Attention Affects Experience

People judge whole experiences on what caught their attention.

Positive or negative.

No matter how small.

My wife and I had a dinner for $100. The bill came and included a 2% service charge. This was unexpected and unusual.

It caught our attention... and we never went back.

We don't remember anything about the food, service, ambience, decor, etc. Nothing.

We only remember the $2 charge and how it made us feel ("$100 dinner and you nickel and dime us?!") which determined the whole experience.