Why McDonald’s Underrated Steak, Egg & Cheese Bagel Has Fans Talking

Bagels Return to Breakfast Menus

McDonald’s removed breakfast bagels in 2020 as it sought to streamline its breakfast offerings and improve service quality and efficiency. Customer demand brought bagels back to a third of U.S. locations in 2024.

In February 2025, McDonald’s introduced bagel sandwiches at all U.S. restaurants for the first time. The breakfast lineup includes the Steak, Egg & Cheese Bagel, along with Egg & Cheese and Bacon, Egg & Cheese versions.

What Comes In The Sandwich

The Steak, Egg & Cheese Bagel is served during McDonald’s breakfast hours. It combines a seasoned steak patty, folded egg and melted American cheese with creamy breakfast sauce and grilled onions.

The ingredients sit between a plain bagel that is toasted and buttered. Its return has renewed discussion among customers about the sandwich and how it compares with earlier versions.

Customers Debate Its Changes

Some customers have celebrated the bagel’s return, while others believe its ingredients have changed. In the Facebook group “Where’s my McDonald’s Bagel?”, one customer said the steak had shifted from something like ribeye to a hamburger-style patty.

A Reddit user said the patty looked less than half the bagel’s size, reporting that a second purchase seemed the same. Other social media complaints describe the steak as gristlier and say the breakfast sauce used to taste better; however, it is unclear whether McDonald’s changed the sandwich’s ingredients.

Not everyone is dissatisfied. One Facebook user called the sandwich the best item McDonald’s had produced, and the Steak, Egg & Cheese placed among the top three in a ranking of the chain’s breakfast sandwiches.