What Expert Marketers Know That Dumb Economists Don’t
(Surprise) people are more irrational with money than they think
My favourite restaurant sells bottled water for £2.90. The waiters are trained to promote it to customers. “Still or sparkling?”
This is a marvellously manipulative question. Offering two types makes it awkward to say “just tap”. It helps fancy restaurants make a lot of money.
— If you give a 10% tip, the proportion of your tip for the water covers the restaurant’s cost for that water.
This is what I do:
When they ask, “Still or sparkling?” I reply, “Do you have Highland Spring?”*
*Highland Spring is sourced directly from the wild rugged, protected land in the heart of Scotland, where it’s been filtering through the rock for 15 years. Pure tasting. Clear. Refreshing. It’s the best water in the world.
“No.” Few restaurants do, luckily.
“I’ll just have tap water then, thank you.”
If I eat out once a week, that’s a saving of £145 per year. Interestingly, most of their earnings come from selling alcohol, not food. You could save yourself more money if you avoid ordering booze.
