WETHERSPOONS have issued an apology after a supply shortage left one of their locations without a beloved breakfast item.
Customers in Bristol were met with a note informing them that a substitution was being made to the traditional English fry.
Wetherspoons were the latest business to feel the impact of the long-anticipated free-range egg shortage.
Last month, the pub group replaced eggs with extra hash browns at a Manchester location following supply issues as a result of bird flu reported in Northern Ireland.
However, the popular chain soon reported a “short-term supply issue” following the increased demand for hash browns.
Wetherspoons sourced a “temporary substitute” for the usual hash browns, warning customers that they were no longer vegan-friendly.
Now, the WG Grace Wetherspoons on Whiteladies Road in Bristol has made the same substitution.
One patron told Bristol Live that customer notices were left on every table at the location, listing all the breakfasts that would have hash browns instead of eggs.
Diners were advised to speak with staff if they required another substitution instead.
The current supply issue is also a result of the growing spread of avian flu in the wild and farmed bird population across the UK.
Due to the disease, many free-range chickens have to be kept indoors and can’t be described as “free range” anymore.
It is not confirmed if any other Wetherspoons locations are currently affected by the supply shortage.
“The pub is currently out of eggs. However, it has ordered new supplies and hopefully that will resolve the issue,” Wetherspoon spokesman Eddie Gershon told Flying Eze.
However, he added that this was “not guaranteed”.
“We apologise to our customers for the inconvenience,” the rep added.
In February, only a handful of Wetherspoons were affected by the shortage issues.
Over 700 locations were able to continue serving eggs in their breakfasts, including the WG Grace in Bristol.
How can I save money at Wetherspoons?
PUB-GOERS love Wetherspoons for its competitive pricing and low-cost meals - but did you know there are more ways to save money?
Senior consumer reporter Olivia Marshall explains how.
Free refills – Buy a £1.50 tea, coffee or hot chocolate and you can get free refills. The deal is available all day, every day.
Check a map – Prices can vary from one location the next, even those close to each other.
So if you're planning a pint at a Spoons, it's worth popping in nearby pubs to see if you're settling in at the cheapest.
Choose your day – Each night the pub chain runs certain food theme nights.
For instance, every Thursday night is curry club, where diners can get a main meal and a drink for a set price cheaper than usual.
Pick-up vouchers – Students can often pick up voucher books in
their local near universities, which offer discounts on food and drink, so keep your eyes peeled.
Get appy – The Wetherspoons app allows you to order and pay for your drink and food from your table – but you don't need to be in the pub to use it.
Taking full advantage of this, cheeky customers have used social media to ask their friends and family to order them drinks. The app is free to download on the App Store or Google Play.
Check the date – Every year, Spoons holds its Tax Equality Day to highlight the benefits of a permanently reduced tax bill for the pub industry.
It usually takes place in September, and last year it fell on Thursday, September 14.
As well as its 12-day Real Ale Festival every Autumn, Wetherspoons also holds a Spring Festival.
And it's not just the breakfast menu that has seen changes in Wetherspoons.
The major chain made some recent cuts to their selection due to a cost-cutting shake up.
Axed menu items include steak, mixed grills, and gammon.
Earlier this month, Wetherspoons chief executive John Huston confirmed that the meats were being ditched “after much debate”;.
To supplement the cuts, the pub group announced a new “gourmet burger”, which will be launched in May.
