The science of restaurant menu design →

Restaurants choose their prices, menu layouts, and even item descriptions to maximize each table’s value:

Some restaurants “anchor” prices with a very expensive item that will make everything else look reasonable in comparison. If there’s a $50 steak on the menu, people are probably going to think, “Boy, this place is expensive,” Poundstone says. But if there’s a $100 burger next to it, they’re more likely to buy that $50 steak.

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