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AbdurRakib
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18 Jun 2016, 11:14
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D
Be sure to select an answer first to save it in the Error Log before revealing the correct answer (OA)!
Difficulty:
15%
(low)
Question Stats:
81% (01:47) correct
19%
(02:20)
wrong
based on 6746
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Not Attempted Yet
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 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
(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 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
(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.
Vegetarian Sandwich
Step 1: Identify the Question
The word weakens in the question stem indicates that this is a Weaken the Argument question.
Step 2: Deconstruct the Argument
Add lo-fat veg sand
Low sales à need 4X to cover costs
Drop veg sand à increase profit
Step 3: Pause and State the Goal
On Weaken questions, the goal is to find a piece of information that would make the conclusion less likely to be valid. In this case, the author claims that it would be more profitable for the company to drop the vegetarian sandwich. What factors that are not discussed in the argument might influence profitability?
Step 4: Work from Wrong to Right
(A) The problem with the vegetarian sandwich is that few customers buy it, resulting in low sales. The opinions of customers who have tried the sandwich do not address the low sales.
(B) Whether consumers also visit competitors’ restaurants does not directly relate to whether the plan in the argument (dropping the vegetarian sandwich) will improve profitability.
(C) Trends in hamburger sales do not directly influence the plan in the argument to drop the vegetarian sandwich.
(D) CORRECT. This answer suggests that the vegetarian sandwich may influence the company’s profit beyond the sales of the sandwich itself. The availability of the vegetarian sandwich may attract groups of customers (with one vegetarian) who buy hamburgers, resulting in additional revenues. If the chain dropped the sandwich, on the other hand, then a group with one vegetarian would likely (according to this choice) not come to this chain at all.
(E) This answer is not directly relevant because it is about another product, not the vegetarian sandwich. If anything, this answer strengthens the argument because it suggests that new products do not increase sales.
Step 1: Identify the Question
The word weakens in the question stem indicates that this is a Weaken the Argument question.
Step 2: Deconstruct the Argument
Add lo-fat veg sand
Low sales à need 4X to cover costs
Drop veg sand à increase profit
Step 3: Pause and State the Goal
On Weaken questions, the goal is to find a piece of information that would make the conclusion less likely to be valid. In this case, the author claims that it would be more profitable for the company to drop the vegetarian sandwich. What factors that are not discussed in the argument might influence profitability?
Step 4: Work from Wrong to Right
(A) The problem with the vegetarian sandwich is that few customers buy it, resulting in low sales. The opinions of customers who have tried the sandwich do not address the low sales.
(B) Whether consumers also visit competitors’ restaurants does not directly relate to whether the plan in the argument (dropping the vegetarian sandwich) will improve profitability.
(C) Trends in hamburger sales do not directly influence the plan in the argument to drop the vegetarian sandwich.
(D) CORRECT. This answer suggests that the vegetarian sandwich may influence the company’s profit beyond the sales of the sandwich itself. The availability of the vegetarian sandwich may attract groups of customers (with one vegetarian) who buy hamburgers, resulting in additional revenues. If the chain dropped the sandwich, on the other hand, then a group with one vegetarian would likely (according to this choice) not come to this chain at all.
(E) This answer is not directly relevant because it is about another product, not the vegetarian sandwich. If anything, this answer strengthens the argument because it suggests that new products do not increase sales.
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20 Mar 2018, 19:46
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Quote:
abhigulia3006
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.
KillerGMAT
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!
AbdurRakib
Joined: 11 May 2014
Last visit: 03 Mar 2026
Posts: 464
Given Kudos: 220
Status:I don't stop when I'm Tired,I stop when I'm done
Location: Bangladesh
Concentration: Finance, Leadership
Schools: Wharton '20 Yale '20 Tepper '20
GPA: 2.81
WE:Business Development (Real Estate)
28 Jun 2016, 11:39
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Bookmarks
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. ------> Another market research surveys may contradict to this report
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. -----> Irrelevant information to this agruement
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. -------->previous data of no growth don't weak future growth because customers preference may change dramatically
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. ........> CORRECT.This information shows how one customer with low fat food preference can pull other customers to the restaurant,increasing sales of the restaurant
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...... INCORRECT as answer choice C.
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. ------> Another market research surveys may contradict to this report
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. -----> Irrelevant information to this agruement
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. -------->previous data of no growth don't weak future growth because customers preference may change dramatically
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. ........> CORRECT.This information shows how one customer with low fat food preference can pull other customers to the restaurant,increasing sales of the restaurant
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...... INCORRECT as answer choice C.
