Waffle House Adds Extra Charge for Eggs Citing Bird Flu Crisis
Popular breakfast chain Waffle House has started charging an extra 50 cents for egg dishes at their locations as the country faces its worst bird flu outbreak in 10 years.
Rising egg prices have pushed the chain to update its pricing. Egg prices have doubled across the country since last summer. A regular dozen eggs now sell for $4.15 – a shocking 37% jump compared to last year.
“While we hope these price fluctuations will be short-lived we cannot predict how long this shortage will last,” said Waffle House to ABC News.
The deadly H5N1 bird flu has wiped out more than 145 million birds nationwide since 2022. Farmers are forced to kill large numbers of chickens each month to stop the virus from spreading.
The Agriculture Department expects egg prices to climb another 20% this year. These price hikes have pushed the restaurant’s basic breakfast plate with two eggs, toast, and a side up to $7.75.
The CDC has reported 67 human cases of bird flu in the US since 2024. The virus keeps spreading rapidly through wild birds, poultry, cattle, and other animals.
The impact goes well beyond just restaurants. Frozen egg supplies have hit their lowest levels in three years. Grocery stores are having trouble keeping eggs in stock.
While prices haven’t hit the peak of $4.82 per dozen seen in January 2023, Waffle House will keep the extra charge until the market gets significantly better.