The Anchoring Trap

Before you shop, your brain has no idea what anything should cost. The first number you see becomes your anchor, and every price after it is judged against that.

The crossed-out "list price" on a tag exists to anchor you high, so the real price feels like a win. The priciest dish on a menu is rarely meant to be ordered — it is there to make the second-priciest seem sensible. The anchor is always working, whether or not you notice it.