Why Fast-Food Chains Love (and Deny) Having Secret Menus
You might wonder, given what is presumably a relatively low volume of sales, why chains bother to play this game. There are several reasons the concept has caught on. First of all, it taps into the growing demand among consumers for customization.
.. Perhaps the strongest rationale, though, is that secret menus turn loyal customers into advocates. “What’s beautiful about this is that companies don’t have to spend a penny advertising,” Barker said. “The minute that corporate does something, it’s part of the machine. But this stuff is kind of on the edge, growing, getting attention. If the company tried to do that, it wouldn’t be cool.”
.. Done right, though, the secrecy tactic makes the brand seem hip and the customer feel special—something even Starbucks has seemingly begun to recognize.