Waffle House has long been the national barometer for normalcy.
As long as Waffle House restaurants are able to stay open, the severe weather is not as bad as it could be.
As long as Waffle Houses are still operating and new ones are being built, the economy is all right.
When Waffle House announced two weeks ago that it would charge a 50-cent surcharge on each egg included in an order, the problem hit home nationally: eggflation.
Grocery shoppers had known about eggflation during the final year of the Biden administration, as the price for a dozen had jumped up, and up, and up again.
Now, the problem has hit home in Alabama restaurants. Mobile’s iconic breakfast spot Dick Russell’s has added a temporary surcharge of 50 cents per egg.
When the large Friday morning breakfast crowd showed up, they saw a placard on each table that read:
Due to the unprecedented drastic increase on the cost of eggs, we have TEMPORARILY increased all menu items that include eggs by $.50 per egg.
We apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for your understanding.
From the looks of the normal Friday morning full house for breakfast, the egg surcharge has not hurt the crowd — yet.
When 1819 News asked waitress Barbara if the surcharge was causing people to order fewer eggs, she said: “No. People are going to eat their eggs.”
Dick Russell’s may have a protective factor if customers gradually cut back on eggs. They serve barbeque, lunch and dinner — not so dependent on eggs.
Dick Russell’s has been in operation for 70 years, since 1954 under the Eisenhower administration. Eggs were 25 cents a dozen.
The restaurant is on Highway 90 West in the Tillman’s Corner area of greater Mobile and operates seven days a week. They have won a Lagniappe Award for breakfast and the Alabama BBQ Hall of Fame, awarded for lunch and dinner.
They also operate a catering service. Inflation of most all food prices has affected all of Dick Rusell’s operations and has required some menu price increases. Eggs are the first and only surcharge.
Eggflation could hit other Alabama restaurants but has not yet. Hopefully, under the Trump administration, prices will come down.
Jim ‘Zig’ Zeigler writes about Alabama’s people, places, events, groups and prominent deaths. He is a former Alabama Public Service Commissioner and State Auditor. You can reach him for comments at ZeiglerElderCare@yahoo.com.
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