The recall of more than 500 million eggs from two Iowa producers has some consumers worried and is affecting business for at least one Rochester restaurant known for its breakfast menu.
"We think our business has been impacted a little bit," said Jesse Berg, manager of the Canadian Honker. "I would say since the story broke, we've seen a little bit of a decline, and I think that's obviously people being scared about it. You know, they say make sure your eggs are cooked all the way through, but a lot of people don't like that style of egg."
The breakfast crowd has been ample in recent weeks, Berg said, but an article in the Wednesday Post-Bulletin affected the restaurant's trade on Thursday morning.
"With the article that was thrown out (Wednesday) night, 'Are bad eggs still being served?' with Pete Giesen from (Olmsted County Public Health), we saw quite a drop in business this morning, for sure," Berg said Thursday afternoon.
Denny's restaurant manager Ann Woodward said the egg scare isn't affecting business.
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"It's been the same as it always is," she said. "I haven't noticed any different orders, like extra pancakes going out instead of eggs or anything like that."
Woodward did say some customers have asked about the safety of the restaurant's eggs and whether they should toss the eggs they had at home.
Rob Nelson, a supervisor at the Perkin's Restaurant on 16th Avenue Northwest in Rochester, said that "sales are staying pretty even-keeled." A few customers have asked about the safety of the restaurant's eggs, he said.
At the Canadian Honker, Berg gives customers copies of a letter written to the restaurant's food distributor, Reinhart FoodService. Reinhart received a letter from its egg distributor, assuring that its eggs were not involved in the recall.
"We have put that out, and we were actually handing it out (Thursday) morning to customers — just to let them know that our eggs are safe," Berg said.
There's been a slight difference in customer orders, Berg said.
"I would say I saw a couple of more oatmeals go out today," he said. "I'm sure there's just some tentativeness across the country."
