The bird flu epidemic in the US has forced Waffle House to add an extra surcharge on its eggs. An extra 50c per egg will be added to the bill, and it's slightly concerning.
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If you're looking for a reliable and reasonably priced breakfast, Waffle House is usually your best bet. But what is a breakfast without eggs? Since the shortage, the breakfast chain has had to up their prices. Thankfully, it's not forever and will only be in place until after the shortage ends.
Rather than remove eggs from their menu, they have decided to add the 50c extra charge. Prices of eggs have skyrocketed across the US, and this is how Waffle House is navigating it. In a statement released by the company, they said "Consumers and restaurants are being forced to make difficult decisions. We are continuously monitoring egg prices and will adjust or remove the surcharge as market conditions allow."
So, it seems like the Waffle House eggs price hike isn't forever. As the bird flu epidemic comes under control, so will their prices.
Eggs Shortage Affecting More Than Just Waffle House
The cause of the egg shortage in the US is an outbreak of bird flu. This highly contagious disease can decimate entire farms. If only one case of bird flu is found, the whole flock of birds is killed. This has resulted in millions of poultry across the US being slaughtered.
Many of the suppliers that Waffle House uses for eggs will have been affected. The US egg industry has seen record numbers of laying chicken deaths last quarter. Over 20 million birds have had to be culled in order to prevent further spread.
The avian flu that has been wiping out so many chickens is also developing. It has now been seen to spread to other animals, including household cats, dairy animals, and even humans. One of the human cases has turned fatal, resulting in the first recorded human death from bird flu.
The Waffle House promises to reduce the cost of their eggs when the price returns to normal. But, at this rate, we may be waiting quite a long time.
