Miami Publix Can’t Keep Eggs in Stock. Locals Sound Off Online.

Local South Florida grocery shoppers got a rude awakening this week when they found empty shelves where eggs should be. A Reddit post from Cool_Education_9325 ignited a citywide conversation that quickly became peak Miami: equal parts crisis management, political debate, and Spanglish therapy session.

The shortage spans across Miami-Dade County — and the state — with Redditors reporting empty shelves at multiple locations. "Both the Aldi locations near me are empty," wrote a Reddit user, while another Reddit user wrote, "So, my Publix hasn't had eggs for weeks already."

No eggs or chicken at Publix
byu/Cool_Education_9325 inMiami

What the cluck? Well, the situation varies by neighborhood. In Brickell, a Reddit user reported that three Publix locations have been stocking eggs throughout the day, selling Publix-branded ones between $4.50 and $6 – when available. Meanwhile, according to one user, Whole Foods downtown hasn't seen eggs in weeks, prompting a clever Reddit user to suggest an alternative only-in-Miami protein source: "Time to eat iguanas." This shows that even in a "crisis," Miami keeps its sense of humor (and its unique approach to protein alternatives).

Alternative stores offer little relief. At Presidente and Tropical supermarkets, eggs are sitting on shelves at $9.99 per dozen, "and it seems no one is buying them," according to a Reddit user. Trader Joe's in Pinecrest has reportedly swapped their regular eggs, which used to range from $3 to $9, for a new brand starting at $9, when they have them at all. This prompted one Redditor to respond with a "¡Dios mío!" and what they described as their best "Pikachu surprised face."

Bird Flu Blues

The shortage stems from an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), known as H5N1. Scientists are monitoring the virus closely as it continues to spread through U.S. poultry farms, with the CDC reporting one U.S. human death so far. A local Reddit user summed up the situation with Miami flair: "No hay huevos por todos los huevones," while another simply wrote: "Socialismo!"

As we all know, President Trump campaigned last year on a promise to lower egg prices, a pledge that's aged about as well as week-old scrambled eggs. At a Tuesday press conference, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt tried to deflect the question by blaming the high prices on the previous Biden administration, which left office last week.

According to federal data, egg prices averaged $4.15 in December 2024, marking a 14 percent increase from November's $3.65. The Agriculture Department says more than 145 million birds have been slaughtered since the current outbreak began, with most being egg-laying chickens. The USDA predicts prices will rise another 20% this year as the avian flu continues to affect U.S. poultry flocks, with 13.2 million commercial egg-laying hens lost in December alone.

While some Redditors debated presidential politics, others focused on more pressing matters. "Parking-lot chickens better start watching out," warned a Reddit user, while another user posed the question on everyone's mind: "Why aren't they giving these chickens Ivermectin?"

At this rate, Miami's famous stray chickens that roam our streets should go into hiding.