> If someone perceives the exact same dish as tasting better because it was more expensive (and/or in a fancier setting, with fancy table linens and silverware,

> If someone perceives the exact same dish as tasting better because it was more expensive (and/or in a fancier setting, with fancy table linens and silverware, a live quartet playing classical music, etc) then to that person it IS better. Perceiving something as being better is literally all that matters. Perhaps it does, but it also makes him a poor food critic, which was the relevant issue here.