Rising Egg Costs Scramble Menu Prices for Metro Detroit Restaurants
Metro Detroit restaurants are feeling the effects of a nationwide egg shortage, affecting menus and ingredient prices. From breakfast to baked goods, the increasing cost of eggs has forced several…
Eggs are seen on a shelf at Pioneer Supermarkets on January 12, 2023 in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn borough in New York City. An outbreak of avian influenza, also known as the bird flu, has driven a shortage of eggs as well as an increase in prices in stores throughout some parts of the country.
Michael M. Santiago/Getty ImagesMetro Detroit restaurants are feeling the effects of a nationwide egg shortage, affecting menus and ingredient prices. From breakfast to baked goods, the increasing cost of eggs has forced several establishments to raise prices.
The Pantry in Clinton Township is one of several restaurants around Metro Detroit affected by the egg shortage.
Pantry managers Bennett and Connie Pilth have been taken aback by the price increase. The Pilths told WXYZ-TV Detroit they use about 30 cases of eggs a week and spend approximately $3,000 per week at their restaurant to purchase eggs. While they try to shop around for the best prices among two or three vendors, they still pay double or triple the cost.
The H5N1 bird influenza, which caused close to 17 million chickens to be slaughtered late in 2024, partially contributes to the high egg prices. Michigan's new cage-free law, which took effect Jan. 1, 2025, is another factor.
"I think at the end of the day consumers need to understand you are already seeing in grocery stores $8 to $10 for a dozen of eggs. That extends to restaurants as well. Being patient with your restaurant is going to help you and the owners," restaurant industry expert Sherif Mityas told WXYZ-TV.
Several people at The Pantry said they understood that the rising cost of eggs must be passed on to customers. One customer said she'd have to forego ordering omelets for the foreseeable future due to the price increase.
