The Humane League: As 2025 Deadlines Hit, Subway, Wendy's, Crumbl Face Scrutiny Over Cage-Free Egg Failures Amid Bird Flu Crisis

Fifth Annual Cage-Free Eggsposé Ranks Restaurant Commitments to Remove Caged Eggs

NEW YORK, March 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- With 2025 marking the deadline for hundreds of companies to transition to 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's shift away from cages. With a concerning 74% of bird flu cases coming from caged birds this year, which companies have kept their word—and which are hiding the truth from consumers?

The 2025 Eggsposé evaluates major restaurant brands and convenience stores on their cage-free egg commitments. With consumer trust at an all-time low, companies failing to deliver risk more than bad press—they risk losing customer loyalty in a highly competitive industry.

Restaurant leaders like McDonald's, Taco Bell, and Starbucks already source 100% cage-free eggs. Subway, Chick-fil-A, and Bojangles, pledged to go cage-free but failed to provide evidence of action. Crumbl, Tropical Smoothie Café, and Waffle House refuse to set cage-free policies, falling behind competitors and consumer expectations.

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

The report examines industry challenges, including the impact of avian flu on egg supply and prices, sharing insights from animal welfare scientists and corporate relations experts. Despite these impacts, egg producers continue to shift away from cages and food companies report transparent progress on their cage-free goals:

• Egg producers expect a stable cage-free egg supply through 2026, showing no excuse for companies backtracking.
• According to the USDA (3/21/25), 74% of birds (22,381,620) lost to avian flu this year were kept in cages—causing shortages of conventional eggs while the costs of cage-free eggs remain stable in many states.
• Producers are investing millions to meet cage-free demands, and 70.6% of producers added cage-free housing in 2024.
• 87% of customers would support their grocery store exclusively selling cage-free eggs.
• In response to consumer demand, state legislation, and corporate responsibility, over 42% of U.S. egg-laying hens are now cage-free, up from 10.5% in 2014.

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

• McDonald's (100% cage-free in the U.S. 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., ahead of schedule)
• The Cheesecake Factory (100% cage-free in the U.S., 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)

The report exposes the following laggards for not reporting progress or committing to remove cages from egg supply chains, leaving consumers questioning their trustworthiness:

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

With 2025 marking the end of self-imposed decade-long deadlines, companies dragging their feet face mounting pressure from consumers, investors, and regulators. 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 2025 Eggsposé, visit CageFreeEggpose.com. To take action for animals, visit EndCages.com.

About The Humane League
The Humane League is a global animal protection nonprofit that exists to end the abuse of animals raised for food. Since its founding in 2005, The Humane League has focused on effectively ending the worst abuses in factory farming, securing strong animal welfare commitments from major foodservice providers, restaurants, food manufacturers, and hospitality leaders around the world, changing the lives of billions of farm animals suffering every day.

Media Contact:

Julia Wisner

973-722-4736

[email protected] 

SOURCE The Humane League