Breakfasts at Ypsilanti's The Bomber are classic greasy spoon fare, especially when it comes to the portions. Take the Bomber Breakfast, for instance, which includes four eggs, breakfast potatoes, toast, and one choice from the grill: six sausage patties, seven sausage links, 10 slices of bacon, or two slices of ham.
The portion sizes might be beloved by customers, but there's something putting the squeeze on the restaurant's bottom line these days: the cost of eggs. An outbreak of bird flu that began last year has driven up prices to an all-time high at an average of $4.95 per dozen eggs.
According to Johanna McCoy, owner of The Bomber, that price increase is hitting restaurants like hers hard. In November, she said she usually was able to get a case of eggs (that's 15 dozen) for about $45. Now, the going rate is closer to $140.
"And it's not a guarantee that you can get all that you need," McCoy said. "You know, the vendors are trying to be very fair with all of their customers."
McCoy said she's eating the price increase, for now. But if the high prices continue, she will eventually have to pass on some of that cost to her customers.
"You have to do what's right for your customers, but you also have to do what's right for your employees," McCoy said. "And you sure don't want to go out of business because, you know, we're kind of being bullheaded about increasing prices."
Hear Johanna McCoy's full conversation with April Baer on the Stateside podcast.
