‘First year for the surcharge’: Local cafe in SLO raises prices due to the nationwide egg shortage

By McKenzie Diaz

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    SAN LUIS OBISPO, California (KSBY) — Bon Temps Creole Café has been a San Luis Obispo breakfast staple for nearly 30 years.

For the first time, the restaurant is forced to raise prices due to a nationwide egg shortage.

Phillip Lang, the owner of Bon Temps Creole Café, says a $15 menu item now costs $17 for two eggs.

Lang says the bird flu outbreak has caused the price of eggs to go up.

“A couple [of] weeks ago we were paying $51 for a box of eggs, which is 15 dozen, and that went to $110 a box,” said Lang. “It’s now more than double.”

Lang says they used to pay $25 a box for eggs right after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Inside the Bon Temp’s restaurant, a yellow paper on the top of the menu will alert customers of the $1 increase per egg for certain meals.

“This is the first year for the surcharge,” said Lang. “It’s an item that went up so fast and drastically for a breakfast menu we had to do something.”

Lang says the surcharge has not affected their business and that some customers are still buying eggs.

“It did not impact our order but it’s just shocking,” Grace Schultz said. “It’s impacting everyday life here and it is sad for the owners because you know they don’t want to do that.”

Others are opting for something else.

“When I go out to eat I’m going to want eggs,” said Jef Edwards. “When I saw they had to charge the extra dollar per egg I thought I would get oatmeal and sausage this time.”

Lang added that as a breakfast restaurant, during a slow season, skyrocketing egg prices are especially difficult for them.

“It’s a little daunting going into a slow month knowing it’s going to be slower and also raising prices at the same time,” Lang said.

Once egg prices come back down to a reasonable price, Lang says they will take away the surcharge.

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