Cracker Barrel isn’t scrambling to catch up with soaring egg prices. On the contrary, the restaurant chain is trying to poach customers with a rewards program after Waffle House announced a 50-cent egg surcharge this week.
Waffle House’s surcharge went into effect Monday, and Cracker Barrel wasted no time whisking away concerns that it would follow suit.
“A surcharge on eggs? Well, there’s nothing hospitable about that,” Cracker Barrel said Wednesday in a release. “At Cracker Barrel, country hospitality is as important to us as a hearty breakfast — and that means not charging extra for eggs.”
Rather than yolking customers with extra costs, Cracker Barrel is offering an incentive for those who order egg dishes.
“That’s why we’ll be trading some pegs for eggs. Starting tomorrow (Thursday, Feb. 6), all Cracker Barrel Rewards members will earn double pegs on all egg dishes through Wednesday, Feb. 12,” Cracker Barrel said.
Representatives for Waffle House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Cracker Barrel said in a statement to NBC News that ““At Cracker Barrel, we’ve always been committed to providing our signature country hospitality and abundant value at a fair price, including incredible all-day value like our Sunrise Sampler starting at $7.99 or Momma’s Pancake Special starting at $9.99. To show our appreciation for our loyal, egg-loving guests, we’re offering extra Pegs this week that can be used anytime in our restaurant or retail store.”
Egg costs have been rising as the surge of bird flu cases has severely affected chicken populations, according to the Agriculture Department’s latest egg markets overview.
The eggsorbitant costs have not only hiked prices at restaurants and grocery stores; they’ve also led to massive egg theft and people renting chickens to lay eggs at home.
