• Waffle House has introduced a temporary 50-cent surcharge for each egg sold due to rising egg prices.
• The surcharge is a response to significant supply chain disruptions stemming from a widespread avian flu outbreak.
• Egg prices in the U.S. have more than doubled over the past year, with forecasts expecting a further 20% increase.
• The bird flu epidemic is forcing the slaughter of millions of chickens, severely impacting egg production.
• The restaurant chain assured customers that they will continuously monitor prices to adjust or remove the surcharge as necessary.

The beloved breakfast chain Waffle House has announced a temporary surcharge of 50 cents for every egg ordered, beginning February 3, 2025. This move comes as the U.S. grapples with unprecedented egg prices driven by a severe ongoing outbreak of avian influenza. According to Waffle House, this adjustment is essential to manage the soaring costs associated with egg supply shortages, which have resulted in a dramatic increase in prices across the industry.

The widespread effects of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) have forced poultry producers to cull millions of chickens. The situation has escalated to the point where the average price of a dozen eggs hit $4.15 in December 2024, compared to just $2.52 a year prior, and industry experts predict an additional increase of 20% in egg prices throughout 2025, as reported by Forbes.

Waffle House management expressed that the surcharge is a targeted solution to avoid raising prices across the entire menu. “Consumers and restaurants are being forced to make difficult decisions,” the company stated. “While we hope these price fluctuations will be short-lived, we cannot predict how long this shortage will last,” highlighting the ongoing challenges posed by the bird flu outbreak, which has infected or killed nearly 150 million birds since early 2022, as noted in a report by AP News.

In response to consumer concerns, Waffle House has implemented stickers on menus to inform customers about the new surcharge. The chain aims to maintain the quality of its offerings, guaranteeing that “quality, fresh-cracked, Grade-A large eggs will remain a key ingredient in many of our customers’ favorite meals,” according to The New York Times.

As egg prices continue to rise sharply, they have become a focal point in discussions about inflation and food costs across the nation. This pricing crisis coincides with heightened political scrutiny concerning inflation control strategies, especially as Business Insider reported that prices of groceries remain a top concern among American voters.

The combination of inflationary pressures and health crises, such as the ongoing avian flu outbreak, underscores the vulnerability of the poultry industry and its far-reaching effects on food prices in the U.S. Waffle House continues to monitor these fluctuations closely, preparing to adjust or eliminate the surcharge in response to market conditions. For more details about the impact of bird flu on egg prices, refer to the article on USA Today.