At Waffle Houses across the country, the menus now say there will be a temporary 50-cent 7surcharge for every egg you order, a tough hit since eggs are Waffle House's most ordered item.
At grocery stores across the country, shoppers are 8frustrated. The price of eggs spiked two years ago and is now spiking again, jumping 50 cents per dozen just between November and December. And in some places, eggs aren't available at all.
Steve Phillips, Shopper in Sacramento, CA: I went in and by God, they had everything but eggs.
CNN Anchor: The main 9culprit? A devastating 10outbreak of 11avian flu across much of the U.S., egg-laying hens having to be 12culled by the millions.
Emily Metz, American Egg Board: Just in the last year alone, we've had to 13euthanize more than 40 million birds. And we started this year by euthanizing an additional 15 million birds because of this 14deadly virus. It's absolutely 15devastating.
CNN Anchor: Also, strong consumer demand has fueled the shortage and the price spikes. The demand for eggs typically higher during the holiday season. But the reality, analysts say, is that the egg crisis is something no president can really control.
Mark Zandi, Chief Economist, Moody¡¯s Analytics: It's not President Biden's fault. It's not President Trump's fault. You know, it's what's going on in the industry and a virus.
CNN Anchor: And according to the16 Department of Agriculture, we'll have to 17endure spiking egg prices for a while longer. They're expected to increase another 20 percent this year.
