WASHINGTON — Denny’s will add a surcharge to all meals containing eggs as the restaurant chain deals with rising costs amid the nationwide egg shortage.
The popular dining chain confirmed in an email statement that it is adding a temporary surcharge to every meal that includes eggs, with prices varying from “market-by-market, and restaurant-by-restaurant due to the regional impacts of the egg shortage.”
“We do our best to plan ahead with our vendors on items like eggs to minimize the impact market volatility has on our costs and menu pricing,” the company said in a statement. “We understand our guests’ desire for value, and we will continue to look for ways to provide options on our menu, including our $2 $4 $6 $8 value menu, while navigating these rapidly changing market dynamics responsibly.”
No specific details concerning which markets and restaurants will be impacted were provided, with the company citing that “this is a fluid situation.” Denny’s did not confirm how much the surcharge would cost.
Denny’s isn’t the first restaurant chain to feel the impact of the ongoing egg crisis.
Earlier this month, Waffle House announced it was adding a 50-cent per egg surcharge on all its menus. The Georgia-based company said the decision is temporary “until egg prices cool.”
Avian flu is forcing farmers to slaughter millions of chickens a month, causing U.S. egg prices to skyrocket. The average price of a dozen Grade A eggs in U.S. cities reached $4.95 in January, eclipsing the previous record of $4.82 set two years earlier and more than double the low of $2.04 that was recorded in August 2023. The Agriculture Department predicts prices will soar another 20% this year.
Even if shoppers can afford eggs, they may have difficulty finding them at times. Some grocers are having trouble keeping their shelves stocked, and customers are encountering surcharges and limits on how many cartons they can buy at a time.
Why are egg prices so high?
The main reason that eggs are more expensive is the bird flu outbreak. When the virus is found on a farm, the entire flock is killed to limit the spread of disease. Because massive egg farms may have millions of birds, just one outbreak may put a dent in the egg supply. Nearly 158 million birds have been slaughtered overall since the outbreak began.