New York City's inflation woes are hitting its beloved bacon, egg, and cheese sandwiches hard, thanks to a persistent bird flu outbreak decimating poultry populations and driving egg prices skyward. Bodegas across the city, known for serving up the hearty BEC as an affordable breakfast option, now find themselves grappling with how to keep their prices reasonable for a customer base that's come to expect inexpensive fare. According to a Gothamist interview, Benny's Deli & Catering in Ridgewood, which has been on the same corner for 57 years, is struggling to maintain its $5.50 price per sandwich in the face of soaring egg costs that have reached $215 per case -- a stark increase from the $50 to $60 rate before the pandemic.
Manhattan's NY Deli and Grill, where the BEC goes for $6.50, is another eatery feeling the pinch. Manager Ahmed Zandani lamented to Gothamist about the "insane" egg prices and the thinning margins on their popular sandwiches. While the situation is similar at Aden Deli in Bushwick, with a manager stating that surpassing the $5 threshold for their sandwich could lead to losing customers, the establishment acknowledges reluctance to raise prices unless others do the same.
It's not only the bodegas feeling the heat; the larger food industry in New York is under the same pressure. Cafe Manhattan, for instance, announced a 50-cent surcharge on all egg sandwiches, and Jin Yun, the manager, expressed concern to The Post about the inability to make ends meet as egg costs quadrupled in a few months' time. Similarly, Maria Chuqui, a cook at a Mexican food cart, told The Post that her costs for eggs nearly tripled, signaling a likely forthcoming rise in prices for her breakfast offerings.
This egg-centric economic squeeze isn't going unnoticed by officials either. New York Attorney General Letitia James has warned against price gouging, emphasizing that eggs are an essential staple and should remain affordable. However, New Yorkers are not just rolling over in the face of these egg-cessive increases; many are venturing to stores like the Bryant Park Whole Foods, reputed for having the lowest egg prices in town. The store is currently limiting customers to three cartons each, a symptom of the high demand for reasonably priced eggs in an otherwise inflated market. Fernando Mateo of the United Bodegas of America emphasized the social responsibility bodegas have in keeping prices down, according to a statement reported by The Post.
