Spike in egg prices impacting locally owned breakfast restaurants

FARMERSVILLE, Calif. (KFSN) -- Skyrocketing egg prices are hitting the nation hard, and small breakfast shops in the South Valley are feeling the impact.

"This egg increase has been very, very high to where I don't recall ever stressing about the eggs this much before," said Lyndsey Stevens, the manager of Boss Hogg's Country Kitchen in Farmersville.

Close to 90% of their menu has egg in it.

They go through 30 dozen eggs on an average week day and close to 45 dozen on the weekends.

"What used to be about $30, $40, even $60, which is really high. $60 is now costing me about $120 or $130," explained Lyndsey.

Lyndsey says Boss Hogg's prides itself in using whole eggs.

They also offer a 50% discount to first responders, 30% for Farmersville city officials and 15% for veterans, which turns into 50% on Veterans Day.

With egg prices tripling, she has had to take extra steps to find decently priced eggs so they can continue to give back to local community members.

"I've had to shop around and find the cheapest deal just to make sure that I don't have to increase the price for my customers yet," Lyndsey mentioned.

A few miles down the road, the locally owned Butter + Milk Biscuit Bar in Visalia has also felt the impacts.

"You just worry that all this food price increase is going to affect the industry as a whole, and that, you know, I have 15 employees at each restaurant, and although that's not a lot, it's 15 employees that support their families," said owner Gina Mayo.

Gina mentions she has considered adding a premium for certain menu items that are egg based, but worries about increasing costs for her customers.

"Food has to be affordable for people and children need that, you know. They need a good protein on their plate at some point of the day, and the egg was the most inexpensive way to get that. And now that, too, is becoming unaffordable for many, many people, and that needs to be resolved immediately," said Gina.

Local shops say if this continues they may have no other choice but to pass the increased cost to the customer.

They say it's not a decision they take lightly.

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