“Do you want to start a tab?” It’s the most innocent question you’ll hear at a bar or maybe even at your local café. Why wouldn’t you want to just pay one bill at the end of your visit? Because it’s too easy to ignore how much money you’re spending until it’s too late.
If you pay round by round, you’ll see and feel the money leaving your hands (or at least, imagine it leaving your card), leave a tip, and think a bit harder about whether you really want another drink. By making it harder to order a drink knowing you have to take the extra step of paying right away, you’re less likely to complete the process a second or third time.