Figure1: The restaurant problem

The restaurant problem: The left panel shows the variables that control choice according to the matching law and melioration principle. The x-axis shows the distribution of Chinese and Italian meals over the last 10 evenings. The y-axis shows the subjective value of a meal at each restaurant. The right panel shows the variable that controls choice according to economic theory. The x-axis is the same as in the left panel. However, the y-axis shows the combined value of each choice distribution. In economic texts, the combined options are referred to as a "bundle," and it is assumed that consumers choose so as to maximize the subjective value of bundles. Thus, matching and maximization predict different choice ratios.