Yesterday, I fell victim to an upselling tactic from a cashier at Burger King. I had ordered a Whopper, and the cashier said, “With cheese?”
I paused for half a second. “Yes.”
And thus did Burger King make another 40 cents off me.
The cashier had used one of Elmer Wheeler’s 5 “Wheelerpoints” on me: “Don’t ask if — ask which.” Wheeler published his Wheelerpoints in his book Tested Sentences That Sell
This Wheelerpoint had helped Abraham & Strauss sell more eggs in their soda fountains. The soda fountain clerk was told not to ask “Would you like an egg with that?” but “One egg or two?”
You can guess the result: customers who had probably never intended to buy eggs told the clerk how many to add.
On the same principle, the Burger King cashier didn’t ask me, “Would you like that with or without cheese?” but “With cheese?”
And of course I fell for it.
Since there’s nothing new under the sun, the origins of this tactic are probably lost in antiquity. Surely millions of people have fallen for its spell, and millions more will continue to fall.
Except me. I’m on alert. The next time they try a Wheelerpoint on me, I’ll just say, “No.”
And I’ll keep my 40 cents.
