meal options happening March 2. Wendy's is launching its new breakfast menu nationwide (the chain is also using freshly cracked eggs on its breakfast sandwiches), and Panera is offering an unlimited coffee subscription plan for $8.99 a month.