It is not the same. One is designed to incentivize a behavior (come around more/earlier), the other is designed to reduce the behavior by disincentivizing it (

It is not the same. One is designed to incentivize a behavior (come around more/earlier), the other is designed to reduce the behavior by disincentivizing it (don't come around when we're busy). While I actually like surge pricing in situations like a natural disaster or New Years Eve (e.g., gets more drivers/suppliers on the road), as proposed by Wendy's it's a very poor anti-pattern. One is a loss-leader, the other is not. Edit: This is exactly why I usually quote the person I'm responding to (I failed to do it here). Their current message is not what they originally posted, they edited it and pretty much repeated what I said.