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Late Stage Capitalism - Baconator “Surge Pricing”
Uber may have coined the term surge pricing but they did not invent the concept, better known as “peak pricing.” Most of us have encountered peak pricing when we plan a trip, purchasing airline tickets and booking a hotel room. It is hard to ignore the fact that the cost of an airline seat during the December holiday season, specifically for any flights scheduled for the week before Christmas through New Years Day, are priced multiple times higher than they are after the holidays. The price change is based on increased consumer demand relative to the existing supply of available aircraft to transport them.
Are you angry, yet?
Now imagine pulling up to the drive-thru window at your local Wendy’s at prime dinner time and your Baconator costs 5x the price because of higher demand for the product. This is what the news reports suggested would soon be part of the Wendy’s customer experience.
Wendy’s devotees now had to contemplate their experience devolving to one like buying airline tickets during the holidays! I’d be mad, too.
Here is where the nuance comes in.