Your mom is driving back home when you spot a Wendy’s on a red light. You tell your mom you’re hungry and want to eat Wendy’s. She responds with “we have food at home”. At the time, you probably threw a fuss, but as we get older, we understand how much money is spent on fast food. Fast food is marketed as fast and cheap. But is it really? According to the Business Insider’s YouTube video, “Sneaky Ways Fast Food Restaurants Get You To Spend Money”, Americans spend around $1,200 on fast food every year. A big mac meal in New York City costs approximately $11, if you were to feed a family of 5, the total would be $55.
I was interested in Business Insider’s video because I am currently researching fast foods marketing and their thumbnail made me want to click it. Just like how their thumbnails drew me to watch their video, fast food restaurants use various attraction methods to make consumers buy more. In their video. They describe how fast food restaurants make pictures of their food big and the pricing or description small. The main focus is the juicy burger in front of you. This makes the consumer come closer to the menu and check what they want to order. Some usually are on the line while doing this and once they get to the cashier, they quickly pick a number on the menu and order it. Those numbers are usually combo meals. Most combo meals include a beverage and some food items. This attracts customers into buying these combos because they get a lot of food for a low pierce like $9.98. You might question why fast food restaurants rarely round their item to the nearest dollar? This is because the customer mentally feels like they are buying their meals for a cheaper price. If you were to add the items within the combo, the overall price would be less (Business Insider). However, consumers are hungry and don’t got the time to do that.
One major marketing tool many fast food restaurants use is coupons. I will admit that I have fallen for these. For example, I love coffee! Especially when I did not get enough sleep or I have a lot on my to-do list. Dunkin is currently selling 2 medium coffees for $5, and since my sister likes coffee, I get this deal. Since this deal has been out, I have been buying more coffee. This is what fast food restaurants to want, to make more money. Make customers come back and become addicted to their items. Yesterday, I went to Target and a 4-serving cold brew was $5, which is $1.25 per serving. I added French Vanilla creamer, which costs $3.59. Since I put a dash of cream on, it usually lasts for a long time. My coffee at home would be around $1.50, compared to the $2.50 I would spend at Dunkin. Now, I understand why my mom always said there was food at home.
I’m glad you were able to find a video that interested you, while at the same time addressing your research topic. I agree with you that our ideas about what is and isn’t a “good deal” are often very flawed and actually lead us to spend MORE money than we were intending to – simply to take advantage of what appears to be a “bargain.”
OMG!! I can totally agree with all that you have said. Yes, fast food restaurants involve using marketing strategies to fool people thinking that we are getting the best “deal”. When we usually aren’t. I always wondered that too, about why fast-food restaurants didn’t round their item to the nearest dollar. After, reading what you said then I was able to understand. Marketing is all about attracting your customers and not letting them go away from your business. Marketing involves about also advertising. So, that’s when fast-food restaurants decide to design a “big” mac meal.
Hey Melanie,
After reading your post, I would definitely agree that fast food always tricks us into buying food and using their deals to make us think that we are saving money but actually aren’t. I never usually eat fast food, maybe like once in a few months but I never actually thought about the combo meal price thing that you mentioned. I feel that so many people already have in their minds that fast food is on the cheaper side so they don’t take the time to calculate any price or anything. Their marketing tools is so smart because more people are taking advantage of it.
Hi Melanie,
I love your review and I totally agree with the visual advertisements these fast food restaurants use to real people into buying their food. I liked how you mentioned the marketing strategies that these companies use because it is the sad fact of our reality. They do not care about customers health, but they love to get their money one way or another.