Rising egg prices have North Texas shoppers and some restaurants "scrambled"
NORTH TEXAS — Rising egg prices have shoppers scrambling, and some businesses are already hiking prices. But Dallas-based restaurant Ellen's has decided to take more of an "over easy" approach.
"I'm just like, okay, we roll with it," said Joe Groves, one of the restaurant's owners.
No price hikes for now.
"We can find other ways to make up the deficit if we have to," Groves said. "For now, eggs are the staple part of our menu. It's not going to last forever. We'll be okay."
Along with being one of the owners, Groves is Ellen's son. He said his mom inspired the restaurant's name and still lives nearby. That sense of community, he said, nudges him toward "perspective" rather than "panic" when dealing with a volatile commodities market.
"We're not on Wall Street. We don't have to answer to shareholders. We don't have to answer to the scrutiny of Goldman Sachs. If we have to do something, we'll find other ways to do it."
Other restaurants, though, are scrambling. The Waffle House chain has announced a 50 cents per egg surcharge, blaming it on the worst bird flu outbreak in a decade. The crisis has led to the slaughter of millions of chickens, a shortage of eggs, and higher prices.
"We've got to be supporting our small business," said customer Donna Fossey with conviction. Faced with rising prices on many fronts, Fossey said she's cutting back where she can. But even if Ellen's raised prices, she said she'd remain a loyal customer. She said she won't stop supporting local businesses, especially when she sees that the loyalty cuts both ways.
"I'm concerned about people psychologically saying, 'I can't afford to do that anymore.' Even if it's temporary," Groves said, "because I'd rather keep everybody as comfortable and as welcome as possible in the short term and let them know that we're here no matter what happens."
A loyal customer's reaction? "Go, Ellen, GO!" exclaimed Fossey with a wide smile. "That's what I would say about that!"
As for Groves? "People are worried," he added soberly. "People think this is going to happen or the president's going to do this, or Congress is going to do this, or, you know, people are going to be deported and strawberries are going to go up. I hate all that. Just let it go. Let's love one another. We're in this together. We really are."
