They can trick your psychology and thinking process! To understand it more effectively, let me show you one illusion and remember whatever comes first in your thinking process, I will elaborate on everything later. Now, take a look at the below image:
Ok, now have a look at this Image,
Doesn’t it look like the smaller plate is holding more food than the larger one?
This illusion confirms that people end up serving themselves more than they really want when they use large plates.
And with small plates, they serve themselves less.
This is the same reason why buffets keep their plates small, and restaurants serve on larger plates.
Imagery is one of the most powerful and common tricks used by restaurants.
There was one tea stall nearby to my home and it was not so trendy, only local people to that corporation building came there to drink tea.
The taste was so good and the tea stall keeper is also knowing me because I am his daily customer. (The chai lover — Tea lover)
I asked him to post some advertising banners to get more customers and so you can increase your revenue. I made a banner like “Sonu Chaiwala” for him, with quality tea ingredients. The image was looking high quality and so I made him 5 flex banners of size 12X8 worth Rupees 300 INR of each.
“Spending some money will help you grab more money!“ — Rakshit Shah
He posted it nearby to 5km stall, on the bus stand, nearby to crossroads where people can get more attention and so they can visit the place. He is getting a daily good revenue, He also hired a person as an assistant to work with him.
He is so happy with what he did! — So this was an example of how you can market your product! You can make it applicable to other products too!
Fancy words as their Restaurant Names
Well, you may have also noticed that the options aren’t simply “hamburger” or “Lasagna” but they’re listed with fancy words such as “La Pino’s Pizza” or “Saleem’s Burger” etc.
Photo from La Pino’s Pizza Ahmedabad store (Image by author)
What is the reason behind that?
That is because adding colorful names can increase sales by up to 27%.
So from now on, you might wanna translate the items in your head before you place your order.
Plain Numbers
Did you ever notice that the prices are listed as just plain numbers without a dollar, rupee (or any other currency) sign on the menu in restaurants?
Studies say that people spend more when the currency sign is omitted probably because it keeps you from thinking how much money your order will cost. Don’t believe it!
Anyway, Observe menu cards when you visit restaurants next time.
Image from Pixabay (Random search results)Even you may find some ingredients or toppings list with the menu price list.
Image from pixabay (Random search)
An alluring image of food, either through words or visuals, does lot of wonder.
Longer food descriptions sell 30% more food — survey says that!
Red Carpets
In Movie theatres, they will keep the walls and carpet painted with Red color mostly. Because Red color increases your carving for food.
Photo from Crismatec
Photo from Pinterest
Even they are using the spray with the smell of popcorn 
So when you are going to a movie, you can’t stop yourself to buy popcorn.
Even Popcorns are available in small medium large and tub (family pack) + combo!
Influence Our Intake
The shapes of glasses can also influence our intake. Researchers found that we tend to drink beer faster from curved glasses than from straight ones.
Photo by kegworks
That’s because we tend to judge how much liquid is left based on how far up the glass it reaches even if the glass is much wider at the top.
This illusion makes us drink faster and ask for a re-fill. In short, it is a trick to get more sales on food/drink items.
You are must thinking right now that, tall skinny glasses have more liquid than short fat ones, even when they don’t. Check the volume for it!
The Combo Plans in Restaurants Strategy
Now let’s talk about some famous Restaurants, pubs, Bars or Hotels.
McDonald's / Burger King
They are properly doing marketing like,
Rs. 40/ $0.5 burger within 3 mins.
Photo by Forbes
We think Rs. 40 just nothing so end up getting in.
But when you enter and place your order, they will very respectfully ask you,
- Sir, would you like to add some coke and French fries along with it?
- Sir, would like to add some extra toppings?
- Sir, would you like to have extra cheese?
- And Blah Blah blah
They will bombard so many such questions with immense respect, making you really confused about what to do, so to save your prestige you end up buying what they suggest to you.
By this trick, almost 90% of customers will either say single cheese or double cheese, without knowing that there is an option without cheese too.
I understand these people are trained in such a way, but at least if they are seeing some innocent customer who is not so literate, and who might be eating a burger for the first time, they should not fool him at least. Otherwise, after having such an experience, he will never come back to eat burgers and will rather have roti at his home.
You came in, thinking to be spending Rs. 40 But literally Spent Rs. 150 / $2
Did that ever happen to you? — Next time you will remind me when you enter McDonald's!
Restaurants
They will put normal water and a water bottle in front of you.
After completing dinner/lunch or your meal, when you open the bottle — they will charge you to open that!
Even in AC, they are charging some amount, for non-AC you will not be charged any amount!
The psychological trick used here is:
This restaurant is situated on a busy highway. Not everyone prefers to eat in an AC hall. And those who do are not bothered by spending money on food.
And this restaurant took advantage of that by placing both the bottled and normal water together thinking that, customers wouldn’t mind spending a few tens when they are ready to spend a few hundred on the food.
And guess what? It worked well. Each table preferred bottled water over normal water.
Instead of the waiter coming and asking us, “Sir/Ma’am, do you prefer normal water or bottled water?” place both together and make customers use them. (Forcefully 
)
Free samples also build Greed a lot is putting something in your hand to create the idea of possession. The arcade games create a fun place to be.
Image by Author
Winding Up
So these are a few of the tactics restaurants and advertisers use to persuade us into paying more.
And the next time you go to a restaurant, try to remember these to save you some cash!
I would recommend you visit the below listicle, depicting How food companies cheat us? — Please be aware!
These illustrations will open your eyes! Right!
How cruel the world is! — For the money, anyone can do anything! People love profit! But still, you have to survive here in between such people. So enjoy it with proper awareness!
If you find joy and value in what I write, please consider supporting my work with a donation — however much you can afford, it means and helps more than you can imagine. Buy Me A Coffee.
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