Decoy pricing

By Marji · Updated September 29, 2026 · Sources and editorial policy

Also called: decoy effect · asymmetric dominance

Decoy pricing adds a third option that is clearly worse value than one of the other two, making that one look obviously correct. On a menu it shows up in portion tiers, wine pours, and add-ons — anywhere a guest chooses between sizes of the same thing.

Worked example · Wine by the glass

6 oz pour: $11
9 oz pour (the decoy): $17
Half carafe, 12.5 oz: $19
Intended effect: the carafe reads as the obvious buy

The 9 oz pour doesn't need to sell. It exists so the carafe's per-ounce value is visible without the guest doing arithmetic.

Where operators apply it on a menu — the effect is untested with real menu orders
Choice	The decoy	What it makes obvious
Wine pours	An awkwardly-priced mid pour	The carafe's per-ounce value
Portion sizes	A small that's nearly the price of the regular	The regular is the sensible buy
Add-ons	A single premium add-on priced near the combo	The combo
Set menus	À la carte totalling just above the prix fixe	The prix fixe

In every case the decoy's job is to remove arithmetic from the guest's decision, not to hide anything. If a guest who did the math would feel misled, it isn't framing — see price anchoring for where that line sits.

The guide that works it through

Menu Psychology: What the Evidence Says About Dollar Signs, Decoys, Anchors and Layout

An evidence review of menu psychology for restaurant owners: which pricing and layout tactics were tested with real orders, how large the effects were, and how to test one yourself.

Related terms

← All 63 terms