The U.S. has been on high alert in recent months as bird flu has spread across poultry farms, leading grocery stores and farmers to hunker down to prevent the spread of the disease and its repercussions. But on the ground—in local restaurants, cafes, and grocery stores—the concern appears to be less prominent.
Although the first local case was found in a backyard poultry flock, most bird flu impacts in the Bay Area stem from larger commercial poultry operations. Companies that receive eggs and meat from these farms with bird flu outbreaks have reported receiving less inventory, increasing prices of goods.
The cost of eggs in California has jumped nearly 70% in the past month, reaching $8.97 for a dozen. The increase is largely a result of a series of highly pathogenic bird flu outbreaks that have decreased the state’s poultry flocks.
However, interviews with local establishments, including Stacks and Jason’s Cafe in downtown Menlo Park and Crepevine in Palo Alto, revealed a surprising disconnect. Staff at each location were unaware of any bird flu-related disruptions to their operations. In fact, most had not heard about the virus at all.
The pattern also held true at grocers like Safeway, which provided no additional information about any potential concerns or dangers of the disease beyond egg prices and temporary egg rationing. “Since the outbreak of bird flu, we have stopped getting our regular loads of eggs. This had caused us to limit customers to two cartons per customer,” a customer service representative at Safeway Menlo Park said.
Despite the lack of awareness among food service and retailers, the bird flu is still causing problems behind the scenes. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has reported that millions of poultry birds have been killed in 2025 due to the spread of the virus.
Still, with only 70 documented cases in the United States since December of 2024, the risk to humans remains low. “The bird flu this year has not been documented to spread person to person,” Dr. Daniel Shin, an infectious disease specialist in the Bay Area, said.
The bird flu may not be the next global pandemic—but it’s no small issue either. Its effects are already ripping through the supply chain, even if they aren’t visible in every kitchen or grocery aisle.
