Nine-ending prices and consumer's behavior: A field study in a restaurant

Abstract : The effect of nine-ending prices on customer's behavior was tested in a little restaurant (pizzeria-grill) where 1271 customers who ordered a pizza were observed. A list of nine main dishes was proposed in this restaurant and included five different pizzas. The effect of the price-ending of one pizza was tested. During 2 weeks, all the pizzas were proposed with a round 00-ending price (i.e. 8.00 €) whereas for the other 2 weeks a target-pizza was proposed with a nine-ending price (i.e. 7.99 €) whereas the four other were proposed with a round 00-ending price. A last, a third 2 weeks period was tested where all the pizzas were proposed with a nine-ending price. Results showed that an increase in the choice of the target-pizza by the customers was observed when the price of this item was a nine-ending price and the prices of the other items ended with zero. No difference in the choice of the target-pizza was observed when all the items were presented with the same type of ending (9 or 0).