McDonald’s won’t add a surcharge on eggs at its U.S. restaurants despite a nationwide shortage, a company executive said on Tuesday.
"Unlike others making news recently, you definitely WON’T see McDonald’s USA issuing surcharges on eggs, which are 100% cage-free and sourced in the U.S.," Michael Gonda, McDonald's chief impact officer for North America, wrote in a LinkedIn post.
Gonda's made the comment in the post while also discussing a new "Breakfast Comes First" campaign that the fast-food chain launched.
A McDonald's restaurant in Santa Monica on Nov. 13, 2023. (Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via / Getty Images)
The campaign commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Egg McMuffin and breakfast at McDonald’s, and includes deals and other measures.
McDonald’s said it will sell an Egg McMuffin or Sausage McMuffin with Egg breakfast sandwich to customers through its app for $1. The company is also offering a "BOGO Sausage McMuffin with Egg" deal for McDelivery customers ordering through the app from March 3 through March 30.
CFO Ian Borden had seemingly hinted at the campaign during the company’s earnings call earlier this month.
"I think if you think ahead a little bit, this will be the 50th anniversary of breakfast in the U.S. this year and I think there’ll be some really kind of interesting and exciting things that the U.S. business does over the next little while around breakfast," he said at the time.
He also told analysts and investors that breakfast "has been a really strong daypart for the U.S. business through ‘24."
McDonald's CFO Ian Borden had seemingly hinted at the campaign during the company’s earnings call earlier this month. (Justin Sullivan / Getty Images)
McDonald’s isn’t the only company that has said it will stay away from egg surcharges.
Cracker Barrel, which has more than 600 restaurants across the U.S., said in a Feb. 6 Facebook post that "egg prices are staying put, but we’re doubling your rewards." In an Instagram post the same day, the chain also said, "Egg surcharges? Never heard of it."
Eggs have been in short supply in the U.S. due to outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, which has contributed to high prices for many consumers and businesses.
Outbreaks of bird flu have weighed on the U.S. egg supply, causing nationwide shortages and high prices. (Anthony Wallace/AFP via / Getty Images)
Egg prices surged 15.2% in January, according to the Labor Department's consumer price index. It was the largest increase in egg prices since June 2015 and accounted for nearly two-thirds of the total monthly rise in food prices, the department reported. On an annual basis, egg prices are up 53%.
FOX Business' Daniella Genovese contributed to this report.