A New York City breakfast staple is now being served up with a side order of financial reality.
One operator of a Manhattan food cart said he's never seen the cost of eggs spike so sharply.
"Eggs are golden," said Hakeem, whose food truck has been serving customers on a corner of Sixth Avenue in midtown for 25 years.
He said he is trying to keep prices flat, even if it costs him. And he hopes prices come down soon.
Just a few blocks north, another food cart operator named Alejandra has had to raise the price of egg sandwiches by 50 cents. And she's far from alone in doing so.
As local businesses seek to keep prices down for as long as they can, a national chain has already made changes.
Waffle House, the popular 24-hour diner throughout the South, is now charging a special fee of 50 cents per egg. It comes as the National Restaurant Association says producer costs are up 134% year over year for eggs.
"That's just too much for any restaurant to absorb in their narrow margins," said Michelle Korsmo, of the restaurant group.
The average price for a dozen eggs is now more than $5. Why? Bird flu.
Avian influenza has affected more than 133 million egg-laying chickens since 2022.
The USDA predicts egg prices will increase another 20% in 2025, warning that egg shortages could increase as bird flu spreads.
