Waffle House To Add Temporary Egg Surcharge

February 4, 2025

Source: Joe Raedle / Getty

Heads up, Waffle House fans: Be prepared to pay a little more money for your next meal.

CNN reports that the Georgia-based chain is adding a temporary egg surcharge of 50 cents per egg. According to signs posted at its restaurants, the temporary surcharge is due to an aggressive strain of avian flu hurting supply and causing egg prices to rise.

Waffle House issued a statement to CNN:

“The continuing egg shortage caused by HPAI (bird flu) has caused a dramatic increase in egg prices. Customers and restaurants are being forced to make difficult decisions.”

Waffle House added that it will continue to monitor egg prices and will adjust or remove the surcharge when needed.

Avian Flu On The Rise

The rise in egg prices comes as the Avian flu has seen a resurgence in late 2024. The USDA reports around 17 million egg-laying hens were killed in November and December, counting for nearly half of all birds killed in 2024.

Since the first reported cases in January 2022, the American Farm Bureau Federation reported that 108 million birds were slaughtered. 75 million of those laid eggs.

This proved to be a major dilemma for Waffle House, which serves over 272 million eggs per year.

The average price of a dozen large, grade-A eggs, which the chain uses, was $4.15 in December, up from $3.65 in November.

The USDA forecasts that prices will increase 20% this year.

“Not to be the bearer of bad news, but we’re in this for a while,” said Emily Metz, president and CEO of the American Egg Board. “Until we have time without a detection, unfortunately, this very, very tight egg supply is going to continue.”

Written by: realurbanradio1

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