The Combo Meal Trick

You walked in for a burger. You walked out with a burger, fries, and a drink for "just $2 more." Those add-ons cost the restaurant almost nothing to make, so most of that extra spend is pure profit. The bundle felt like a deal because you compared it to buying each item separately.

But the right comparison is the bundle versus just the burger you actually wanted. Against that, the deal looks different: you saved $2 versus individual pricing, yet you spent $5 you were never planning to spend. Fast food pioneered modern bundling for exactly this reason — the savings are real, but so is the extra cash leaving your wallet.