How to Coach Yourself and Others Beware of Manipulation | Page 177

64. Luncheon Technique
Persuade people over a meal. When they are eating (not before or after), present your ideas and make
your persuasive statements.
Make sure the place where you are eating is pleasant and comfortable, and that the food is of good
quality. It is key that the other person is comfortable and feeling satisfied.
Example
A sales person takes a customer to a nice
restaurant. During the meal, they ask more
probing questions about needs and then sows
some seeds about future problems. At a later
meal, the sales person finds the person more
open and starts to talk about a possible solution.
Why it works
Gregory Razran described this principle in
1938, when he presented political statements to
subjects, first in a normal setting and then in other contexts. Statements rated during eating a meal
increase significantly in approval. One reason this may work is by an extended effect of the urge
system, where
hunger creates an urge to eat, and whilst we are eating we may more easily take in ideas as well as
food.
If there is alcohol at the meal then this may also impair normal judgement, though this is not a
necessary addition -- the major reason the Luncheon Technique works is food and eating, not
drunkenness.
Having lunch with a person takes a certain amount of time, typically around an hour, which is often
more than you might get in a sales meeting. You also have a captive audience who is not distracted by
other intrusions.
There may also be some bonding effect here, where they like you, and consequent exchange effect,
where they feel obliged to listen more openly to your persuasive arguments.

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