TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The national egg shortage is affecting businesses across the country, from large chains like Waffle House to small "mom and pop" restaurants. In Tucson, local breakfast spots are feeling the pinch, and some have had to make tough decisions to keep their doors open.
The Hungry Fox has been serving Tucson for the past 60 years. It's now the first time they've had to add an egg surcharge due to the rising cost of eggs.
Owners Cassie and Billy Rahn placed placards on every table and a notice on the front door about the surcharge. They said the decision wasn't easy.
"It does affect the customer. It is incredibly challenging because we have a lot of guests that are on a fixed income and we know it affects the pocketbook," said Cassie Rahn. "Unfortunately, we have to cover our cost of goods at this point"
When the Rahns took over the Hungry Fox in 2023, they were paying just under $60 per case for eggs, which typically contains about 15 dozen eggs. Now, due to the ongoing egg shortage, prices have soared to around $127 per case, with no end in sight, according to their distributors.
"They said the soonest that we might see a change would be like October or November of this year," Billy Rahn added. "We don't plan on keeping the surcharge after prices start dropping."
Last quarter, more than 20 million egg-laying chickens died in the U.S., according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, marking the worst impact on the egg supply since the avian flu outbreak began in 2022.
The Rahns are not alone in facing these challenges.
Ghini's French Caffe announced on Facebook they'd be adding a temporary surcharge to their egg dishes. Baja Cafe, another local restaurant that makes everything from scratch, has raised its menu prices by a dollar to adjust to the rising costs of eggs. Owner Gerard Meurer explained that eggs are a key ingredient in many of their dishes.
"Probably 30% of the things that we make from scratch have eggs in it, and then on top of that, 90% of our dishes have eggs going on top of them or served with eggs," Meurer said.
He said the typical food costs for a scratch kitchen are now more expensive than buying processed ingredients.
"So right now we're kind of in protective mode and just, you know, trying to save the business," Meurer said.
Despite the surcharge at the Hungry Fox, the Rahns said their customers, who are like family, have been understanding. Jim Austin eats at the restaurant every weekend.
"This is a great place to eat. This is a business; they have to make a living. What they charge is not really that much, considering the price of eggs today," Austin said.
"We want to maintain what we're known for, which is very comfort food—you feel at home when you come in here," Billy Rahn said.
For now, that comfort food comes with an extra dollar added to the price of dishes that include eggs.
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Maria Staubs joined KGUN 9 as a multimedia journalist and producer in July of 2024. Her passion for writing and storytelling stems from anchoring her middle school’s news show and editing her high school’s yearbook. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism and mass communication with a minor in film and media production, as well as a master's degree in mass communication. You can email Maria at maria.staubs@kgun9.com or reach out to her on X/Twitter or Instagram.
