Preston restaurant in Helsinki implemented dynamic pricing for lunch service, where the price fluctuates every ten minutes based on customer demand, ranging from €8.30 to €12.30, replacing the previous fixed price of €10.30.
"As soon as the restaurant experiences higher-than-average foot traffic, the price rises automatically. When the busiest lunch period ends and visitor numbers decline, prices drop accordingly."
Restaurant manager Outi Koistinen acknowledged mixed customer feedback: "Some have liked it, some haven't. That's always how it goes with these kinds of changes."
The Priceff system—developed by a Finnish startup—continuously monitors lunch sales volume and adjusts pricing based on demand variance from expectations. The approach aims to reduce queues during peak periods while attracting customers during slower times.
Priceff founder Anders Ekholm noted the system's primary advantage: "increased lunch sales and reduced food waste when pricing accurately reflects demand."
The concept originated from Ekholm's experience a decade earlier when he couldn't purchase a ticket for an overbooked flight, prompting recognition of underpriced demand.
Beyond Preston, Priceff's pricing system operates at Naantali spa, where admission prices adjust according to visitor numbers. Ekholm emphasized their system's distinction: "emphasis on monitoring actual demand rather than demand prediction based on history."
The pilot faced practical constraints, particularly regarding lunch voucher price ceilings that limit pricing flexibility beyond demand considerations.
