The bacon, egg and cheese sandwich is a bodega staple, prized for its simplicity. But the beloved breakfast item is getting pricey, as the cost of eggs climbs.
The United Bodegas of America is cutting the price by cutting a corner: using liquid egg substitute to make the classic sandwiches. The idea, which originated at La Bonita Deli & Grocery in the Bronx, will drop their standard price for a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich from $6 to $4.99.
“Bodegas have figured it out,” said Fernando Mateo, the UBA spokesman. “We don’t’ need rocket scientists. We don’t need people not knowing when the bird flu is going to be over and when egg prices are going to come down. We’re going to do what we have to do, in order to fulfill our commitment to the communities we serve.”
So how does the liquid egg substitute work? A cook showed NBC New York what it looks like, pouring what amounts to one egg from a carton (not an egg carton, mind you, but something resembling a carton of juice or milk) onto the griddle. The carton it comes from contains about 18 eggs.
Mateo reasons that as long as that quart of liquid egg costs less than a dozen shelled eggs, bodegas will be able to keep their sandwich cost below $5.
“When we can save them a dollar on a sandwich, that’s a lot. That’s a dollar they could use to buy other things,” said Mateo.
Still, as the yellowish liquid sizzled on the griddle behind the bodega counter on Wednesday, some Bronx residents walking by along 183rd Street were skeptical. Would the taste and texture of their egg and cheese sandwich be compromised?
“That’s like cheating the community. Nobody wants liquid eggs,” said Quaison Richardson. “If I’m going to pay for an egg sandwich, I want the egg. I want you to crack the egg, not get it out of a container.”
“That’s nonsense, using the egg beaters,” said Shavar McFadden, who has taken to buying single eggs at the counter and only buying them when he needs them.
The cost of eggs has more than doubled compared to last year and could jump another 41% in 2025, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The USDA has rolled out a $1 billion plan to combat rising egg prices.
Back in the Bronx, the UBA says bodegas are proactively coming up with cost-saving solutions for their customers. And if the price of liquid egg containers climbs?
“Well, we will cross that bridge when we get there,” says Mateo. “Right now, let’s celebrate what we have.”
What they have, are cheaper bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches for those who can’t stomach paying higher prices.
