An Economic Scavenger Hunt at a Las Vegas Cafeteria: Planet Money : NPR

Bridget Bennett/Alex Wong/Getty Images

Bridget Bennett/Alex Wong/Getty Images

You might expect to find economic concepts in an economics textbook. But you know where you can actually see many economic concepts in action? At a buffet.

At Planet Money, we believe that there are a lot of economic principles buried in that buffet between the mountains of brisket and the rows of mashed potatoes. From classic concepts like adverse selection, sunk costs, and diminishing marginal returns to more exotic economic mysteries like the flat-rate pricing bias.

Today, we’re heading to the birthplace of the modern buffet: Las Vegas. Our mission? To indulge in all the economics we can afford at a buffet. Along the way, an economist and buffet lover will teach us his ultra-rational strategies for optimizing the buffet experience.

Today’s show was produced by James Sneed and Nick Fountain, with assistance from Emma Peaslee. Jess Jiang edited, James Willetts curated, and Sierra Juarez fact-checked. Alex Goldmark is our executive producer.

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Music: NPR Source Audio – “This Time,” “King Of Surf,” and “Le-Pie Nightwalk”