America’s largest breakfast chain has implemented a surcharge on eggs amid an ongoing bird flu crisis.
Waffle House, the Georgia-based restaurant chain with more than 2,000 locations across 25 states, announced Monday it has implemented a 50 cent per egg surcharge across all of its menus.
The breakfast giant known for its affordable meals described the price increase as a ‘temporary targeted surcharge’ its executives made rather than increasing prices across the board.
It said ‘quality, fresh-cracked, Grade A Large eggs will remain a key ingredient in many of our customers’ favorite meals.
‘Consumers and restaurants are being forced to make difficult decisions,’ the Waffle House said of the nationwide egg shortage.
‘We are continuously monitoring egg prices and will adjust or remove the surcharge as market conditions allow,’ it said.
Waffle House’s decision signals the strain on the supply chain amid the ongoing H5N9 outbreak, which started back in 2022.
Waffle House, the Georgia-based restaurant chain with more than 2,000 locations across 25 states, announced Monday it has implemented a 50 cent per egg surcharge across all of its menus
The breakfast giant known for its affordable meals described the price increase as a ‘temporary targeted surcharge’ its executives made rather than increasing prices across the board
Anytime the bird flu virus is found on a poultry farm, the entire flock is slaughtered to help limit its spread, according to AP.
And with massive egg farms routinely housing more than 1million chickens, just a few infections can cause a supply crunch.
More than 145 million chickens, turkeys and other birds have already been slaughtered since the current outbreak began, with the vast majority of them being egg-laying chickens.
Adding to the stress on the markets are cage-free egg laws, which could cause supply disruptions and price increases.
Organic and cage-free eggs are already more expensive than other varieties, but new laws in 10 states set minimum space for chickens or cage-free requirements for egg-laying hens.
The cost of a dozen eggs has now more than doubled since summer 2023, and hit a near-record high of $4.15 in December last year.
While this fell short of the $4.82 record set two years ago, the Agriculture Department predicts prices are going to climb another 20 percent this year.
As of the end of the end of last week, the wholesale price on the New York market for large cartons of eggs delivered to retailers rose by 39 cents, to $7.62 per dozen, according to USDA data on the egg market.
Shoppers across the country have reported finding empty shelves at their local grocery store
In the Midwest, it increased 54 cents to $7.03 per dozen, and in California, it climbed by 37 cents to $8.72 per dozen.
The rise in egg costs is outpacing inflation, taking a toll on Americans who are already struggling to digest elevated food prices.
Major retailers including Publix and Lidl have also implemented egg purchase limits, and shoppers across the country are already paying more than double the average price. Some have even reported finding empty shelves at their local grocery store.
The exorbitant prices have created problems for the Trump administration, after he pledged to bring down grocery prices on the first day of his presidency.
‘There is a lot of reporting out there that is putting the onus on this White House for the increased cost of eggs,’ White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said when asked about the issue at her first press briefing last week.
She did not mention bird flu, but added: ‘As far as the egg shortage, what’s also contributing to that is that the Biden admin and Department of Agriculture directed the mass killing of 100 million chickens.’
