Rekiwi's Blog

There's been a trend of adverts for fast food restaurants (Carls Jr., Pizza Hut, etc.) presenting their product as actual food in an actual restaurant and "fooling" patrons, catching their reactions à la Candid Camera/Punk'd.

What utter hogwash.

The ads assume that the average consumer can tell the difference between a restaurant burger and a dog turd. This is highly debatable considering what people actually buy and actually eat.

Also, studies have shown that price and context strongly influence how we perceive a meal. For example, see "Understanding consumer perception of food quality: the cases of shrimps and cheese" by Torben Hansen in British Food Journal, 2005, Vol. 107, #7, pages 500-525. From the abstract:

The positive effect of experienced eating quality on pleasure-feeling was stronger for respondents exposed to elegant physical surroundings than for respondents exposed to less elegant surroundings.

In other words, if you're served a dog turd at Wendy's then it's a dog turd. If you eat a dog turd at Spago then it's a daring culinary experience.

So you surprise someone who's just paid $30 for a plate of Pekingese Lawn Truffles in a Tiger Spray Reduction with Litter-Box Almond Roca, what do you think they're going to say when you put them on the spot?

A. "Wow! That's amazing! I couldn't tell the difference! This changes everything! I can't wait to consume more of your Pizza Hut pasta dishes because when I think 'Pizza Hut' I think 'fine dining'!"

B. "Huh. Yeah. I thought this tasted like ass, but I guess I'm just too timid and too stupid to speak up about it. Oh, and by the way, screw you for pulling this crap. To hell with Pizza Hut. And I'm never eating in this freaking restaurant again. Hey! Everyone! This place is serving Pizza Hut food tonight!"