Noticed something weird at that new coffee shop downtown

I stopped by Brew & Gather on 5th Street last week and realized they don't have any price tags on their pastries. You just point and they tell you the price at the register. I asked the barista why and she said it's so people focus on what they want instead of the cost. It got me thinking about how often businesses do little tricks like that to change how we spend money. Has anyone else seen a place do this with their menu or products?

2 comments

2 Comments

jordanc321mo ago

Ngl @irismartinez I think you're way off here. Keeping prices hidden is a calculated upsell tactic, not some lazy sticker situation. I went to a spot in Brooklyn that did the same thing and I ended up paying eight bucks for a croissant I would have never touched if I saw the tag. They know people get embarrassed to ask and just nod along when the total comes up. It's the same psychology as those restaurants that don't list market price for fish - you just assume it's reasonable until the bill hits. If it was really about rotating stock they could use a chalkboard or digital display, not this awkward game of guess-the-price at the register.

irismartinez1mo ago

Actually that's a pretty common practice in a lot of bakeries and coffee spots I've been to around the city. They usually do it because their pastry selection changes so often depending on what they bake fresh that day. If they printed price tags they'd have to change them every morning. The barista probably just gave you the whole "focus on what you want" line because it sounds nicer than admitting they don't want to update stickers constantly. I've seen the same thing at a few places near the university, and it really is just about keeping things flexible with rotating menu items.