Egg prices and surcharges: how restaurants keep guests' trust
When one ingredient doubles in price, restaurants have three choices: absorb it, raise prices, or add a surcharge. How you communicate the choice matters as much as the choice itself.
By the Xuru Technologies team · 14 February 2025
Key takeaways
- Avian flu outbreaks cut US egg supply and pushed prices sharply higher in early 2025.
- Waffle House added a temporary 50-cent surcharge per egg from 3 February 2025.
- Surcharges are legal in many places but must be disclosed clearly; hidden fees damage trust and can break rules.
- Digital menus that update instantly make price changes easier to manage honestly.
Restaurants run on thin margins. When a staple ingredient spikes, owners face an uncomfortable decision — and guests notice.
What happened
As ABC reported, Waffle House introduced a temporary 50-cent surcharge on each egg at its US restaurants from 3 February 2025, citing the bird flu outbreak's effect on egg prices. Other restaurants and bakeries made similar moves, from surcharges to temporary menu changes.
What it means for restaurants
- Transparency protects loyalty. Guests accept a clearly explained, temporary surcharge more readily than a surprise on the bill.
- Online menus must match. If your website, delivery apps and printed menu show different prices, complaints follow.
- Menu engineering helps. Highlighting dishes with stable costs protects margins without raising every price.
- Regulators care about fees. Several jurisdictions require surcharges to be disclosed before ordering.
What to do now
| Step | Detail |
|---|---|
| Use an HTML menu, not a PDF | Update prices once and they change everywhere on your site |
| Explain any surcharge | One sentence on the menu and at ordering: what, why, and that it is temporary |
| Sync delivery platforms | Update prices on every app the same day |
| Promote stable-cost dishes | Feature them on your homepage and social posts |
See why PDF menus lose customers and what to use instead.
Frequently asked questions
Is it better to raise prices or add a surcharge?
For a temporary cost spike, a clearly explained surcharge can be easier to remove later. For lasting cost increases, adjusting menu prices is usually clearer for guests.
Do surcharges need to be shown online?
Yes. Show them wherever guests see prices, including your website and ordering pages, before they order.
How often should a restaurant update its online menu?
Whenever prices or dishes change. An editable web menu makes this a two-minute job.
A menu you can update in two minutes.
We build restaurant websites with editable menus, online ordering and reservations, so prices stay right everywhere.
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