Denny's joins others in adding egg surcharge amid avian flu outbreak
A sign is posted in front of a Denny's restaurant on February 13, 2023 in Emeryville, California.
ATLANTA - Denny's restaurants have become the latest to announce a surcharge on egg-based menu items due to a sharp rise in egg prices driven by the nationwide avian flu outbreak, according to Bloomberg.
What we know:
The popular diner chain's decision follows similar moves by other eateries, including Georgia-based Waffle House, which began adding a 50-cent surcharge per egg earlier this month. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, at least 18.9 million birds across the United States have been impacted by the H5N1 avian flu strain in just the past month.
The USDA reports that this recent wave of bird flu infections has led to significant disruptions in poultry supply chains, prompting price spikes affecting restaurants and consumers nationwide.
How much have eggs gone up?
By the numbers:
The most recent Consumer Price Index report shows egg prices increased 15.2% from December to January and the average cost of one dozen Grade A large eggs rose to $4.95, up from $4.15 in December.
Individual local establishments have also reacted to the rising costs. In Johns Creek, Uptown Cafe began adding a 50-cent surcharge per egg ordered in late January, according to FOX 5 Atlanta.
Georgia-based Waffle House previously made headlines earlier in February by instituting a 50-cent-per-egg surcharge, attributing the increase to the unprecedented rise in egg prices.
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How much is the increase?
What we don't know:
Denny's has not publicly specified the exact amount of their surcharge, saying the decision is being made market-by-market and restaurant-by-restaurant, according to Axios.