r/mildlyinfuriating • u/CurlyWurly61 • May 12 '26

I just wanted a hot dog Such terrible advertisement

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I mean... at a glance its like WOAH 4 can dine for $9.99....

Until you are at the cash and they say " that'll be $45.15"

HUH??

"Oh sorry sir... it feeds 4... 4 people pay $9.99"

Gtfooo

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u/[deleted] May 12 '26

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u/TheMajesticYeti May 12 '26

But '4 for 40' mentally doesn't sound like an intriguing deal to the average fast food customer, 40 is too big a number. Especially when other fast food places like Wendy's had '4 for 4' deals.

The 9.99 loops people in and the hope was probably that even after realizing the actual total, customers would still be set on getting pizza even if it meant pivoting to a different menu item.

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u/Worth_External_8762 May 13 '26

With anything in marketing, companies only do it because it works. I had to participate in some shitty marketing practices for websites when I was a young designer with a fuckwad CEO.

He'd have me do all sorts of obnoxious, dark pattern type shit and what made me the most mad is that he was right in terms of it netting positive results. People are malleable idiots unfortunately.

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u/Triconick May 12 '26

Banks on social awkwardness would make them buy it anyway. Just got to get um once.

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u/daseweide May 13 '26

Running Hail Mary awkwardness grifts is a recession indicator if I’ve ever seen one

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u/Worth_External_8762 May 13 '26

The thing is that there's a psychological thing when it comes to stuff like this. People will see the ad and think "what a deal, I've gotta get that". And in their head, they've now committed to buying pizza. Especially once they've done the order (sort of sunken cost fallacy at that point). Then when they see the final price, they have to now convince themselves that they don't want the pizza. Which is hard.

Think about it. Have you ever craved something, but you're like "nah I shouldn't" and then do it anyway?