In an important sign that the American economy is improving as Bidenflation recedes, the iconic southern breakfast chain Waffle House is ending its 50-cent “egg surcharge,” in response to increasing supplies from a poultry industry recovering from the winter wave of bird flu.
Waffle House announced “egg-cellent news” for their customers’ wallets. The casual dining chain is dropping the temporary 50-cent surcharge for eggs from its menu after five months, effective immediately….Earlier this year, the Georgia-based restaurant chain — which has more than 2,000 locations across 25 states — implemented a “temporary targeted surcharge” tied to the “unprecedented” rise in egg prices, rather than increasing the price of all menu items.But with the national average wholesale price of eggs being down 7% — at just $2.54 per dozen last week, according to the latest United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Egg Markets report — Waffle House no longer has to upcharge.
Back in February, the chain opted for a targeted surcharge rather than a broad menu price increase, reflecting the direct impact of egg market volatility. A wise move if Waffle House was gambling that the Trump administration’s approach of relying on the Department of Agriculture to take the lead in handling the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) pandemic was going to be more effective than the massive culling of our poultry that was Team Biden’s approach.
As I noted earlier this year, President Trump’s Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins enhanced biosecurity measures and targeted containment strategies. She recently issued a very positive update on how the plans were working.
After reaching a record high due to the Biden Administration’s lack of action, wholesale egg prices have now dropped 64%, with retail prices falling 27% from their peak earlier this year. We must remain diligent, and egg farmers and producers can continue to utilize USDA resources to conduct biosecurity assessments before the Fall.“When President Trump entered office, the cost of eggs was at a record high, seriously denting consumers’ wallets after years of awful inflation. On my first day as Secretary, we got to work to implement a five-pronged strategy to improve biosecurity on the farm and lower egg prices on grocery store shelves. The plan has worked, and families are seeing relief with egg prices driving food deflation in the April Consumer Price Index,” said Secretary Rollins.“While we are proud that over 900 biosecurity assessments have been conducted to date, resources remain available, and we are urging poultry farmers of all sizes to get your assessments done today before a potentially challenging fall.”
I also find it fascinating that the “bird flu” scare has essentially dropped off the media’s radar. Furthermore, the last case of human infection with HPAI was in February of this year and only 70 human cases have been recorded during the 3 years that this virus made its way into the wild (likely from an accidental laboratory release).
Part of the 5-prong plan involves a vaccination program that the USDA is planning to unveil later this month.
According to early drafts, the vaccination protocol may involve an initial dose administered early in a bird’s life, followed by a booster during development. Routine surveillance testing would be implemented to monitor effectiveness and detect any outbreaks. Notably, even vaccinated flocks testing positive for HPAI would still be culled to maintain trade confidence.Experts emphasize that the success of the plan hinges on clear guidelines regarding when to initiate and halt vaccinations, how to track vaccinated flocks, and how to integrate surveillance data. Dr. Ben Wileman of Select Genetics highlighted these concerns during the 2025 PEAK show, stressing the need for a robust and transparent implementation strategy.
Here’s hoping that the USDA approach has continued success, and that the American poultry industry (as well as the cattle ranches and dairy farms) no longer have to sacrifice animals and resources fighting a virus that never should have existed in the first place.
Image by perplexity.ai.
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