Psychological trick of fast food chains to make you spend more money
A simple trick of fast food chains that makes us spend more money (photo: Freepik)
Have you ever stopped by a fast food restaurant or ordered something from there with delivery and found that your total check came out to be twice as much? And this is not surprising, because such establishments use a simple psychological trick to make you spend more money, explains psychotherapist Jonathan Alpert for Fox News.
According to the psychotherapist and author of books on psychology, all fast food chains, as well as those engaged in fast food delivery, use the so-called "magic pricing" technique, which is when the price is not the full price.
"Our brains process numbers quickly and often emotionally, especially when making purchasing decisions," says Alpert.
When an item costs $9.99 or $99.99, our minds cling to the "9" as a reference, associating it with a lower cost, even if logically we know the price is actually $10.
This technique also has another name - the "left-handed effect". And it is regularly used not only by fast food chains, but also by most retail outlets. Especially during various sales.
It is because of this strategy that you can often see food and other products whose prices end in 0.9, 0.99, or 99. Magic pricing is also based on the fact that products with odd numbers can evoke an emotional reaction from consumers.
"It makes you feel that the product is cheaper. If you buy three things for $5.99, your brain may immediately assume that the total amount will be $15, when in fact it is closer to $18," the expert adds.
Another way that chains use to make customers spend more is through design. It can be an attractive menu design, product description - all this makes the purchase more worthwhile and indulgent.
"A useful tip: always round up. When you see a price tag of $9.99, immediately imagine and count it as $10. This can reduce the emotional impact of charm pricing and help you make more rational decisions," advises Alpert.
He also added that you should think more carefully about your purchases and decide to spend less impulsively. To do this, you need to pause and ask yourself if the product is really worth the price or if you are influenced by the way it is presented.
And we also talked about how to learn to stop the negative thoughts in your head that destroy you every day.
