Context-Dependent Preference

Humans are bad at judging absolute value. We don't know if $7 popcorn is a good deal — we just know it's better than $6.50 popcorn. Psychologists call this context-dependent preference. Our choices shift based on what surrounds them, not on what we actually need.

That's why minimalist menus at high-end restaurants feel so different from chain menus. Fewer options mean fewer comparison anchors. Chains pack their menus precisely because they want your brain running on comparison autopilot instead of genuine evaluation.