Chains end fees after bird flu-driven spike in egg costs subsides
Denny’s and Waffle House have officially removed the egg surcharges they introduced earlier this year, following a sharp decline in U.S. egg prices. Denny’s ended its surcharge on May 21, while Waffle House dropped its 50-cent per egg surcharge on June 2, the companies confirmed this week.
Both restaurant chains added the temporary fees in February, when egg prices soared due to widespread bird flu outbreaks. At their peak in March, average retail egg prices hit a record $6.23 per dozen, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Waffle House applied the surcharge across all 1,900 of its locations, while Denny’s implemented variable charges depending on region. The price hikes followed the loss of over 174 million poultry and wild birds since the highly contagious virus began spreading in early 2022. Infected flocks were culled to prevent further transmission, significantly reducing egg supplies from industrial farms.
Egg prices cool with easing flu threat and increased imports
Egg prices have been on a downward trend since April as bird flu cases declined and seasonal demand tapered off post-Easter. By May, the average retail egg price had dropped to $4.55 per dozen, the lowest since December. Government officials credit increased imports and aggressive containment measures for the decline.
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins noted that more than 26 million dozen eggs have been imported this year from countries including Brazil, Mexico, Turkey, Honduras, and South Korea. Additionally, three new foreign facilities were approved to supply shell eggs to the U.S. market. Rollins also highlighted that nearly 1,000 biosecurity assessments have been conducted on domestic farms, with financial support provided to implement upgrades.
Future uncertainty for egg producers as fall migration nears
Despite the current price relief, concerns remain for later this year. Experts warn that fall bird migrations could trigger another wave of avian flu infections, which could again impact supply and push prices higher.
“The fall could be potentially challenging for producers,” Rollins said, citing the ongoing risk posed by migratory wild birds.
For now, diners can expect egg-based meals at Denny’s and Waffle House to return to normal pricing—at least until the next supply shock emerges.