It is said that there's no such thing as a free lunch, but even if you manage to bag a bargain meal, it will not taste as good as a more expensive choice, according to scientists. A new study has found that restaurant goers who pay more for their meals think the food is tastier than offered for a smaller price. The experts think that people tend to associate cost with quality and this changes their perception  of how food tastes. Scientists at Cornell University studied the eating habits of 139 people enjoying an Italian buffet in a restaurant. The price of the food was set by the researchers at either $4 or $8 for the all-you-can-eat meal. Customers were asked to rate how good the food tasted, the quality of the restaurant and to leave their names. The experiment showed that the people who paid $8 enjoyed their meal 11% more than those who ate the "cheaper" buffet. Interestingly those that paid for the $4 buffet said they felt guiltier about loading up their plates and felt that they overate. However, the scientists said that both groups ate around the same quantity of food in total. Brian Wansink, a professor of consumer behavior at the university, said: "We were fascinated to find that pricing has little effect on how much one eats, but a huge effect on how you interpret the experience." He thinks that people enjoyed their food more as they associated cost with quality and that small changes to a restaurant can change how tasty people find their meals. In a previous study, researchers from the university showed that people who eat in bright lighting consume more than people who eat in less brightly lit areas. The passage is intended to   _  .
promote marketing methods inform readers of a new study teach consumers how to eat better find the association between cost and quality