Forum Home > GMAT > Quantitative > Problem Solving (PS)
Events & Promotions
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.
Customized
for You
Track
Your Progress
Practice
Pays
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Jul 2710:00 AM PDT
-11:00 AM PDT
Are you struggling with the GMAT verbal section? Do tricky questions and lengthy passages overwhelm you? Don't worry—I've got you covered! In this video, I'll provide a detailed, actionable plan to help you significantly boost your verbal score.
Jul 2508:00 AM EDT
-11:59 PM EDT
More and more TTP students are earning impressive scores on the GMAT. Now is the perfect time to join the many GMAT students who made the switch to TTP and surpassed their wildest expectations on test day.- Jul 28
10:00 AM PDT
-11:00 AM PDT
We will learn how to guess an answer choice better on the GMAT. If you are running out of time and want to guess on a few questions, these effective techniques will help you in making a smart guess. 
Jul 2811:00 AM IST
-01:00 PM IST
Attend this free GMAT Algebra Webinar and learn how to master the most challenging Inequalities and Absolute Value problems with ease.- Jul 31
05:55 AM PDT
-12:30 PM PDT
MBA Application Walkthrough and Essay Review. You will have a chance to hear from experts covering the Top 15 MBA programs, covering details of the application and essays. 
Jul 3110:00 AM EDT
-11:59 PM PDT
Save 20% on Target Test Prep and Score in the 100th Percentile in GMAT Verbal! Our course uses techniques such as topical study and spaced repetition to maximize knowledge retention and make studying simple and fun.
Target Test Prep Representative
Joined: 24 Nov 2014
Status:Chief Curriculum and Content Architect
Affiliations: Target Test Prep
Posts: 3480
Given Kudos: 1431
GMAT 1: 800 Q51 V51 
Re: Last year a chain of fast-food restaurants, whose menu had always cent
[#permalink]
21 Feb 2022, 10:43
21 Feb 2022, 10:43
2
Kudos
Expert Reply
anikageeti wrote:
Doesn't option D simply generalize a situation or provide an opinion rather than sticking to the question's passage?
To correctly answer this question we have to answer the following question:
Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?
The argument supports the following conclusion:
the chain would be more profitable if it dropped the sandwich.
Now, here's choice (D).
(D) When even one member of a group of diners is a vegetarian or has a preference for low-fat food, the group tends to avoid restaurants that lack vegetarian or low-fat menu options.
The implications of choice (D) are that, if the chain drops the vegetarian sandwich, it may lose the business of entire groups of diners that include a member who is vegetarian or prefers low fat food. Thus, even though the passage say that sales of the sandwich itself are not profitable for the chain, (D) indicates that it is quite possible that the chain would NOT be more profitable if it dropped the sandwich.
So, (D) does just what we need - it weakens the case for the conclusion - and thus (D) is the correct answer to the question.
Re: Last year a chain of fast-food restaurants, whose menu had always cent
[#permalink]
05 Apr 2024, 21:12
05 Apr 2024, 21:12
GMATNinja wrote:
Quote:
Last year a chain of fast-food restaurants, whose menu had always centered on hamburger, added its first vegetarian sandwich, much lower in fat than the chain’s other offerings. Despite heavy marketing, the new sandwich accounts for a very small proportion of the chain’s sales. The sandwich’s sales would have to quadruple to cover the costs associated with including it on the menu. Since such an increase is unlikely, the chain would be more profitable if it dropped the sandwich.
Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?
(A) Although many of the chain’s customers have never tried the vegetarian sandwich, in a market research survey most of those who had tried it reported that they were very satisfied with it.
(B) Many of the people who eat at the chain’s restaurants also eat at the restaurants of competing chains and report no strong preference among the competitors.
(C) Among fast-food chains in general, there has been little or no growth in hamburger sales over the past several years as the range of competing offerings at other restaurants has grown.
(D) When even one member of group of diner’s is a vegetarian or has a preference for low-fat food, the group tends to avoid restaurants that lack vegetarian or low-fat menu options.
(E) An attempt by the chain to introduce a lower-fat hamburger failed several years ago, since it attracted few new customers and most of the chain’s regular customers greatly preferred the taste of the regular hamburger.
Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?
(A) Although many of the chain’s customers have never tried the vegetarian sandwich, in a market research survey most of those who had tried it reported that they were very satisfied with it.
(B) Many of the people who eat at the chain’s restaurants also eat at the restaurants of competing chains and report no strong preference among the competitors.
(C) Among fast-food chains in general, there has been little or no growth in hamburger sales over the past several years as the range of competing offerings at other restaurants has grown.
(D) When even one member of group of diner’s is a vegetarian or has a preference for low-fat food, the group tends to avoid restaurants that lack vegetarian or low-fat menu options.
(E) An attempt by the chain to introduce a lower-fat hamburger failed several years ago, since it attracted few new customers and most of the chain’s regular customers greatly preferred the taste of the regular hamburger.
abhigulia3006 wrote:
I believe option A also significantly weakens the argument due to the phase "many of the chain's customers". This shows that the reason the sandwich sales are low is due to the fact that many customers have not tried it as yet. By showing that most of the customers who have tried the sandwich are satisfied with it, we are given a reason to be optimistic that sales will improve as more customers try the sandwich and thus make the chain more profitable.
Regarding choice (A), it's easy to read this option and think, "Oh good! This is evidence that sales will improve as more customers try the sandwich!"
But the passage SPECIFICALLY tells us that an increase in sales is unlikely. So we don't care what portion of the customers have tried the sandwich. We can't contradict the given information, so (A) must be eliminated.
As for choice (D), of course it is possible that this scenario only applies to one vegetarian per year. But think about the author's argument:
- The sandwich’s sales would have to quadruple to cover the costs associated with including it on the menu.
- Such an increase is unlikely.
- Therefore, the chain would be more profitable if it dropped the sandwich.
The author's argument is based on sales of the sandwich itself. Choice (D) suggests that there are other benefits to having the sandwich on the menu. This certainly does not PROVE that keeping it on the menu will be profitable. However, it certainly weakens the author's argument by suggesting that the author is failing to consider a potential benefit.
Choice (D) suggests that the author's argument is incomplete, so it is the best answer.
I hope that helps!
Hi GMATNinja
Through the statement - "Choice (D) suggests that there are other benefits to having the sandwich on the menu. This certainly does not PROVE that keeping it on the menu will be profitable.", are we considering the possibility that having sandwiches on the menu might attract customers (for ex: group with one vegetarian member and 9 non-vegetarians) who won't try sandwiches but have other food items like hamburgers? This way, chain restaurants will be able to cover their costs by increasing sales of other food items mainly due to increased footfall (because of vegetarian preference), is this what you meant in the explanation?
Re: Last year a chain of fast-food restaurants, whose menu had always cent
[#permalink]
11 Apr 2024, 10:08
11 Apr 2024, 10:08
2
Kudos
Expert Reply
agrasan wrote:
GMATNinja wrote:
Regarding choice (A), it's easy to read this option and think, "Oh good! This is evidence that sales will improve as more customers try the sandwich!"
But the passage SPECIFICALLY tells us that an increase in sales is unlikely. So we don't care what portion of the customers have tried the sandwich. We can't contradict the given information, so (A) must be eliminated.
As for choice (D), of course it is possible that this scenario only applies to one vegetarian per year. But think about the author's argument:
If we are TOLD that sales will probably not increase, why would we want to keep it on the menu? Choice (D) gives us a very good reason to keep it on the menu. Even if sales of the vegetarian sandwich do not increase, simply having it on the menu MIGHT attract groups that would otherwise avoid the restaurant.
The author's argument is based on sales of the sandwich itself. Choice (D) suggests that there are other benefits to having the sandwich on the menu. This certainly does not PROVE that keeping it on the menu will be profitable. However, it certainly weakens the author's argument by suggesting that the author is failing to consider a potential benefit.
Choice (D) suggests that the author's argument is incomplete, so it is the best answer.
I hope that helps!
But the passage SPECIFICALLY tells us that an increase in sales is unlikely. So we don't care what portion of the customers have tried the sandwich. We can't contradict the given information, so (A) must be eliminated.
As for choice (D), of course it is possible that this scenario only applies to one vegetarian per year. But think about the author's argument:
- The sandwich’s sales would have to quadruple to cover the costs associated with including it on the menu.
- Such an increase is unlikely.
- Therefore, the chain would be more profitable if it dropped the sandwich.
If we are TOLD that sales will probably not increase, why would we want to keep it on the menu? Choice (D) gives us a very good reason to keep it on the menu. Even if sales of the vegetarian sandwich do not increase, simply having it on the menu MIGHT attract groups that would otherwise avoid the restaurant.
The author's argument is based on sales of the sandwich itself. Choice (D) suggests that there are other benefits to having the sandwich on the menu. This certainly does not PROVE that keeping it on the menu will be profitable. However, it certainly weakens the author's argument by suggesting that the author is failing to consider a potential benefit.
Choice (D) suggests that the author's argument is incomplete, so it is the best answer.
I hope that helps!
Hi GMATNinja
Through the statement - "Choice (D) suggests that there are other benefits to having the sandwich on the menu. This certainly does not PROVE that keeping it on the menu will be profitable.", are we considering the possibility that having sandwiches on the menu might attract customers (for ex: group with one vegetarian member and 9 non-vegetarians) who won't try sandwiches but have other food items like hamburgers? This way, chain restaurants will be able to cover their costs by increasing sales of other food items mainly due to increased footfall (because of vegetarian preference), is this what you meant in the explanation?
Yes, that's exactly right! The benefit of keeping the veggie sandwich is that whole groups of people would choose this restaurant to accommodate one vegetarian in their group. The restaurant can then profit off of the rest of the group buying hamburgers and other items.
I hope that helps!
