‘Not trying to gouge you’: The hunt is on for eggs, and lower egg prices in North Carolina

CHARLOTTE — Egg prices are soaring amid a nationwide shortage due to bird flu, but the shell shock is hitting consumers and local business owners across Charlotte.

Channel 9′s Hannah Goetz found a sign inside the Harris Teeter on Central Avenue warning shoppers of the egg shortage. Prices were up too: $6.49, $7.39, $8.99 for a dozen eggs. Less than two miles away at the Food Lion on The Plaza, we got to the egg aisle just in time for a new shipment and new prices, even on the bulk packs of 30-count eggs.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the bird flu is causing prices to climb and inventory to drop.

It’s making a big impact on big companies -- one customer at Trader Joe’s in Midtown Charlotte snagged a picture of empty egg shelves, and even Waffle House announced a temporary $0.50 surcharge per egg.

Bird flu’s impact on local restaurants

But it’s also hurting local businesses. Here in North Carolina, the USDA says over 3 million egg-laying chickens were killed due to bird flu -- that’s about 24% of the entire state’s total. That shortage is affecting mom-and-pop restaurants like Mattie’s Diner on The Plaza.

“I think my first response was not how they’re impacting me, but how they’re killing me,” said Matt King, the owner of Mattie’s Diner.

Mattie’s is a place many go to for comfort food and comfortable prices, but King said they’ve seen a 30% decrease in breakfast revenue in January. With a massive breakfast menu, eggs are crucial.

“It’s probably ... 60% of what we’re doing, you know, so it hits you. Almost every transaction has some eggs on it,” King told Goetz.

He says it’s forced him to raise the prices on his menu.

“We literally have new menus coming out in two days because of what we’re talking about, so we’ve had to raise prices of adding an egg to two bucks,” King said.

King says it’s a hard move to make when you’re catering to the community. Customers are coming in not just for a hot cup of coffee and breakfast, but also for a friendly atmosphere.

“We’re not trying to gouge you, we’re just trying to make a living like everybody else,” King said.

He says raising his prices is the difference between life and death for his business.

“It’s what has to happen for us to stay in business, otherwise we’ll go out of business, there’s no doubt,” King said.

And it likely won’t stop here. Analysts say egg prices are expected to go up another 20% due to the impacts of bird flu.

(VIDEO: Boy wants horse, sells eggs to make money)

Boy wants horse, sells eggs to make money (NCD)

©2025 Cox Media Group