Did you know McDonald’s makes most of their profit from fries and drinks?
The burgers themselves are not the real moneymakers.
In fact, if McDonald’s relied solely on burger sales, they would go out of business.
Yet:
- How many people walk into McDonald’s JUST for a burger?
- How many people go in JUST for fries and a drink?
Very few.
Instead, people want the package deal – the classic combo meal.
And that’s exactly what boosts the average order value (AOV) and drives McDonald’s profits through the roof.
This simple yet powerful pricing and product strategy is the reason McDonald’s has remained an unstoppable force for decades.
And when you truly understand this principle, your approach to business – and even life – will never be the same.
The “Tripwire” Strategy: Why the Burger Exists
If McDonald’s decided to stop selling burgers because they weren’t profitable on their own, they would go out of business.
Why?
Because no one wants JUST fries and a drink.
The burger is what opens the door to the total package.
It’s a tripwire – an enticing front-end offer that brings people in, making it easier to sell higher-margin items once they’re committed.
Most people don’t analyze business like this.
Instead, they:
- Try to sell their highest-margin product straight away (which turns customers off).
- Complain that their best-selling item “isn’t making enough profit” and consider removing it.
- Fail to recognize that some products exist purely to unlock bigger profits.
McDonald’s wins because they aren’t just competing on “who has the best burger.”
They compete on economics.
And when you shift your mindset to this level, you’ll see the entire business world differently.
How This Applies to Any Business
Let’s break this down into questions you should be asking yourself:
1. What items do people naturally buy together?
- Think about products or services that customers naturally pair.
- If you sell coffee, do people also want pastries?
- If you sell gym memberships, do people also want personal training?
2. What items complete an experience?
- When people order a burger, they don’t just want the burger.
- They want the full fast-food experience – burger, fries, and a drink.
- What’s the equivalent in your business?
3. What high-margin items require a less profitable item to open the door?
- In many businesses, your most profitable item isn’t your best-seller.
- Instead, your best-seller exists to make it easy to sell the real moneymaker.
Real-World Examples of This Model
🔹 Gaming Industry:
- Gaming consoles like PlayStation and Xbox are often sold at cost or even a loss.
- The profit comes from game sales, online subscriptions, and add-ons.
🔹 Luxury Brands:
- Some luxury brands sell a lower-priced, entry-level item (like a keychain or wallet).
- Once customers enter the brand’s ecosystem, they get upsold to handbags, watches, and clothing.
🔹 Gyms & Fitness:
- Many gyms offer a cheap or even free first month.
- The real profit comes from long-term memberships, personal training, and supplement sales.
The pattern is everywhere, yet most people completely miss it.
Why Most Businesses Fail (And How You Can Win)
Businesses that fail usually do so for one simple reason:
They don’t understand the numbers that matter.
Instead, they focus on:
- Competing through outrageous claims rather than sound strategy.
- Trying to sell high-margin products upfront instead of tripwire offers.
- Ignoring how products interact with one another in their sales process.
You see it all the time with “gurus” who pop up, make big promises, and then disappear within a year or two.
Why?
Because their entire business was built on hype, not math.
If you want to win long-term, you must operate differently.
The Two Numbers That Matter Most
If you want your business to thrive, focus on:
1. Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)
- How much does it cost you to acquire a new customer?
- What’s your “burger” that attracts people into your ecosystem?
2. Average Order Value (AOV) and Lifetime Value (LTV)
- What’s the total amount a customer spends over time?
- How do you get them to buy more than just one thing?
Everything else is secondary.
How to Apply This Strategy Right Now
So how do you take this and make it work for your business?
1. Identify Your “Burger”
- What is the entry-level product that brings people in?
- Even if it’s low-margin or break-even, it should open the door to higher profits.
2. Find the High-Margin Upsells
- What do customers naturally buy after the first purchase?
- Look for high-margin add-ons, upgrades, or packages.
3. Make Buying the Package a No-Brainer
- Why do people buy the McDonald’s meal instead of just the burger?
- Because it feels like a deal – even though it’s structured to increase AOV.
- What’s the equivalent in your business?
4. Structure Your Pricing & Offers Around This
- Use the economics of bundling to maximize revenue.
- Design offers that make sense as a package.
The Bottom Line: Business Success is Just Math
People love to make business complicated.
But in reality, winning comes down to understanding simple numbers.
The reason McDonald’s dominates isn’t because they have “the best burger.”
It’s because they understand the game they’re playing.
And that game isn’t about having the most hyped product.
It’s about:
- Creating an irresistible front-end offer.
- Structuring the business so profits happen naturally.
- Optimizing pricing, bundling, and upsells.
If you get these things right, your success will be as inevitable as 1+1=2.
It’s just math.
Now the question is:
Are you playing by these rules, or are you guessing?
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My name is Mister Infinite. I've written 600+ articles for people who want more out of life. Within this website you will find the motivation and action steps to live a better lifestyle.
