There’s nothing over easy about egg prices

Eggs have entered the chat.

Recently, large outbreaks of Avian Influenza (bird flu), a highly contagious viral disease that usually affects domestic and wild birds, have contributed to the rapid rise in the price of eggs.

Once a low-cost and reliable staple, eggs now can be added to the growing list of the ever-rising costs of living.

Locally, breakfast businesses are struggling with these economic impacts.

Toni Streisfeld, owner of Bagel Girls Cafe in Chester, N.Y., said the price of eggs from her longtime food supplier has increased from the typical $1.50 a dozen to $8.50 to 9.50 a dozen.

To combat the spread of the virus, birds - many of which lay eggs - have been killed. In 2025 alone, more than 30 million egg layers were killed, the Associated Press reported.

Since the first large virus outbreak in 2022, more than 160 million birds have been affected in the United States. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) detection tracker, flocks were affected in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania during the most recent 2025 outbreak.

No flocks have been confirmed as affected in Sussex County, N.J.; Orange County, N.Y.; and Pike County, Pa., but the USDA has confirmed birds affected in counties near each location.

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture estimates a major outbreak of bird flu in Pennsylvania could have an economic impact of $13 billion, potentially affecting more than 50,000 jobs and $3.2 billion in wages.

Used to be cheapest protein

Soaring egg prices challenge local diners and bagel counters’ long-time business model as purveyors of an affordable breakfast.

“Eggs used to be the cheapest protein,” said Mick Kolokithas, who has owned and operated the Milford Diner in Pike County, for 11 years. “Now, they’re the most expensive.”

For Kolokithas, high egg prices have stretched already thin profit margins thinner. He depends on breakfast sales to turn a profit because the margins on breakfast are more forgiving and make up for lunch or dinner items that don’t turn a profit.

“With the (egg) prices now, I’m not making money on breakfast - what are you going to do?”

Menu prices rise

Rosa Hatzimihalis, who has run Victoria Diner in Branchville in Sussex County for 14 years, said rising costs are a reality.

“It doesn’t matter how you look at it - it’s not just eggs, it’s everything.”

She didn’t raise her prices during the coronavirus pandemic. “I know people were struggling.”

The recent significant rise in egg costs forced her to increase menu prices for the first time in more than five years. “I tried, I really tried to stay the same with prices,” she said.

Victoria Diner seats 40 people. As a small business, the price fluctuation is difficult, and with the Easter holiday ahead, Hatzimihalis fears further egg price increases.

Other suppliers can’t be found

Like other businesses, Bagel Girls implemented an up-charge for egg items to offset the higher cost.

Streisfeld already increased the initial $1 up-charge for egg items to $1.50 at the beginning of March.

“We’re a busy business, always, for it to be hurting us,” she said. “I can’t imagine how other small businesses are struggling.”

Searching for cheaper eggs, she called other suppliers and farm owners, who told her they weren’t accepting new customers for fear of or actual inability to meet demand.

Streifseld attributes what she says was Bagel Girl Cafe’s slowest January and February in nine years of business to egg prices on top of inflation.

The cost of eggs has pushed people to cook at home more, she believes.

‘On a fixed income’

The price of eggs has affected Milford Diner’s bottom line, Kolokithas said.

Typically the diner is “in the red” - losing money - for four to six weeks in the winter, but as of March, he’s lost money for eight weeks.

Despite the extra loss, Kolokithas has no plan to up-charge for eggs.

“That’s the human side; old people live on a fixed income,” he said. “You have to think about the people who support you. It’s not like NYC, where there will always be people passing through.”

Predictions that egg prices will keep climbing do worry him. Most recently, the USDA predicted the price of eggs will increase 41 percent in 2025.

“You always hope when there is a new administration, they do something. You always hope, regardless of who it is, they’ll make things better,” Kolokithas said, referring to President Trump addressing egg prices.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the USDA will invest another $1 billion in addition to about $2 billion it already has spent since the outbreak began in 2022.

“It’s going to be a little bit more painful to deal with it,” Kolokithas said. “What can I do? If I stress over that, I’ll give myself a heartache. I can’t turn my back on people now because the price of eggs went up.”