Good luck finding a late-morning McMuffin in Australia — McDonald’s has shortened breakfast service by 90 minutes due to an egg shortage caused by bird flu outbreaks. The fast-food giant announced on social media that breakfast would now end at 10:30 a.m. instead of noon, a measure taken to manage the egg supply challenges stemming from avian flu. McDonald's reassured customers they are working closely with Australian farmers and suppliers to restore regular service as soon as possible.
Australia is currently dealing with several strains of highly pathogenic avian influenza that have impacted 11 poultry facilities, predominantly egg farms in the southeast. Although these strains are not the H5N1 variant responsible for global outbreaks, the virus has led to the culling of approximately 1.5 million chickens. This has affected less than 10% of Australia’s egg-laying hens, yet retailers have imposed buying limits on eggs.
Bird flu causes egg shortage
Rowan McMonnies, managing director of Australian Eggs, emphasized that despite the challenges, there are over 20 million hens still in production across the country, with farmers committed to maintaining supply. While there have been shortages in some stores, particularly toward the end of the day, authorities maintain they are effectively containing the outbreaks, marking Australia’s 10th bird flu outbreak since 1976.
