The Scoop: Chipotle, Waffle House emphasize transparency about price fluctuations 

Waffle House and Chipotle are speaking plainly to customers about how economic factors may impact pricing.

Waffle House is confronting the effects of the bird flu, which has caused a sharp rise in egg prices. To mitigate the rising costs, the chain added a $0.50 surcharge for every egg it sells. It made the upcharge clear to customers by placing an explanation sticker on its in-store menus.

“While we hope these price fluctuations will be short-lived, we cannot predict how long this shortage will last,” Waffle House said in a statement. “We are continuously monitoring egg prices and will adjust or remove the surcharge as market conditions allow.”

On the other hand, Chipotle has worked to downplay concerns about prices and the availability of products if the White House imposes tariffs on Mexico and Canada. During an earnings call Tuesday, CFO Adam Rymer said that if the Mexican tariffs go through, the company’s cost would rise by about 0.6 percentage points. However, he noted that Chipotle sources only about 2% of its inputs from Mexico, including avocados, tomatoes, limes and peppers.

Why it matters: Waffle House’s public-facing statements – an insert on its menu and its comments to the media – are straightforward and direct. They’re not a sneaky charge added to a bill or something that pops up on a screen last-minute. It’s right there in bold print smack dab in the middle of the menu.

As part of its media statement, the chain also made it clear that it plans to keep eggs an important part of its breakfast-focused menu.

“As long as they are available, quality, fresh-cracked, Grade-A large eggs will remain a key ingredient in many of our customers’ favorite meals,” the company said.

Chipotle’s comments show that the comms team anticipated where the story was going so they armed their executives with information that would help them proactively address consumer and shareholder questions. On the call, both the CEO and CFO presented specific data about where they sourced their produce.

If things do change, it’ll be important for Chipotle to make that known as well.

With the threat of tariffs looming, brands in spaces such as fast fashion, tech and toys should consider taking similar approaches to Chipotle and Waffle House.

As with anything, transparency creates a straightforward narrative that customers can easily grasp, reinforcing the message every time they visit.

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Casey Weldon is a reporter for PR Daily. Follow him on LinkedIn.