Five guys wants you to order the big burger

So how do they nudge you? It’s all in the labels and the menu architecture, says reader D. M. Westervelt.

Anywhere else, said larger burger would be deemed a “double” (“double cheeseburger”, “double double”). Not at Five Guys; for them a “hamburger” is two patties and a “little hamburger” is one patty. And, on the menu board, the hamburger is on the far left column and the “little hamburger” is in the next column over. The difference? 220 calories and about $1.50.

Addendum: Five Guys is a burger and fries chain that originally started in Virginia.

Addendum too: In a standard two-panel folding restaurant menu, the upper-right-hand corner is prime real estate. It’s not clear where the best place is when the menu is plastered high on a wall behind the counter.

Menu design tricks to get you to spend more, part II

In a must read for foodies, New York Magazine points out eight menu design tricks in its current issue. Many of the tips aren’t new (see here), but it’s worth reminding diners to beware of the extravagant item. Not because diners will buy it, but because they’ll buy something next to it.

2. The Anchor
The main role of that $115 platter—the only three-digit thing on the menu—is to make everything else near it look like a relative bargain, Poundstone says.

3. Right Next Door
At a mere $70, the smaller seafood platter next to Le Balthazar seems like a deal, though there’s no sense of how much food you’re getting. It’s an indefinite comparison that also feels like an indulgence—a win-win for the restaurant.

4. In The Vicinity
The restaurant’s high-profit dishes tend to cluster near the anchor. Here, it’s more seafood at prices that seem comparatively modest.

Hat tip: Daniel Lee

Menu design tricks to get you to spend more

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