WATERCOOLER Second Cheapest Syndrome

“Restaurant owners will often price the wine they buy cheapest at wholesale as the second cheapest wine on the menu. Why? Because people generally don’t order the cheapest wine and thus often turn to the second cheapest. Price that one higher, and you get a bigger marginal profit. Presto — restauranteur as microeconomist!” (from a reference to an old WSJ article I can’t locate online)

via What I Learned Today »