THE PSYCHOLOGY OF MENU WRITING _ Ever wonder how restaurants decide to lay out their menu, and what to call their dishes? An article in the New York Times looked into restaurant menus and found evoking a family member in the name of the dish is a sure-fire way to make a best seller. Similarly, an unusual ingredient like chicken liver benefits from a common “enhancer” like bacon. And ever wonder why the price is displayed at some restaurants without a dollar sign? According to the Times: “In the world of menu engineering and pricing, a dollar sign is pretty much the worst thing you can put on a menu, particularly at a high-end restaurant. Not only will it scream ‘Hello, you are about to spend money!’ into a diner’s tender psyche, but it can feel aggressive and look tacky.” And menu consultants say price formats that end in the numeral 9, as in $9.99, tend to signify value but not quality. Dressing up a menu item’s description always helps. Instead of an omelet and orange juice, it’s better to print “a light and fluffy Heavenly Omelet” and “Minute Maid orange juice.” Some restaurants use what researchers call decoys. For example, they may place a really expensive item at the top of the menu, so that other dishes look more reasonably priced; research shows that diners tend to order neither the most nor least expensive items, drifting toward the middle.
WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE SHOWER THAT MAKES PEOPLE WANT TO SING? _ Why do we like to sing in the shower? Research proves the sound of a person’s voice actually improves in the small, confined space of the shower. When you sing in an open area, you “basically only hear your voice as it is produced.” However, in the shower, the sound waves reflect off the walls, producing a much richer sound, improved bass, and more volume. Some theories are less scientific. The book “Sounding the Silence” believes people are inclined to sing in the shower because they feel safe and relaxed. “The quiet solitude creates a space in which our spirit can freely express itself.” Or, to put it another way, a shower’s privacy allows people to relax and let loose.
HAPPY NEW YEAR! _ The ball-lowering celebration in Times Square first took place in 1907.
• More than 1 ton of confetti drops in Times Square on New Year’s Eve.
• In Denmark, there is a tradition of jumping off a chair at midnight on New Year’s Eve to avoid having bad luck in the new year.
• The practice of making New Year’s resolutions started some 4,000 years ago with the ancient Babylonians.
• In Spain, people eat 12 grapes when midnight strikes on New Year’s Eve.
• An Irish tradition on New Year’s Eve involves adding an extra place setting to the table to pay tribute to loved ones who have passed away during the year.
• The Chinese New Year is celebrated at a different time because it’s based on the lunar calendar, not the Gregorian calendar.
• The Beatles auditioned for Decca Records on New Year’s Day in 1962, only to get rejected by the label.
• In the TV special Happy New Year, Charlie Brown, Charlie needs to finish his book report on War and Peace in order to attend Peppermint Patty’s New Year’s Eve party.
