Are eggs part of your regular order at Waffle House? Be ready to pay a little extra. 

On Wednesday, Feb. 5, the national chain announced a 50-cent surcharge — per each egg ordered — in response to the soaring cost of eggs due to the nationwide bird-flu epidemic.

I, myself, have been curious about what is going on with eggs.

On my last two visits to Whole Foods, the egg section has been almost wiped out. The only options are pasture-raised and organic eggs. The grocery chain has also limited the number of egg cartons each customer can buy at a time. 

“We are currently experiencing difficulty sourcing eggs that meet our strict animal welfare standards. For now, we’re limiting purchases to three cartons per customer,” said the sign on the case this past weekend.

“Fresh food is always impacted by weather and natural disasters. With issues caused by the recent freezes in Georgia, there is recovery,” grocery store owner Rick James poses said. “With the bird flu, however, there is no immediate recovery in sight.” (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian file) 

Rick James, the owner of the CashSaver grocery chain, High Point Grocery and South Point Grocery, said the impact of bird flu on egg-laying chickens has been devastating.

According to the CDC, more than 153 million chickens have been infected with bird flu since January 2022.

“Eggland’s Best has stopped shipping eggs altogether,” James said. 

There is some bright news. That is, if you are willing to change the type or brand of eggs you normally purchase and possibly pay a bit more.

“We have lots of our private label Best Choice brand eggs available,” James said. 

The price increases are due to “old-fashioned supply and demand,” according to James. “Fresh food is always impacted by weather and natural disasters. With issues caused by the recent freezes in Georgia, there is recovery. With the bird flu, however, there is no immediate recovery in sight.”

He also noted that he is seeing customers opt for lower-cost breakfast alternatives, such as oatmeal or cereal.

Like Waffle House, locally owned breakfast restaurants are also feeling the impact of the egg shortage.

“This is not the first time we have dealt with this,” Sunrise Memphis owner Ryan Trimm said. “I am hopeful it will correct itself.” (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian flle) 

Sunrise Memphis owner Ryan Trimm has recently seen the price of eggs rise from 9 or 10 cents per egg to 40 or 50 cents an egg.

“It’s a pain. The added costs add up quick, especially at a restaurant where your margins are already tight,” he said. 

Unlike Waffle House, Trimm has decided to absorb the expense instead of raising Sunrise’s prices.

“This is not the first time we have dealt with this,” he said. “I am hopeful it will correct itself.”

One big question I’ve been asked by several friends recently is: “Is it safe to eat eggs now that human cases of bird flu are popping up across the country?”

Dr. Michelle Taylor, the director of the Shelby County Health Department, said the current risk of H5N1 bird flu on Memphians is low, but they are currently monitoring the situation.

“As of now, there have been no cases reported among birds or humans in Shelby County,” she said. “There have been human cases reported in other parts of the country, mostly among farmers and farm workers exposed to infected poultry or cows.” 

The risk of bird flu exposure via food is also believed to be low.

The key to avoiding bird flu — or any food-borne illness — is to practice good food safety habits.

Sunrise Memphis’ P Love breakfast sandwich that includes house-smoked seasoned bologna, egg and American cheese. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian file)

Here are the Health Department’s recommendations: 

“Proper food handling, including hand washing and separating meat and poultry from other foods is recommended. Cooking chicken, eggs and beef to the recommended temperatures kills bacteria and viruses, including avian influenza.

“Ground beef should be cooked to 160 degrees, steaks and other cuts of beef should be cooked to 145 degrees and poultry and eggs should be cooked to 165 degrees. Food temperatures should always be checked with a food thermometer.

“Do not touch or consume raw milk or raw milk products. Choosing pasteurized milk and products made with pasteurized milk is the best way to keep you and your family safe. Pasteurization of milk kills bacteria and viruses, including avian influenza A viruses.”

Good thing I like my eggs well-scrambled ... and I love oatmeal if the prices get too high!

This Week on Memphis’ restaurant scene

Wally Joe (left) said the relationship with Andrew Adams (right) is like he’s his other brother. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)

I sat down last week with the four local chefs named 2025 James Beard Awards semifinalists and shared their stories in three different features, one for each of the restaurants. 

Nuha Abuduhair’s 17 Berkshire bakery and cafe in Overton Square was one of 20 bakeries nationwide to be named semi-finalists in the James Beard Foundation’s annual awards. (Courtesy Kim Thomas)

The story of Wally Joe and Andrew Adams began more than 30 years ago when Adams (then a high school student) went to work for Joe at his family’s acclaimed Cleveland, Mississippi, restaurant, KC’s. Three decades and three restaurants later, the duo have been quietly making their mark at Acre.

Chef Drew Bryan and his wife, Courtney, opened Blue Honey Bistro in 2017. Bryan said the size of their 36-seat Germantown restaurant has allowed the couple to create a restaurant known (and now nationally recognized) for its attention to detail in its food and service.

“I really like pretty things, and I wanted to be able to share little bits of beauty with people who walk in my door,” Nuha Abuduhair said about her bakery 17 Berkshire. Her attention to detail also garnered her national recognition from the James Beard Foundation. Her tiny, 1,000-square-foot bakery is one of just 20 bakeries nationwide to be named a semifinalist in the foundation’s annual awards.

Sophia Surrett reported that a new restaurant is coming to the former Jerry Lee Lewis’ Cafe & Honky Tonk on Beale Street, according to a recent certificate of occupancy filing. Docks Off 5th plans to take over the bar space at 310 Beale St., which was Jerry Lee Lewis’ from 2013 until it closed last summer.

Jasmin Smith prepares an order of vegan wings from Plant Based Heat Jan. 28, 2025. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian)

Christin Yates wrote about three local restaurants that are featuring plant-based fare, such as vegan hot wings and house-made veggie burgers.

In last week’s Food Files, Surrett reported on the new partnership between Comeback Coffee and Groovy Gratitude, a new bakery and cafe opening Downtown at the corner of Second Street and Union Avenue.

The sauce on the vodka slice at Isabella’s Pizza has a bright tomato flavor, the right amount of richness and perfectly seasoned. (Joshua Carlucci/Special to The Daily Memphian)

Food tourism, a cheesecake find, martinis, AI fails and the viral TikTok chocolate bar are a few of the topics The Daily Memphian CEO Eric Barnes and Holly Whitfield discussed on this week’s “Sound Bites.”

And Joshua Carlucci thinks Isabella’s Pizza is the best New York-style pizza in the Memphis area. In his $10 Deal this week, he revealed his top pick at the Bartlett pizzeria is the Vodka Slice.

“I’ve had so many underwhelming vodka sauces on pizza, either too heavy on the cream or too bland. Isabella’s nails it: bright tomato flavor, the right amount of richness and perfectly seasoned,” he said.

Thanks for joining me for this week’s Table Talk. Be sure to look for this column weekly for all the latest food news in Memphis.

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