Sensation Transference and Roti’s New Fork

I’ve started to eat at a local Roti lately for lunch, and it’s started to become a standard for me (similar to how Chipotle is a kind of standard now).

I noticed just today that they rolled out a new fork. The only fork used to be solid black, but this one was all white – a kind of translucent white.

When I saw these at the counter, I actually paused for a moment. I looked past them trying to find the forks, until I realized they were the forks. To me, they looked and felt a little weird.

I’m not a dedicated customer of Roti, and I only really started eating there a bit more regularly a few weeks ago. But I found this switch a little bit jarring, I do have to admit.

Louis Cheskin is the marketer who first came up with the notion of sensation transference – the idea that consumers don’t make a clear distinction between a product and that product’s packaging.

While I was eating my lunch, I didn’t think any differently about my meal. But when I was getting the fork, and when I was taking the photo (above)… things didn’t quite feel right. It was a slight feeling, just ever so slight. But ultimately, I didn’t have any unpleasant experience while consuming my meal.

Pretty sure the fork change happened recently, in the last week or so. I’m curious what reactions other customers have had, particularly those who have been long-time customers.

Next time I go, maybe I’ll ask the servers if anyone’s complained.

Related:
White Coffee Lids and a Question About Sensation Transference
New Tropicana Packaging, Malcolm Gladwell and Sensation Transference