Soaring Egg Prices Impact Utah Eateries – What It Means for Customers

The rising cost of eggs is putting a financial strain on local café owners in Salt Lake City, who say their businesses depend on this essential ingredient.

Ken Roderman, owner of The Dough Miner Café, was shocked when he saw the latest price for a dozen eggs.

“As of this morning, I nearly fell out of my chair. I had to double-check the math because I thought it had to be a mistake,” Roderman said. “But it wasn’t—it was nearly $9 per dozen.”

For Sean Miller, owner of The Park Café, eggs are at the core of his menu, making the price hikes even more difficult to manage.

“Eggs are our biggest seller. The way prices keep climbing, it gets tougher every single week,” Miller said.

Uncertainty Over Future Prices

Egg suppliers aren’t offering any clear answers about when costs will stabilize.

“Prices have nearly tripled in a short period,” Miller explained. “It’s happening so fast that adjusting menu prices to keep up just isn’t realistic.”

Roderman echoed those concerns, recalling how much cheaper eggs were just months ago.

“Last summer, I was paying under $3 a dozen,” he said. “Now, it’s almost $9 a dozen—that’s just unbelievable.”

Fear of Potential Shortages

Although suppliers have assured café owners that availability isn’t currently an issue, they warn that could change.

“They’ve told us we should be grateful there’s no shortage yet,” Roderman said. “But if one happens, and we can’t get eggs at any price, that’s it—we’ll be out of business. We have nothing to sell without them.”

Both café owners are doing their best to avoid raising menu prices despite the financial pressure.

“This affects nearly every dish we serve,” Miller said. “Everyone is feeling the impact.”

Bird Flu Worsens the Crisis

According to the USDA Egg Market Review, egg supplies remain tight, with little hope for improvement in the near future due to the continued spread of avian influenza among poultry flocks.

“The bird flu situation is serious,” Miller said. “Millions of birds have already been culled because of it.”

Calls for Government Action

Roderman hopes the incoming Trump administration will step in to address the situation.

“They’ve promised action, and now it’s time to deliver,” he said. “Egg prices were a talking point during the election, so I want to see something actually done about it.”

As the cost of eggs continues to climb, Salt Lake City’s café owners are left searching for solutions—all while hoping their businesses can survive the pressure.

Author
Recent Posts

keelee-mccain

Keelee McCain is a junior at Weber High School. This is her second year on staff, this year as Assistant to the Chief. She does have a life (probably) but she can't think of anything to write in here, so she's probably just going to ramble now. She has an orange cat who she likes better than any human. If you see her being quiet or not sitting on top of a desk, there is something very wrong. In her free time she enjoys harassing her favorite teachers and sleeping. Her life plans include making it through high school and leaving. Happy lifeing.