Waffle House has shared that it will now charge customers a 50-cent per egg surcharge due to the impact of ongoing egg shortages and rising prices that were ignited by the bird flu.
The 24-hour breakfast chain shared that the decision was made to add “a temporary targeted surcharge tied to the unprecedented rise in egg prices,” instead of increasing prices across the menu.
“While we hope these price fluctuations will be short-lived, we cannot predict how long this shortage will last,” the chain shared.
The move isn’t unexpected, as the United States Department of Agriculture has forecast that the price of eggs will rise 20% this year thanks to the current strain of bird flu that has decimated flocks across the country.
The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service previously reported that in November and December, the outbreak, which first started three years ago, resulted in 17 million egg-laying hens being slaughtered.
In January, 85 commercial flocks were affected by the bird flu as well.
The outbreak and loss of egg-laying hens have already impacted the price of eggs for consumers. The price of a dozen large grade-A eggs rose to $4.15 in December, up from $3.65 in November, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
As for the southern staple, Waffle House reportedly serves 272 million eggs every year at its 2,100 locations across 25 states. The chain has shared that eggs are its most-ordered item, with the next closest being 153 million servings of hash browns and 124 million waffles.
While Waffle House has adjusted its pricing to better handle the rise in egg costs, its competitor, IHOP, has shared that its menu prices will stay the same.
“While franchisees ultimately manage pricing per restaurant, IHOP’s House Faves menu remains available Monday through Friday for just $6, $7 in some locations,” a spokesperson for the breakfast chain shared.