# What common item is most overpriced? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 17, 2022, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-common-item-is-most-overpriced/976681 "2022-12-17T00:07:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2022, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-common-item-is-most-overpriced/976681/41 "2022-12-17T15:35:08Z")
Fast food pop is expensive, like $2.95. If you’re going through the drive-thru there’s no refills and a lot of ice. McDonald’s $1 is a relatively fantastic deal especially if you get a large. It’s usually about $2.95 at sit-down restaurants but almost everywhere gives free refills, so the more you drink the more the cost goes down. Pop prices really vary. At the ballpark it’s like $8 for what you can get at McDonald’s or a gas station for $1. A 12-pack of cans (12 Oz) costs over 50 cents a can now - although I can see that price fluctuating based on manufacturing and delivery costs. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2022, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-common-item-is-most-overpriced/976681/42 "2022-12-17T16:04:40Z")
> [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](#): > > On that subject, is tap water really “free” anywhere? At work I had well water because there wasn’t any other choice. Then the township brought water to all the people on the road. My first water bill was $50, which seemed high. I became more aware of water use and cut back considerably. My next monthly water bill was $50. So, I switched back to well water. My next month’s water bill with zero gallons being used was $50. Turns out that is the minimum amount, to pay for construction costs. ---
**Author:** ![phs3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8491ac/32.png) [@phs3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phs3)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2022, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-common-item-is-most-overpriced/976681/43 "2022-12-17T16:11:31Z")
Sure, but that’s the metric folks are using here. The only things that are actually “overpriced” are things that folks won’t buy because they cost more than people are willing to pay. That’s really the definition of overpriced, eh? ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2022, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-common-item-is-most-overpriced/976681/44 "2022-12-17T16:39:31Z")
Define overpriced. I think that’s the first stage of getting a clear answer that’s not some kind of grumble or gripe about something that someone thinks should arbitrarily cost less than it does. Keep in mind that pricing has zilch to do with the cost of something from a company’s perspective. There’s no magic formula that says that things are priced 20% above the cost for the company- in fact, the higher that number is, the better from their perspective, _ **if** _ people are willing to buy that item. And there are things like artificial constraints (i.e. you can’t take your own popcorn into the movie theater) which allow for higher prices vs. other situations. So with that in mind, what constitutes overpriced? ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2022, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-common-item-is-most-overpriced/976681/45 "2022-12-17T16:41:36Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > And since I hate the taste of tap water, it’s well worth it to me. I am fortunate to live in Chicago which, in my opinion, has the best tap water anywhere. A close second is New York City. I have had visitors comment on it. Our water tastes great (which is to say it has no taste…just refreshing). If you ever visit give it a try (really). ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2022, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-common-item-is-most-overpriced/976681/46 "2022-12-17T16:46:35Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > Anyway, the comparison to city water costs is kinda silly. It’s a totally different product with a totally different use I think a lot of the value of bottled water is relative; my tap water is actually pretty good. And the stuff in Wasilla, AK was _ **fantastic** _. Better than any bottled water I’ve ever had. But I’ve lived places (_cough_ Collin County, TX _cough, cough_) where the tap water was never really very good, and was worse in the summer because some phenomenon would happen in the lake they drew from, and it would taste like straight-up dirt. So I could see that some people might think bottled water to be a grand idea, while others would think it’s an absurdity. As far as purity and safety goes, city water is subject to all sorts of regulations, and the water is tested going into the plants, out of the plants, at various points in the city, and after use, at multiple points in the wastewater treatment process. I don’t know what regulatory requirements there are for bottled water, but I suspect it’s a lot less. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2022, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-common-item-is-most-overpriced/976681/47 "2022-12-17T17:00:42Z")
I’d like to ask our OP @Dr_Paprika to drop in to give us a nudge by what they intend with “common item.” Because there’s such a huge variance in what we’re talking about that we’re mostly comparing apples to oranges. For example you could say “Most overpriced item that you could buy from Target / Kroger retail establishment” “Most overpriced item you would likely buy for under 20.00 US” or anything else that would narrow it down. Because in my first response, I went with chips as an example based on retail pricing specifically, while talking about how things would be different in a movie theater venue, and ignoring price shopping online to try to go with the most ‘common’ retail option I could mind. And that leaves out huge regional and international variations which are cropping up. Not that we have to listen to the OP, but it might frame the discussion better, before we start getting out the flensing knives! ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2022, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-common-item-is-most-overpriced/976681/48 "2022-12-17T17:00:44Z")
> [@phs3](#): > > That’s really the definition of overpriced, eh? > [@bump](#): > > Define overpriced. I think the OP was going for the (very subjective) definition: “ **priced ridiculously enough to annoy you**.” Certainly some software is overpriced, but a lot of it is a genuine bargain, considering what you get and/or the effort that went into developing it. (And I could say similar things about other digitally-distributed content.) ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2022, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-common-item-is-most-overpriced/976681/49 "2022-12-17T17:03:52Z")
IME, far more places (especially cities of any size) have good tap water than don’t. And unless my eyes deceive me, far from all plastic bottles get recycled. ISTR hearing coffee had one of the highest profit margins for restaurants. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2022, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-common-item-is-most-overpriced/976681/50 "2022-12-17T17:04:04Z")
> [@bump](#): > > I don’t know what regulatory requirements there are for bottled water, but I suspect it’s a lot less. My understanding is that it is indeed a lot less. Nevertheless, as I mentioned, in the case of natural spring water the origin of the water and a full analysis of it is provided by the bottler on the label, which leads to at least some confidence. Also, most or all spring water is ozonized. Ozone kills any bacteria or viruses without stinking up the water like chlorine in tap water, and quickly decays into oxygen. On the flip side of this, while as you say the quality of tap water is supposed to be regulated, sometimes the regulations fail (e.g- **[Flint, Michigan](https://www.nrdc.org/stories/flint-water-crisis-everything-you-need-know)** or **[Walkerton, Ontario)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19180129/)**. I’ve been told by some that the tap water in my area actually tastes pretty good, so maybe some of this is subjective, but I honestly do detest the stuff and feel much the same way about tap water just about anywhere else. I can tolerate it for cooking or making coffee, but not drinking. Running out of bottled water in my house is a minor crisis requiring a run to the grocery store! ---
**Author:** ![phs3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8491ac/32.png) [@phs3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phs3)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2022, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-common-item-is-most-overpriced/976681/51 "2022-12-17T17:24:01Z")
I don’t like fresh salmon (won’t eat it). Can I say it’s overpriced? Straight question… ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2022, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-common-item-is-most-overpriced/976681/52 "2022-12-17T18:10:27Z")
Well, the OP was about overpriced things. I think it is safe to say bottled water is overpriced. If you are willing to pay the money for that it is on you. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2022, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-common-item-is-most-overpriced/976681/53 "2022-12-17T18:13:30Z")
Moderating: I think it’s been well established in this thread that bottled water is overpriced a matter of dispute and further discussion on this point is a distraction. Let’s drop this line of discussion in this thread now, please. Feel free to have a lively debate about it elsewhere, of course. This is a general instruction and not pointed at anyone in particular. ETA: I did not mean to endorse one side of the discussion or the other. Corrected to more accurately reflect the concern. ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2022, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-common-item-is-most-overpriced/976681/54 "2022-12-17T18:39:58Z")
Entenmann’s donuts. I enjoy the chocolate frosted variety every so often. They come in boxes of eight. I used to complain because they were about $3.50/box. Bought a box yesterday for $6.59. They are sometimes BOGO, but…damn. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2022, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-common-item-is-most-overpriced/976681/55 "2022-12-17T18:40:51Z")
Extras for anything when buying an automobile. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2022, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-common-item-is-most-overpriced/976681/56 "2022-12-17T19:28:51Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > I vote fro crisps, especially the fancy ones that "_are made from thinly sliced, organic Spanish potatoes and flavoured with extra-virgin olive oil and just a touch of natural sea salt."_ at over 5p per gram Interesting that despite being labeled _Potatas Fritas_ and _Fritas con 100% aciete de oliva_ they can’t be shipped to the EU. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2022, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-common-item-is-most-overpriced/976681/57 "2022-12-17T19:40:55Z")
ETA: This was in response to latest post by @Whack-a-Mole To compare apples and oranges and options on cars… A couple of friends in their early 60’s with late midlife crisis were talking about getting a sports car. Someone mentioned that the cheapest Porsche (Cayman, I think) wasn’t _that_ horribly priced (around $60K for the base model around here) and someone else said that a Miata/MX5 would be just as much fun for maybe 2/3 of the price. None of us is aiming at driving at 140 mph on the Autobahn or feel need to go 0-60 two seconds faster. For fun, I went to check what the actual price would be. I came away from the Porsche configurator with a feeling that a steering wheel was an extra you’d have to pay for. To make this not too long winding, I checked what came as standard for a brand new Miata. I then went to spec the Porsche to the same level as the base Miata. It ended up costing an additional $40K. Two examples: the Miata has wireless Android Auto/Apple Car Play. The Porsche doesn’t even have Android Auto, only wired Apple (this may very well be depending on market/country). Backup camera isn’t mandatory here yet. Of course the Miata has it. Porsche charges $1600 extra for that. Neither of these are common items, but serves to illustrate how insanely expensive options for a new car can get when you start adding up. (I’m quite happy with my 2017 Kia Soul that has all of these features and cost a fraction of the price. And it’s about as zippy as the Miata) ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2022, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-common-item-is-most-overpriced/976681/58 "2022-12-17T21:16:34Z")
I understand things might mean different things to different people but was not seeking to limit what people found annoying. For example, I want restaurants I like to stay in business and do not begrudge them especially profiting off some items which I can choose not to indulge in. If a fast food restaurant is already highly successful than expensive soda is less palatable there than at a place which seats fifty people a day which one would expect to charge higher prices. But I don’t begrudge people making ordinary profits. Others might be annoyed by high costs on coffee or lower priced items - and they can feel about it as they wish. Others might reserve indignation for expensive add-ons to already expensive items, such as (reportedly) having to lease heated seats after purchasing a car. But if you go by selling price divided by cost of manufacture, many protective or decorative cases for an electronic device might be up there on the list. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2022, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-common-item-is-most-overpriced/976681/59 "2022-12-17T21:36:48Z")
Over Thanksgiving, my father was complaining about how much the alarm system monitoring costs. I think they pay fifty bucks each month to ADP. Sure, if the alarm goes off, they do whatever it is they’re supposed to do; call the house, call the specified contact, call the police. But how often is that necessary? Perhaps once a year. But in the meantime, they’ve collected $600 and they have a call center someplace monitoring thousands (millions?) of alarm systems all over the country. There’s a huge difference between the actual cost and the amount they’re paid. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2022, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-common-item-is-most-overpriced/976681/60 "2022-12-18T03:05:48Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > When I was in PetSmart Oh My God, _that_ place! I went in to buy Dixie a new collar. Small Dog. It was outrageous. Like $12 or something. Enough to make me waltz right the fuck out. Was shopping for groceries at the Kroger. Pretty much identical collar for $1.99. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-common-item-is-most-overpriced/976681.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-common-item-is-most-overpriced/976681.md?page=4)