How we train customers to expect certain prices

The hash brown heard ’round the internet

This month’s mini case study writes itself: a single McDonald’s hash brown went viral after people balked at paying “so much for a potato,” sparking threads, memes, and a broader debate about fast-food value. In many U.S. markets, hash browns now land around the $2–$3+ range (and higher via delivery), which collided with what people remember paying years ago. That gap between today’s price and yesterday’s expectation is the whole lesson. The Washington Post

Price expectations aren’t accidents—they’re trained

Marketers teach customers what “normal” looks like through a thousand tiny choices:

• Anchors & reference prices. When a brand runs “$1 items” for years, that becomes the mental anchor—even after inflation, wages, and inputs move. (The Big Mac Index exists because price anchors are culturally sticky.) The Economist

• Known value items (KVIs). A few items become price beacons—the ones shoppers can quote from memory. For McDonald’s, a hash brown is KVI-adjacent: simple, ubiquitous, and easy to compare across visits.

• Bundles & ladders. Combos and “good/better/best” tiers teach what a “deal” feels like. If a $5 meal appears sometimes and vanishes others—or varies by location—customers get price-whiplash. McDonald's CorporationMcDonald's

• Channel cues. Delivery apps often price higher than in-store; over time, that trains a separate expectation for “delivery pricing.” McDonald's

Why the backlash happens

A price increase stings most when it violates the trained story:

1. Anchor violation. If consumers “learned” that a basic breakfast side should hover near a dollar, $2.50–$4 feels like a breach—even if overall “food away from home” inflation has marched on. Bureau of Labor Statistics

2. Simplicity premium. Paying more for a plain, one-ingredient item (a potato patty) amplifies perceived unfairness versus a complex sandwich.

3. Inconsistency across places & promos. Franchisees set local prices to match local costs; promos like the $5 deal may be temporary or regional. Inconsistency erodes the mental model customers rely on. McDonald's CorporationMcDonald's

4. Narrative mismatch. For decades, the brand’s story was “affordable, dependable value.” When actual tickets rise faster than the story updates, loyalty and nostalgia turn into frustration. (Analysts have also noted higher average checks from pricing and mix.) MarketWatch

Pricing reality vs. pricing memory

Since 2019, fast-food breakfast prices have climbed markedly—various analyses put the average increase in the ~50% range—while overall “limited-service meals” continue to tick up year over year. The data reality is one story; the memory of “cheap eats” is another. Great pricing strategy respects both. FinanceBuzzBureau of Labor Statistics

How brands build (and protect) price positioning

Think of positioning as a contract you renew with every menu and promotion:

• Choose your KVIs and defend them. Keep 3–5 highly visible items aggressively priced (or bonus-valued) to protect your value halo.

• Publish a durable value platform. Instead of sporadic bargains, create a year-round, easy-to-find value tier (and say what’s included). The point is consistency, not just discounting. McDonald's Corporation

• Bundle for perceived surplus. Use combos to trade a small margin giveback for a big value perception win.

• Use price fences. Reward behaviors that lower your cost-to-serve (app ordering, pickup windows, off-peak) so lower prices feel earned, not random.

• Mind the channel story. If delivery must be higher, say why (fees, logistics) and give an in-app pickup perk to anchor “store price” as the baseline. McDonald's

• Keep the narrative current. If input costs rose, tell that truth and show what you did to protect value (portion improvements, loyalty boosts, rotating $X-and-under items).

If you must reset prices, run this playbook

1. Audit your anchors. Identify items customers can price from memory; check gaps vs. competitors and vs. your own story.

2. Pick 3 KVIs to protect. Hold or sweeten value on those; take more pricing on less-visible, higher-complexity items.

3. Announce the value, not the hike. Lead with what’s stable (e.g., “$5 Everyday Picks”), then explain what’s changing and why. Keep receipts visible: “Franchisees set prices locally; we’re standardizing a national baseline on these items.” McDonald's Corporation

4. Stage, don’t shock. Smaller steps beat one cliff. Tie each step to a visible value add (loyalty points multipliers, limited-time add-ons).

5. Fence by behavior. App-only bundles, pickup discounts, off-peak deals.

6. Prime the comparison. Display “was/is” pricing and the per-unit value inside bundles to re-anchor perception.

7. Monitor sentiment in real time. Watch social listening for KVIs—when the potato memes start, respond quickly with clarity and a concrete value giveback. (Think: surprise weekend app coupon for the exact item under fire.)

8. Make consistency a feature. Don’t yo-yo value tiers. Train customers on a simple, durable map of your prices.

Takeaways you can apply this week

• You are always training. Every menu board, banner, and bundle teaches what “fair” looks like.

• Defend the beacons. Keep your KVI prices predictable; let the rest float.

• Tell the money story. When costs change, narrate it—and show what value you protected.

• Be consistent across touchpoints. In-app, in-store, delivery should each have a clear, explained price logic.

When customers feel the price matches the promise, outrage posts don’t trend. When the promise is fuzzy, even a hash brown becomes a referendum on your brand.