Brewery Menu Pricing: How a Simple Change Drove Bigger Purchases and 20% More Revenue
The Brewery Menu Pricing Problem
A local brewery in Southwest Florida offered three pour sizes: 6oz, 9oz, and 16oz. They priced each one fairly, giving customers the flexibility to choose how much they wanted to drink. But despite offering a high-quality product and a good experience, they weren’t selling as many pints as they wanted.
Most customers were buying the 9oz size. It wasn’t a bad result—but it wasn’t optimal either.
Without table service, every order required customers to get up and walk to the bar. That extra friction led to smaller purchases and fewer reorders. Instead of buying a couple of full pints, people were ordering three or four 9oz pours across a visit. That was hurting both revenue and operational efficiency.
Why Most Customers Chose the 9oz—and Why That Wasn’t Great
This is where pricing psychology comes into play. The menu presented three clear choices. And like most people, customers gravitated toward the middle option. It felt like the “safe” pick—not too much, not too little. This is known as the framing effect.
The 9oz became the mental anchor. And while it was fair, it wasn’t helping the business grow.
They weren’t selling the volume they wanted. They weren’t capturing the higher margin available in the 16oz. And they weren’t giving customers a reason to shift their behavior.
The Strategy: Change the Menu, Not the Product
The fix was simple, but strategic.
We removed the 6oz and 9oz pours from the printed menu.
They were still available—if someone asked, the bartenders could pour them. But visually, the menu now showed only the 16oz pint.
That shift changed the default without removing freedom. For the average customer walking up to the bar, the pint became the clear and only choice.
There was no need to discount or hard-sell. The new presentation guided behavior by changing what was seen first.
The Result: Bigger Purchases, Higher Revenue
The results came quickly and with zero added cost.
Revenue per customer increased by more than 20%
Customers started ordering 16oz pints as the default
Fewer trips to the bar meant better flow for customers
Staff had fewer interruptions and more time for other tasks
No increase in foot traffic or operational overhead
The brewery sold the same beer, to the same people, in the same space. But by adjusting the menu layout, they made it easier for customers to choose the higher-value option.
This is a textbook example of how to convert your customers to bigger purchases—without any pressure or gimmicks.
How This Applies to CPG Brands
This wasn’t about alcohol. It was about presentation and behavior. The same principles apply to CPG products—on shelf, online, or in a sales meeting.
Here’s how:
Want customers to buy your larger size? Don’t give equal visibility to all sizes. Show the one that matters most.
Want to shift volume to a higher-margin SKU? Make it the default online or the centerpiece of your sell sheet.
Want to increase average cart value? Start with bundled or multi-pack options—don’t make the customer hunt for them.
Customers don’t always do the math. They go with what’s obvious and easy. And if you're not making the high-value decision easy to make, you’re leaving money on the table.
Using Framing and Nudge Theory to Drive Better Buying Decisions
This strategy worked because it applied two foundational concepts in behavioral economics:
Framing – Presenting options in a way that changes perception. When the 9oz pour was removed from the menu, the pint felt normal—not oversized.
Nudge Theory – Influencing decisions by shaping the environment. Customers still had freedom to choose, but the visual layout nudged them toward the best outcome—for them and the business.
The takeaway?
You don’t need to force behavior. You just need to frame it.
Smart pricing is rarely about price alone. It’s about structure, default choices, and what you put in front of the customer first.