People Find Expensive Food Tastier

People find over-priced food tastier and better than meals served in regular restaurants, according to a study.

It is known that external environmental factors like physical surroundings, temperature, presence of people, smell and color can impact food intake and food choice. In a recent experiment by the Cornell University in New York, researchers found the price of food largely influences people's perception on its taste and quality. For the study, experts assessed the eating habits of 139 people at an Italian buffet in restaurant in New York that was priced between $4 and $8. The participants were asked to give their rating on the food's taste, satisfaction and quality.

The findings revealed that subjects who ate the meals that were priced $8 had 11percent higher food satisfaction and enjoyment than those who ate the food priced $4. In addition, it was observed that although participants from both groups consumed same amount of food, people who ate the lesser priced meal reportedly felt they overate and guilty for stuffing themselves.

"We were fascinated to find that pricing has little impact on how much one eats, but a huge impact on how you interpret the experience ," Brian Wansink, a professor at the Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management. "Simply cutting the price of food at a restaurant dramatically affects how customers evaluate and appreciate the food," reports the Independent.

The authors believe that people eating in expensive places become conscious of the quantity they eat and thoroughly enjoy the food that is served irrespective of its taste. This feeling is backed up by a common perception 'higher the price, the better the quality'.

"If you're a consumer and want to eat at a buffet, the best thing to do is eat at the most expensive buffet you can afford. You won't eat more, but you'll have a better experience overall," added Wansink.

The research will be presented this week at the Experimental Biology.