NEW YORK, Sept 17 — McMimosa anyone? Fast food giant McDonald’s may be going after the leisurely brunch crowd, after filing a federal trademark registration for the term “McBrunch.”

According to industry site BurgerBusiness.com, McDonald’s applied for the trademark term this summer — a move that’s seen as an attempt to carve out a new market niche in light of flagging US sales.

It’s the second time the company has applied for trademark registration. McDonald’s filed a similar application for “McBrunch” in 2001 but abandoned it, says BurgerBusiness.

Fast food chains have been aggressively going after the breakfast commuter crowd to help offset the rising cost of beef and take a bite out of the lucrative coffee crowd, dominated by the likes of Starbucks, Tim Hortons and Dunkin’ Donuts.

Innovative menu items out of the industry include Taco Bell’s Waffle Taco and Dunkin’ Donut’s glazed donut, bacon and egg sandwich.

BurgerBusiness surmises that one way the burger chain could launch a McBrunch menu is to simply extend their breakfast hours beyond 10:30 am, as they do in on weekends and on major holidays in Germany.

It’s also been reported that the chain is quietly testing a concept that would allow customers to custom-build their sandwiches with an expanded toppings list including jalapenos and salsa via tablets. — AFP-Relaxnews