AS 2025 INDUSTRY DEADLINES HIT, SUBWAY, WENDY’S, AND CRUMBL FACE SCRUTINY OVER CAGE-FREE EGG FAILURES AMID ESCALATING BIRD FLU CRISIS

With 2025 marking the self-imposed deadline for hundreds of food companies to transition to 100% cage-free eggs, a new report from The Humane League, a global nonprofit working to end the abuse of animals raised for food, reveals the state of the U.S. restaurant industry on its shift to cage-free eggs. With a concerning 74% of bird flu cases coming from caged birds this year, which companies have kept their word—and which are lacking transparency and hiding the truth from consumers?

The 2025 Eggsposé evaluates major restaurant brands and convenience stores on their cage-free egg commitments, exposing industry laggards like Subway, Wendy’s, Chick-fil-A, Bojangles, Crumbl, Bob Evans, and Circle K that have refused to report progress or have failed to commit altogether. With consumer trust at an all-time low, companies failing to deliver on their promises risk more than bad press—they risk losing customer loyalty in a highly competitive industry.

“2025 is the most pivotal year yet for the food industry’s shift to cage-free eggs, and consumers are watching closely to see which companies follow through and which prove untrustworthy,” said Liz Fergus, Corporate Relations Manager, The Humane League. ”Despite bird flu and supply chain fluctuations, leading companies have proven that cage-free transitions are not only possible—they’re already happening among responsible companies.”

In response to consumer demand, state legislation, and corporate responsibility trends, more than 42% of egg-laying hens in the U.S. are now cage-free, up from just 10.5% in 2014. However, some of the industry’s biggest names continue to stall—leaving customers in the dark about their commitments.

Restaurant leaders include McDonald’s, Taco Bell, and Starbucks, which are sourcing 100% cage-free eggs and publicly reporting their progress. Laggards, like Subway, Chick-fil-A, and Bojangles, pledged to go cage-free but have failed to provide any evidence of real action toward their commitments. Meanwhile, Crumbl, In-N-Out Burger, and Waffle House have refused to even set cage-free policies, falling behind competitors and consumer expectations.

The report also examines ongoing industry challenges, including the impact of avian flu on egg supply and prices. Despite these impacts, egg producers continue to shift away from cages and food companies are demonstrating transparency by continuing to report progress and achieve their cage-free goals:

• Egg producers expect a stable cage-free egg supply through 2025 and 2026, meaning there is no excuse for companies to backtrack on their promises.
• According to the USDA's Egg Market Overview (March 21, 2025), __74% __of birds (22,381,620) lost to avian flu this year were kept in cages—causing shortages of conventional caged eggs and skyrocketing prices that exceed the more stable costs of cage-free eggs in many states.
• Producers are investing millions to meet cage-free demands, and 70.6% of producers added cage-free housing in 2024.
• 85% of customers surveyed would support their grocery store exclusively selling cage-free eggs.

Eggsposed

Cage-Free Laggards

While their competitors are following through on their cage-free pledges, these companies have failed to report any cage-free progress, leaving consumers questioning their trustworthiness.

• Crumbl (no cage-free policy)
• Subway (pledged in 2015 to go cage-free by 2025)
• Wendy’s (pledged in 2016 to go cage-free by 2020)
• Chick-fil-A (pledged in 2016 to go cage-free by 2026)
• Bojangles (pledged in 2015 to go cage-free by 2025)
• Bob Evans (pledged in 2016 to go cage-free by 2025)
• Circle K (pledged in 2018 to go cage-free by 2025)

Cage-Free Leaders

The Eggsposé applauds the following leaders for eliminating cages from their egg supply chains, proving that responsible sourcing is both achievable and good for business.

• McDonald’s (100% cage-free in the U.S., two years ahead of schedule)
• Starbucks (100% cage-free in the U.S., since 2023)
• TGI Fridays (100% cage-free in the U.S., since 2019)
• Shake Shack (100% cage-free in the U.S. since 2017)
• Carl’s Jr. (100% cage-free in the U.S. since 2024, ahead of schedule)
• The Cheesecake Factory (100% cage-free in the U.S. since 2023, ahead of schedule)
• Olive Garden (100% cage-free in the U.S. since 2018)
• First Watch (100% cage-free in the U.S. since 2023)

With 2025 marking the end of the self-imposed decade-long deadline, companies still dragging their feet face mounting pressure from consumers, investors, and regulatory bodies. The Humane League urges all companies to eliminate cages from their supply chains, fulfill their commitments, and publicly report their cage-free progress to consumers. To read the full 2025 Eggsposé report, visit CageFreeEggpose.com. To take action for animals, please visit EndCages.com.