Why the constant need to bow to the outrage of the few?

[Major Robert Dump]

In some cases it is all about politics and fear of fallout from offended customers etc.

But there are plenty of cases I am sure of just knee jerk owners/managers who do not understand their customers or have bad business sense.

I have this little Iranian friend, interesting fellow, who owns part of a restaurant with another friend. They have for years sold little mini 12 ounce fountain drinks for 25 cents that you could pick up on dine in or delivery. My friend wanted to go to bottles, because the fountain drinks are a nightmare: ice machines are health hazards and targets for inspectors, soda fountains are a mess to maintain, customers would order obscene amounts of these little drinks and the employees hated transporting them, plus unsealed fountain drinks being delivered are in my opinion just gross. Also, they made no profit on the drinks at all, due in part to having to pay for cups and labor.

Iranian friend was terrified that they would lose customers because people want the little drinks.

This place has really great food and awesome prices for everything, and outpaces all their competition by a long shot, and this guy thought it was the end of business as he knew it if they went to soda bottles, all because one soccer mom with 5 kids expressed disappointment when he told her one day that he was thinking of changing to bottles. In the end, he was 60% owner and he decided not to eliminate fountain drinks, but to add bottles as well. Their fountain drink sales disappeared over night, and everyone started ordering bottles, which were more expensive and had a bigger profit margin. Finally, the little douche got rid of the fountains altogether.

Just because you own/manage a business doesn't necessarily make you smart. Even dummies can succeed if they show up at the right time.