A trip to Rita's Italian Ice just isn't the same for some customers, while others don't notice anything is different.

So just what is different at the popular regional chain?The company announced this week that it would no longer be serving frozen custard until the ongoing egg shortage is resolved.Gladys Evans, co-owner of the Rita's in Lehighton, said the local store used the last of its remaining regular custard on Monday and started serving premium soft-serve ice cream in its place."The ice cream is a quality product and a lot of people have enjoyed it as an alternative, but you can notice the difference," Evans said. "That being said, we haven't had any complaints. Our customers have been very loyal and understanding that this is just a temporary thing."The egg shortage stems from an outbreak of avian bird flu affecting the country's egg-laying hens, reducing the amount of eggs available across the country.The menu at Rita's hasn't changed and the company said it plans to "being back to our award-winning frozen custard as soon as we know that we have access to a sustainable supply of eggs.""The funny thing is that the percentage of butter fat in the ice cream is the same as the custard and the only real difference is the lack of eggs," Evans said. "It does make a difference in the texture and richness, however. We do also still have the low-fat custard in stock, which has 60 percent less fat."Debbie Keblish, of Jim Thorpe, didn't know about the temporary change, but she did notice something was different about the summer treat she ordered Thursday afternoon."I'll still get Rita's, but I won't get it as much until the custard comes back," she said. "My husband didn't notice anything different about the ice cream, but I did."Stephen Strode of West Penn Township said both the news of the egg shortage and the lack of custard at Rita's was new information for him."I got my regularvanilla cone today and I don't mind it at all," he said. "I guess it's a good thing they're doing so they don't have to raise the prices. Everything is high enough these days as it is."Evans said prices are exactly the same as they were before the shortage at the Lehighton location."Rita's has over 600locations, and I think if there weren't that many stores, they could havekept sending out thecustard, but they just didn't have enough," Evans said.So when will things return to normal? Nobody knows for sure, but Evans is planning on serving the ice cream at least through the end of the 2015 summer season."I'm just hoping to reopen next March with custard again," she said. "If it's before that, it would be great."