# How much for two eggs? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 22, 2013, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-two-eggs/659007 "2013-05-22T13:03:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-two-eggs/659007/41 "2013-05-23T15:09:30Z")
It seems counterproductive to order something without looking at or inquiring about the price and then being indignant about it afterwards ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2013, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-two-eggs/659007/42 "2013-05-23T23:19:11Z")
I would like an Egg McMuffin without the egg. Sure thing, sir. That will be 2.99! But that’s the price for an Egg McMuffin with the egg! Yes sir, they both cost the same! What a gyp! Walks away! ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2013, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-two-eggs/659007/43 "2013-05-24T00:30:18Z")
if someone makes breakfast for me I’d consider $6 a steal. as for the OP’s question, I have to say it depends on the menu. in high school and college I worked at a garage which had a diner next door. their breakfast menu consisted of entries like “two eggs” where if you read the description it was actually “two eggs with hash browns, bacon, and toast.” ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2013, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-two-eggs/659007/44 "2013-05-24T02:52:20Z")
I used to live near a beloved institution (Ramsey’s, for the central Kentucky folks) that had essentially one option for breakfast–their “Traditional Breakfast”, which came with “any or all of” sausage, bacon, pancakes, toast, hash browns, and up to five eggs. It always felt weird ordering it and then telling them what NOT to bring me (“two eggs is plenty, thanks”); the temptation was always to have them bring it all, since it costs the same, but five eggs is a bit much. I think they would probably work something out for someone who just wanted a couple of eggs and some toast, but according to the menu you’d still be on the hook for the full price. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2013, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-two-eggs/659007/45 "2013-05-24T03:58:42Z")
“Can I just have 2 eggs over easy?” “Sure thing.” … “What the heck is this?” “It’s our Cool Hand Luke Special. Fifty eggs. Over easy just the way you asked.” “But I said I wanted two eggs.” “There are two eggs here. Plus forty-eight more. You didn’t specify I should stop at two eggs.” ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2013, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-two-eggs/659007/46 "2013-05-24T14:00:36Z")
I’m in the “Waitress was clearly wrong” camp. When asked “Can I just have two eggs?” the reply “Sure thing” does not reasonably include meanings such as “I’m going to serve - and charge you for - a lot more than two eggs.” The word “just” put the onus on the waitress to clarify things, which she failed to do. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2013, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-two-eggs/659007/47 "2013-05-24T14:24:20Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Datapoint - Just got back from lunch. The menu had a section headed “Egg Combos” with all types of variations. The bottom one was “Just two eggs $4.39” I still don’t get it. If the menu had “just two eggs” for 4.39 and he added on toast (1.50?) that would be about the same price. I think the “breakfast special” price is a red herring… by the menu he was charged a reasonable price even if the waitress mispoke. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2013, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-two-eggs/659007/48 "2013-05-24T16:13:08Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > I’m in the “Waitress was clearly wrong” camp. > > When asked “Can I just have two eggs?” the reply “Sure thing” does not reasonably include meanings such as “I’m going to serve - and charge you for - a lot more than two eggs.” The word “just” put the onus on the waitress to clarify things, which she failed to do. Exactly. Customer’s job is telling staff what customer wants. Staff’s job is making it clear to customer any hurdles that might appear in getting what customer wants. If the waitress can’t or won’t do that, she’s not doing a good enough job to get a tip. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2013, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-two-eggs/659007/49 "2013-05-24T17:01:27Z")
Unless the OP (or anyone in this situation) plans never to return to that business - and it sounds like the OP did go back and may be a regular - the absolutely correct thing to do is find the waitress when she’s not excessively busy, ask her to explain the situation from her viewpoint, and unless she’s a total bitch who screams and pours coffee in your hair, hand over a reasonable tip. Make it a whopping $3 and she’ll likely give you special treatment every time you return, just for being manned up enough to deal with the misunderstanding. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2013, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-two-eggs/659007/50 "2013-05-24T17:11:36Z")
The absolute \*\*last \*\*thing that waitress wants is for the customer to come back several days later and say, “Hey, do you remember that breakfast I ordered on Tuesday? Sure ya do. Let’s talk about it.” ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2013, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-two-eggs/659007/51 "2013-05-24T19:07:03Z")
> [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > The absolute \*\*last \*\*thing that waitress wants is for the customer to come back several days later and say, “Hey, do you remember that breakfast I ordered on Tuesday? Sure ya do. Let’s talk about it.” But if you do, ensure said waitress has no coffee or you have no hair. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2013, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-two-eggs/659007/52 "2013-05-24T19:32:53Z")
> [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > The absolute \*\*last \*\*thing that waitress wants is for the customer to come back several days later and say, “Hey, do you remember that breakfast I ordered on Tuesday? Sure ya do. Let’s talk about it.” \*_shrug_. \*As I said, if you don’t plan to eat there again, no problem. If you do… I wouldn’t leave the problem hanging. You start with, “Hey, I think there was a misunderstanding about my breakfast on Tuesday… can I talk to you about it?” ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2013, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-two-eggs/659007/53 "2013-05-24T21:26:14Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > Unless the OP (or anyone in this situation) plans never to return to that business - and it sounds like the OP did go back and may be a regular - the absolutely correct thing to do is find the waitress when she’s not excessively busy, ask her to explain the situation from her viewpoint, and unless she’s a total bitch who screams and pours coffee in your hair, hand over a reasonable tip. Make it a whopping $3 and she’ll likely give you special treatment every time you return, just for being manned up enough to deal with the misunderstanding. I don’t see what point there is in asking the waitress questions. This problem started with the customer asking the waitress a question and her giving a wrong answer. If you asked her for an explanation and she gave what sounded like a reasonable answer, how would you know it was any more accurate than her original answer was? ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2013, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-two-eggs/659007/54 "2013-05-25T04:34:59Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > \*_shrug_. \*As I said, if you don’t plan to eat there again, no problem. If you do… I wouldn’t leave the problem hanging. > > You start with, “Hey, I think there was a misunderstanding about my breakfast on Tuesday… can I talk to you about it?” I found a fingernail clipping in my soup at lunch yesterday and didn’t say anything. I guess it’s too late to say something now. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2013, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-two-eggs/659007/55 "2013-05-25T14:13:17Z")
When I was a cook at a popular breakfast restaurant, 2 eggs any style was a standard menu item. It came with toast (our home fries were good and would cost you). 2 eggs without toast could be rung up as (2) side eggs. I think that was $1.90 but it was a decade ago. We didnt do “platters.” 2 eggs would be an entree. If you wanted bacon, sausage, scrapple, corned beef hash, home fries, a short stack, bananas, whatever- that was extra. I can understand a more diner-type place specializing in Platters and keeping a limited menu, though. However, it seems odd to me to not accommodate a simple and standard request like 2 eggs. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2013, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-two-eggs/659007/56 "2013-05-25T16:38:35Z")
> [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](#): > > However, it seems odd to me to not accommodate a simple and standard request like 2 eggs. As I said, the Mrs. tends to order a single egg and an English muffin for breakfast no matter where we are, and I have yet to have a waitress do anything but say “Gotcha,” and scribble on her pad. It’s not a matter of finding a menu item for it. Charges are always in line with the minimal size of the plate. I can’t help but feel there’s something missing from the OP’s story - perhaps not a deliberate omission, but some detail that would make this all make sense. I find the pushback on going back and asking amusing. I think I’d get more agreement if I told the OP to go waylay and strangle the bitch… ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2013, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-two-eggs/659007/57 "2013-05-26T01:07:26Z")
I, too, would like to know the whole story. It sounds like the OP–pardon me, the guy who told the OP the story–sees himself as Jack Nicolson in that movie scene wherein he was an asshole to a waitress… Why didn’t he glance at a menu before making his order? There’s usually an a la carte section. In too much of a hurry? But not to busy to make a scene. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2013, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-two-eggs/659007/58 "2013-05-26T02:23:53Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > Why didn’t he glance at a menu before making his order? There’s usually an a la carte section. In too much of a hurry? But not to busy to make a scene. A menu is usually if you haven’t decided what you want to order (or if you want to discretely check the prices). If you walk in and already know what you want, why go through the motions of reading a menu? When the waitress comes to your table the first time, give her your order. It saves you time and saves her a trip back to your table. ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2013, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-two-eggs/659007/59 "2013-05-26T02:54:30Z")
Regional issues might play a part in this. In a typical NY diner, you order any kind of “eggs” and you get your eggs, toast, potatoes, ham/bacon/sausage, and coffee. To me, that’s the most confusing part of the OP – why didn’t the eggs come with toast, potatoes, a breakfast meat, and coffee? _That_ is why I think your friend got ripped off. Around here, you would have to say a lot more than “just eggs” to get just eggs. At my local diner, if I only want the eggs (which is often), I have to order by saying “I would like two eggs, and NO toast and NO potatoes and NO ham and NO bacon and NO sausage and NO coffee.” I know that sounds backwards, but that’s how it is. I should probably add that I’m talking about the little neighborhood places, not like Times Square diners. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2013, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-two-eggs/659007/60 "2013-05-26T05:01:09Z")
> [@delphica](#): > > At my local diner, if I only want the eggs (which is often), I have to order by saying “I would like two eggs, and NO toast and NO potatoes and NO ham and NO bacon and NO sausage and NO coffee.” I know that sounds backwards, but that’s how it is. And still the bastards bring you out a bagel, some fruit, and a bowl of oatmeal. You just can’t win. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-two-eggs/659007.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-for-two-eggs/659007.md?page=4)