We all know it’s happening to us every day and we would like to think that we are not falling for it. But when it comes to psychological trickery to get you to buy or order something you normally wouldn’t think twice about, are we being duped or is it helping us make yummier decisions?
According to this (lengthy) NYTimes article, since the recession, restaurants around the country have revamped their menus using psychological techniques in hopes of getting us to purchase the more expensive items. The article states “[restaurants] are hoping that some magic combination of prices, adjectives, fonts, type sizes, ink colors and placement on the page can coax diners into spending a little more money.”
For some this is serious biz. You can actually have a job title of Menu Engineer with your main responsibility being taking dollar signs off.
While the Alinea example is not fair, they are truly changing the dining experience and not coaxing diners to spend more money, there are other restaurants who’s main goals are getting you and me to buy the $11 turkey sandwich AND an $8 side. Gasp!
With the numerous studies that have taken place about using $9, 9, 9.99, $9.95 or whatever other combinations you can think of, I wonder if the difference really results in a big ROI.
I would love to hear from some of these restaurants to see if they can tell a difference in their customers ordering habits.
As a consumer, do you think you’ve fallen for this menu trickery? And if so, does it bother you?
This actually reminds me of something somebody told me about Blue Water Grill here in NYC. I was told they engineered the lighting to make it so you look good, or better I guess. So, if you’re on a date you’re more attracted to your company, which makes you enjoy your meal and your time there, and in turn those happy memories tell your brain to come back.
The vain part is I love that place!
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Now I’m going to start paying attention to menus at my favorite restaurants. I’ve not noticed it, but I’m vegetarian so I usually have only one or two things I can order anyway.
I’ve seen psychological pricing studies that support the value/.99 pricing. People drop the two decimals, so 9.99 is really $9 and not $10. I’m not sold on the belief that even number pricing implies quality.
Rather than be subversive, I think these restaurants would benefit from minimizing the calculation a customer must perform when selecting a meal. Chains do a good job at leading people to purchase with suggestive selling (featured meals, three-course), and there’s game theory supporting a cost for mental calculations.
There’s an exchange of value with every event. Make it easier for your customers and they’ll be likely to follow your recommendations.
Not sure if trickery is fair. A restaurant’s menu is a marketing vehicle and like every other marketing vehicle there’s lots of studies and data supporting the ROI of well designed and engineered (laid out is probably a better term) menu.
As long as a menu’s design is used for good (enhanced guest experience and the restaurant profits) and not evil (lying about quality and ingredients) I say game on! Restaurant operators need to make a living. Consumers, especially in our current economy, are probably savvy enough to not be duped.
Now if you’ll excuse me I should get down off of this soap box.