I just paid $7.50 for a well-advertised $5 sandwich.
It was at an airport franchise of a national brand.
Yes, the local franchisee may have the right to charge more at this location. And yes, they can make a ton of cash taking advantage of travelers with fewer choices.
But the entire national brand suffers a fundamental loss of trust. So do all the non-gouging franchisees.
No one says, “Store #5642 screwed me.” We say, “National Brand screwed me.”
Lesson: A brand is a container for trust. Don’t let a small part of your organization mess it up for everyone.