Another Popular Chain Restaurant Is Adding An Egg Surcharge

Fans of the popular diner chain Denny's could be paying more for dishes containing eggs. The company has confirmed that some of its restaurants are adding surcharges to every egg sold. However, the good news for customers is that this temporary policy is on a per-market and per-restaurant basis. Not every Denny's location is charging more for eggs, but stores with tighter budgets now have the option to do so.

Denny's egg surcharges come amid the ongoing and historic bird flu outbreak, which has led to the culling of well over 100 million birds since it began in 2022. This includes over 20 million egg-laying hens that died in the final quarter of 2024, emblematic of the immense pressure the avian flu has put on domestic egg supplies. Denny's did not disclose the affected locations, but the chain did confirm that the surcharges do not apply to its sibling restaurant Keke's Breakfast Cafe.

Denny's is far from the first restaurant to announce an egg surcharge. Recently, Waffle House announced a 50-cent surcharge on all eggs at its restaurants. But it's not just restaurants feeling the pinch. At least half a dozen grocery stores, including Costco and Trader Joe's, are limiting egg purchases at some or all of their locations.

Large farming operations are particularly vulnerable to bird flu, due to poor hygiene standards and chickens living closely together. These massive farms also produce the least expensive eggs, putting the squeeze on budget-conscious consumers as well as affordable restaurant chains like Waffle House and Denny's.

Unfortunately, in the case of Denny's, expensive eggs are the least of the chain's worries. Recently, Denny's announced the closure of about 30 restaurants in 2025, on top of previously revealed plans to shutter 150 locations by year's end. And the chain is wasting little time on this goal, as at least 88 Denny's restaurants closed before January.