“We’re in kind of uncharted territory right now with egg prices,” Patrick Penfield, a supply chain management professor at Syracuse University, said in an interview with The Washington Post.

The average retail egg price saw a 37% increase between December 2023 and December 2024, according to data obtained by the news outlet. As a result, popular restaurant chains like Waffle House are now charging 50 cents or more per egg.

“While we hope these price fluctuations will be short-lived we cannot predict how long this shortage will last,” the company announced in a statement.

The rise in egg prices is largely due to an avian flu outbreak considered to be one of the worst ones in U.S. history. Since 2022, around 110 million egg-laying hens have died or were culled in order to prevent the disease from spreading, according to The Washington Post. Since October 2024, 36 million birds have been killed—that’s nearly 10% of the egg-laying hen population in the country.

“Eggs have historically been a cheap source of protein, and a lot of restaurants have built their business plan around that,” Philip Lang, the owner of Bon Temps Creole Cafe in San Luis Obispo, CA, said.

Prior to the pandemic, the price for a 15-dozen case of eggs was between $25 and $40. Now it costs him $120, Lang said.

The rise in egg prices has even affected breakfast staples like New York City’s signature bacon, egg and cheese. Deli owners are attempting to find a middle ground between what it now costs to make the sandwich, while retaining consumer loyalty.

“I’m making less per sandwich now because the price of eggs is so much,” Anthony Bonavita, who owns Benny’s Deli & Catering in Ridgewood, Queens, told The Gothamist.

He said a case of 30 dozen eggs now cost him $215, as opposed to $150 to $160 a month ago and $50 or $60 prior to the pandemic.

“I try to keep my prices down for my loyal customers. That’s why we’re here 57 years on this corner,” Bonavita said. “Right now I’m taking a loss. I’m putting less money in my pocket. I still got to pay my employees and, you know, I’m doing the best I can for the neighborhood for my customers.”