We went for a carvery and accidentally found a business lesson

Two Teachers
3 days ago
3 min read

Me and Drew went for a catch-up recently and, as usual, it did not take long before food turned into a Business Studies conversation.

Right there on the sign was the offer:

Unlimited carvery and a drink for £9.99.

At first glance, it feels like a great deal. You get a full plate of hot food, you can go back for more, and a drink is included, all for under a tenner. For most people, that feels like really good value.

But once you start looking at it through a Business lens, there is a lot more going on.

Why the timing of the deal matters

The first thing to notice is when the offer is available.

It runs midweek, during the afternoon and early evening. This is usually the quietest time for pubs. Lunch has finished, the evening rush has not started yet, and many tables would otherwise be empty.

Even when a pub is quiet, it still has costs. Staff still need paying, and bills like rent and energy do not disappear just because there are fewer customers.

By offering a deal at this time, the pub is trying to make use of spare capacity. Having some customers is often better than having none at all, even if each customer spends a bit less than usual.

Why the word “unlimited” works so well

The word “unlimited” is one of the most powerful parts of this deal.

In reality, most people will not eat huge amounts. They might have one plate and maybe go back once. But knowing they could have more makes the offer feel much better value.

It also changes how customers feel. They are not worrying about portion sizes or whether they are getting their money’s worth. That relaxed feeling makes the experience more enjoyable, which is exactly what the pub wants.

This is a good example of how businesses can influence customer behaviour just through wording.

The role of the drink in the deal

Including a drink makes the deal feel even better, but it also encourages extra spending.

Once customers are sitting down and relaxed, it is easy to order another drink, upgrade, or stay longer than planned. Some people might even add dessert or coffee.

The carvery gets customers through the door. The extra items ordered afterwards are often where more profit is made.

From a Business point of view, this shows how one low-priced offer can lead to higher overall spending.

Why customers still feel like they have won

What makes this deal clever is that customers usually leave happy.

They feel full, they feel like they got a bargain, and they do not feel pressured into spending more. That positive experience makes them more likely to come back or recommend the pub to others.

For businesses, this matters because success is not just about one visit. It is about repeat customers and a good reputation.

What this deal tells us about business

Deals like this show that Business is not just something you find in textbooks or exam papers. It is happening all around us in everyday decisions, from pricing strategies and promotion to how businesses manage quiet trading periods and influence customer behaviour.

Once you start looking at offers like this through a Business lens, you begin to see how topics such as capacity utilisation, decision making and customer spending patterns all link together in real life.

Before moving on, take a moment to think more carefully about what this carvery deal is really trying to achieve and how it connects to the key ideas you study in Business, using the questions below to guide your thinking.

Key questions to consider:

How does the word “unlimited” change how customers think and behave, even if they do not actually eat much more food?
In what ways could this deal help the pub increase profits, even though the headline price looks very low?