MUZIEK: LAZSLO - MR. SUNSHINE

FASTFOOD
NUDGING

STARBUCKS

HMSHOST

FRITES ATELIER AMSTERDAM

TEXT: CHANTAL ARNTS | VIDEO: LUKAS VLAAR

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Today’s big food companies understand how to best use nudging to their advantage like no other, but they’re not the only players in town. We look at how the big boys nudge, and how the startups are trying to change the game.

Nudging in practice

Frites Atelier Amsterdam
Multiple locations in The Netherlands and Belgium.
www.fritesatelier.com

Deep fry experience

250 grams of fries will cost you between 3.5 to 6 euros at Frites Atelier Amsterdam, depending on the chosen condiments and toppings. Where most chip shops couldn’t care less about the guest experience, Sergio Herman puts it front and center. He employed architects to oversee every bit of interior design, and he hired a well-known comic artist to design his napkins.

Frites Atelier Amsterdam does things just a little bit differently compared to your run of the mill chip shop. Staff is trained at the Frites Atelier Academy, where they can become frites artiste or atelier manager. On the street in front of the atelier potential guests are seduced by a compelling story, and free samples served out of belly trays. It’s a good way to give guests that final, gentle nudge.

At Frites Atelier Amsterdam renowned Dutch chef Sergio Herman shows the world a deep fryer is just another path to culinary greatness.

DEEP FRY WITH AN EYE FOR DETAIL

Digital influencing

Starbucks uses the app to counter the often-long waits at their stores, as well as allow employees to focus more on production, and facilitate a better guest experience. But more than that, the app is the ideal tool to influence consumer behavior. Through the loyalty program connected to the app, users can save up for a free cup of coffee. Products go in special offer at various times throughout the day, both to boost sales of new products, and to get more people coming in at times that are generally quieter.

The app uses a simple three step process; you download the app on your smartphone, you place an order, and you pay. After that your order will be ready for pickup at designated pick up stations. The app will tell you when. Since the app’s launch in September 2015 the coffee titan’s monthly mobile sales jumped to a staggering six million. The first quarter of 2016 saw 21% of all US transactions happen through the app.

Starbucks understands how to apply nudging techniques in an age seemingly dominated by a constant lack of time.  They use their mobile ordering app ‘no time, no line’ to convince customers that they do have time for that caramel Frappuccino, even when they can’t brave the long line to wait for it.

NO TIME NO LINE

Accounting for guests

‘We put a lot of thought into our concepts,’ Marlijn says. ‘At an airport we place our to-go locations at the entrances. Then around halfway, and at the end near the gates, we’ll have sit down concepts. It’s really about thinking like a consumer first, not last. We look at what our potential guests are doing, how they’re moving, and we account for that. When you understand how your guests think, and translate that into a successful operation, then you’ve struck gold.’

HMSHost handles the food and beverage at over 120 airports and train stations worldwide. ‘We’re dealing with a captive audience,’ says director Marketing & Communications Marlijn van Straaten. ‘Meaning that they couldn’t avoid us if they tried. By making a concept as comfortable as possible we can get people to stay longer and spend more. We make sure the service is quick, so there’s time for a second drink, for instance. Or we pair certain kinds of food and drink that go well together to boost sales.’

High traffic locations like airports and train stations are ideal places to seduce guests into maximizing the efficiency of their travel time.

NUDGING ON THE GO

The big yellow M
If you thought McDonald’s choice for the iconic logo was a random one, think again! Red and yellow make food look more attractive, and stimulate hunger. The hues increase your heart rate, blood pressure, and food cravings.

Visual language
Who hasn’t been seduced by the perfect picture of that one burger? Images mean more than words, and the world of food is no exception. The actual burger on your plate will look nothing like the picture, but by then you’ve already paid for it.

Music makes you lose control
In 2012, the Food & Brand Lab at Cornell University studied the influence of music on consumer behavior. Classical music and jazz made guests want to eat less and stay longer. All the more reasons for fast-food giants to blast the speakers with something loud and fast, to get you to chew faster. Fluorescent, harsh lighting also stimulates the grab and go behavior, much like music does.

The deal
Ordering a value menu will make you feel like you just got a great deal. At the end of the day, however, you may just have ordered more than you originally intended, generating extra revenue for the restaurant.

Spoilt for choice
Too many choices will stress out the guests. Too few, on the other hand, leaves them feeling unsatisfied. Research from Bournemouth has shown that six items per category is the perfect number to get guests to order more.

Different formats
One of the oldest tricks in the book, and still effective. If you make the most expensive item so absurdly pricy only a handful of people would ever consider ordering it, then the cheaper option will suddenly look much more attractive. And that’s where the money is made.

The menu
There are a million different tricks to visually nudge guests in the right direction. More expensive items are usually placed on the upper right corner of the menu, because that’s where the eye is naturally drawn. Cheaper and less profitable options will likely be found in the bottom left corner, then. Changing up font sizes or highlighting are also effective ways to boost sales.



Fast food chains are masters of playing to the subconscious desires of their customers. These are some of the best tricks big fast food chains are using to get the (money)ball rolling.

DO YOU WANT FRIES WITH THAT?

FASTFOOD
NUDGING

STARBUCKS

HMSHOST

FRITES ATELIER AMSTERDAM

Text: Chantal Arnts | Video: Lukas Vlaar

Today’s big food companies understand how to best use nudging to their advantage like no other, but they’re not the only players in town. We look at how the big boys nudge, and how the startups are trying to change the game.

Frites Atelier Amsterdam
Multiple locations in The Netherlands and Belgium.
www.fritesatelier.com

250 grams of fries will cost you between 3.5 to 6 euros at Frites Atelier Amsterdam, depending on the chosen condiments and toppings. Where most chip shops couldn’t care less about the guest experience, Sergio Herman puts it front and center. He employed architects to oversee every bit of interior design, and he hired a well known comic artist to design his napkins.

Deep fry experience

Frites Atelier Amsterdam does things just a little bit differently compared to your run of the mill chip shop. Staff is trained at the Frites Atelier Academy, where they can become frites artiste or atelier manager. On the street in front of the atelier potential guests are seduced by a compelling story, and free samples served out of belly trays. It’s a good way to give guests that final, gentle nudge.

At Frites Atelier Amsterdam renowned chef Sergio Herman is showing the world a deep frier is just another path to culinary greatness.

DEEP FRY WITH AN EYE FOR DETAIL

Starbucks uses the app to counter the often-long waits at their stores, as well as allow employees to focus more on production, and facilitate a better guest experience. But more than that, the app is the ideal tool to influence consumer behavior. Through the loyalty program connected to the app, users can save up for a free cup of coffee. Products go in special offer at various times throughout the day, both to boost sales of new products, and to get more people coming in at times that are generally quieter.

Digital influencing

The app uses a simple 3-step process; you download the app on your smartphone, you place an order, and you pay. After that your order will be ready for pickup at designated pick up stations. The app will tell you when. Since the app’s launch in September 2015 the coffee titan’s monthly mobile sales jumped to a staggering six million. The first quarter of 2016 saw 21% of all US transactions happen through the app.

Starbucks understands how to apply nudging techniques in an age seemingly dominated by a constant lack of time.  They use their mobile ordering app ‘no time, no line’ to convince customers that they do have time for that caramel Frappuccino, even when they can’t brave the long line to wait for it.

NO TIME NO LINE

‘We put a lot of thought into our concepts,’ Marlijn says. ‘At an airport we place our to-go locations at the entrances. Then around halfway, and at the end near the gates, we’ll have sit down concepts. It’s really about thinking like a consumer first, not last. We look at what our potential guests are doing, how they’re moving, and we account for that. When you understand how your guests think, and translate that into a successful operation, then you’ve struck gold.’

Accounting for guests

HMSHost handles the food and beverage at over 120 airports and train stations worldwide. ‘We’re dealing with a captive audience,’ says director Marketing & Communications Marlijn van Straaten. ‘Meaning that they couldn’t avoid us if they tried. By making a concept as comfortable as possible we can get people to stay longer and spend more. We make sure the service is quick, so there’s time for a second drink, for instance. Or we pair certain kinds of food and drink that go well together to boost sales.’

High traffic locations like airports and train stations are ideal places to seduce guests into maximizing the efficiency of their travel time.

NUDGING ON THE GO

The big yellow M
If you thought McDonald’s choice for the iconic logo was a random one, think again! Red and yellow make food look more attractive, and stimulate hunger. The hues increase your heart rate, blood pressure, and food cravings.

Visual language
Who hasn’t been seduced by the perfect picture of that one bu rger? Images mean more than words,, and the world of food is no exception. The actual burger on your plate will look nothing like the picture, but by then the damage is already done.

Music makes you lose control
In 2012, the Food & Brand Lab at Cornell University studied the influence of music on consumer behavior. Classical music and jazz made guests want to eat less and stay longer. All the more reasons for fast-food giants to blast the speakers with something loud and fast, to get you to chew faster. Fluorescent, harsh light also stimulates the grab and go behavior, much like music does.

The deal
Ordering a value menu will make you feel like you just got a great deal. At the end of the day, however, you may just have ordered more than you originally intended, generating extra revenue for the restaurant. 

Spoilt for choice
Too many choices will stress out the guests. Too few, on the other hand, leaves them feeling unsatisfied. Research from Bournemouth University has shown that six items per category is the perfect number to get guests to order more.

Different formats
One of the oldest tricks in the book, and still effective. If you make the most expensive item so absurdly pricy only a handful of people would ever consider ordering it, then the cheaper option will suddenly look much more attractive. And that’s where the money is made.

The menu
There’s a million different tricks to visually nudge guests in the right direction. More expensive items are usually placed on the upper right corner of the menu, because that’s where the eye is naturally drawn. Cheaper and less profitable options will likely be found in the bottom left corner, then. Changing up font sizes or highlighting are also effective ways to boost sales.

Fast food chains are masters of playing to the subconscious desires of their customers. These are some of the best tricks big fast food chains are using to get the (money)ball rolling.

DO YOU WANT FRIES WITH THAT?

Overview magazines

Food Inspiration Magazine is the online magazine for foodservice professionals in search of inspiration and innovation. With the magazine we collect, enrich and spread inspiration. The free subscription magazine is published eight times per year and is an abundant source of inspiration for food and hospitality professionals. Our readers can be found in the U.S., Northern Europe, Latin America and Asia.
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