BILLINGS — As egg prices skyrocket across the U.S., small businesses in Montana and Wyoming are scrambling to keep up with the rising costs, forcing owners to make tough decisions about pricing, product offerings, and their bottom lines.
Popular brunch spot The Sassy Biscuit Co. was busy Sunday morning in downtown Billings with the usual brunch crowd. Tons of orders included eggs, an ingredient that is always at the top of the restaurant's list.
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“I think every single menu item has an egg in it, whether it be our waffles, our biscuits, our pancakes,” said Jilan Hall, the restaurant's owner.
Even during a slow season, the business goes through anywhere from 800 to 1,200 eggs a week. The prices of those eggs have recently skyrocketed.
According to the USDA, egg prices are expected to increase 20.3% in 2025 from the $4.15-a-dozen national average seen in December of 2024. That is more than 60% higher than the December 2023 national average of the $2.51 a dozen, but a slight decrease from the 2022 average of $4.25 a dozen.
The reason driving the high prices is the outbreak of a strain of avian influenza (HPAI). According to the USDA, in December alone, the strain killed over 13.2 million commercial egg-laying hens across the country. That number is continuing to rise. The outbreak was first detected in chickens in 2022, and the winter months make spreading the disease easier due to wild bird migration.
The Sassy Biscuit says the high prices have created concerns. Recently, the restaurant lowered menu prices to keep access affordable and currently does not plan on changing them, and the owner hopes that they can stay the same. Coupled with other rising costs like labor and food, the business has been looking at ways to cut down in other areas.
“When pricing is doubling or sometimes even surpassing that, it becomes difficult," said Hall. “We have definitely been trying to pinch pennies and see where we can cut costs back, but margins right now, this has greatly impacted the margins that we are seeing or that we have set.”
Hall has also noticed a change in consumer behavior due to the high prices, including fewer people opting to go out to eat and going out less frequently. The shift has negatively impacted the first month of sales this year compared to last year.
"What is happening currently in politics is also impacting the consumer's viewpoint on eating out and whether or not, is it worth spending money?" said Hall. “It's just all about balancing and that can be difficult because you don't have control over how people come in and spend their money."
The Sassy Biscuit is just one of the many local food businesses hurting from the high prices.
Jennifer Keller runs Rollhouse Bakery, a cottage home bakery, with the help of her granddaughter, Randi. She sells baked goods and specializes in sweet rolls. Keller usually buys her eggs through wholesale retailers or local vendors, using nearly eight to 10 dozen in a typical weekend.
“When I make a cheesecake, that calls for four eggs, so before, if they were upwards of 15 cents an egg and they go up to 60 cents an egg, that's a big difference," said Keller. “That's always kind of been one of those staple ingredients that you always knew that you could just always afford, and now it's like a luxury to buy eggs. It's crazy."
Keller has opted to absorb the increased costs for now, also hoping to avoid raising prices. She worries, however, that if prices continue to climb, it could price customers out of her business entirely.
“I'm kind of absorbing the cost because I don't want to raise my prices right now because it's already kind of a splurge for customers to purchase my stuff," said Keller. “If I need to raise my prices, then I will, and if people can pay it, then they will.”
Over in Greybull, Wyo., Bob’s Diner owners Deanna and Robert Skillman face the added challenge of traveling to find their eggs given that there is only one grocery store in the town. They make the two-hour trip to Billings once every several weeks. Lately, large retailers such as Sam's Club have run out of stock or are limiting purchases. The Skillmans have been forced to choose different suppliers, like Sysco, who will deliver to their business, but the prices have still increased tremendously.
“We were able to get our eggs at 55 cents an egg this last week. Anywhere else I could find was above 68," said Robert. “We used to pay $15 for a 15 dozen bucks, and now we're paying, well, we just paid $100 per box.”
"When we started four years ago, we were paying eight cents an egg," added Deanna.
As a result, the Skillmans have been forced to raise prices on their egg dishes, but they worry that if prices continue at the rate they are increasing, their restaurant could become unaffordable for many.
“We can't keep going up. Inflation is bad for everybody. Nobody's making more money, so eventually, we're just going to price people out of being able to even come in," said Robert.
Last week, the restaurant even closed due to running out of eggs, and the snowy road conditions made the shopping trip to Billings too dangerous. Their local grocery store would have ended up costing them more and would have only left them with a limited quantity.
"When they're like $42 for a box, it physically hurts you to go to the register and pay that,” said Deanna. “Food costs have been fluctuating for the last two years, so this is just another thing we have to adjust to."
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For these small businesses and many others across the country, the rising cost of eggs is creating significant financial strain. As consumers feel the pinch at the register, everyone, from businesses to families, is paying the price for this ongoing issue.
“Based on what we're seeing so far, I'm just not sure what the rest of 2025 is going to look like, and it can be a little scary as a business owner for sure," said Hall.
