Bad news for Waffle House lovers: These products now have a surcharge and will cost you more
Amid major issues with egg supply and demand, the U.S. restaurant chain Waffle House is passing on rising costs to its customers.
The American restaurant chain Waffle House says it will be charging its customers extra for egg orders, citing the impact of rising egg prices amid low supply.
How much extra will Waffle House charge?
The 70-year-old company, which currently has nearly 2,000 restaurants in 25 states across the U.S., will make diners shell out an additional 50 cents per egg.
The move, which Waffle House says may only be temporary, will put an extra dent in the wallet of customers ordering a number of popular dishes on the establishment’s menu. These include the “T-Bone & Eggs Breakfast”, the “Sirloin & Eggs Breakfast” and the “Ham, Egg & Cheese Grits Bowl”.
“While we hope these price fluctuations will be short-lived we cannot predict how long this shortage will last,” Waffle House said in a statement on Monday, per ABC.
“We are continuously monitoring egg prices and will adjust or remove the surcharge as market conditions allow.”
UPDATE: According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average cost of a dozen Grade A large eggs was $4.15 in December, up from $3.65 in November and $2.15 in January 2024. https://t.co/yxgfJhWp2j
— U.S. Farm Report (@USFarmReport) January 25, 2025
Why is there a shortage of eggs?
Egg supply in the U.S. has been severely impacted by an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), better known as bird flu.
Per the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Egg Markets Overview, HPAI led to the loss of 13.2 million egg-laying chickens in the country in December 2024 and was set to continue decimating populations in January.
In all, CBS says, some 145 million birds have been killed since the bird flu outbreak began in the U.S. in early 2024.
The severe reduction of egg-laying chicken populations has led to a combination of low supply and high demand, which has been at the heart of the significant hikes in egg prices.
How much have egg prices risen by?
According to the U.S.’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average price of a dozen Grade A large eggs in America was $4.15 in December 2024, a nearly two-fold increase on its average cost of $2.15 in January 2024.
What’s more, the Department of Agriculture has predicted that the price of eggs will continue to rise in 2025, forecasting an increase of 20.3%.
When will egg supply improve?
Speaking to CNN, the president and CEO of the American Egg Board, Emily Metz, warned that we shouldn’t expect a short-term resolution to the country’s egg shortage.
“Not to be the bearer of bad news, but we’re in this for a while,” Metz declared. “Until we have time without a detection [of bird flu], unfortunately this very, very tight egg supply is going to continue.”
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