The Economics of Everyday Things

A fast-food burger has to taste the same — and cost the same — thousands of times a day at restaurants across the country. Zachary Crockett mans the fryer.   SOURCES: John Karangis , vice president of culinary innovation at Shake Shack. Walter Zuromski , owner and chief culinary officer of the Chef Services Group.   RESOURCES: " How Shake Shack’s New Test Kitchen Is Shaping the Future of the Brand...

American golfers lose 300 million balls a year — and all those bad swings are someone else’s business opportunity. Zachary Crockett hits the links.   SOURCES: Todd Hutchinson , president and owner of BallHawker. Lashan Wanigatunga , founder of Two Guys With Balls.   RESOURCES: " BallHawker, Challenge Enterprises Turn Wayward Golf Shots Into Successful Endeavor ," Natalie Gilstrap ( Clay Today, 202...

Before a guide dog can help a blind person navigate the world, it has to pass a series of tests, then go through $75,000 worth of training. Zachary Crockett sniffs around.   SOURCES: Peggy Gibbon, director of canine development at The Seeing Eye. Charles Pat McKenna, assistant division director of the New Jersey Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired.   RESOURCES: " Why Seeing Eye Dogs Are...

Behind that 70% off sign, there’s a liquidation consultant trying to maximize retailer profits. Zachary Crockett seeks a deal.   SOURCES: Bradley Snyder, executive managing director at Tiger Group. Zac Rogers, associate professor of supply chain management at Colorado State University   RESOURCES: " What Went Wrong: The Demise of Toys R Us, " by Angie Basiouny (Knowledge at Wharton, 2018) " Retail...

Picture day is an annual tradition for American families — and, for the companies that take the photos, a lucrative one. Zachary Crockett smiles for the camera.   SOURCES: Ken Murphy , C.E.O. of Lifetouch Jeremy McColm , senior manager of photography at Lifetouch   RESOURCES: " The money and stress and failed hairdos of school picture day, " by Kaitlyn Tiffany (Vox, 2019) " The School Photo Indust...

They're not always the nicest places to go — but for their owners, portable toilets are a lucrative revenue stream. Zachary Crockett lifts the lid.   SOURCES: Ron Inman , vice president of Honey Bucket Veronica Crosier , executive director of Portable Sanitation Association International   RESOURCES: " Providing Toilets for 39,000 Runners, " by John Branch (New York Times, 2008) " Platinum Equity-...

You can be a top model and still not get recognized on the street — as long as you keep your cuticles healthy and your moons white. Zachary Crockett points a finger.   SOURCES: Dani Korwin , managing director of Parts Models. Ellen Sirot , hand model.   RESOURCES: SAG-AFTRA Network TV Code 2024 - 2025 Extension Agreement Rates . " How to Become a Hand Model ," by Jack Smart ( Backstage, 2024). " M...

A watercolor of a harbor? A black-and-white photo of a pile of rocks? Some hotels are trying to do better. Zachary Crockett unpacks.   SOURCES: Melanie Kettring , director of studio design at Best Western Hotels. Jessica Poundstone , visual artist.  Gavi Wolf , founder and C.E.O. of Indiewalls.   RESOURCES: Indiewalls . Best Western .   EXTRAS: " Used Hotel Soaps ," by The Economics of Everyday Th...

Before beef ends up at your favorite steakhouse, it passes through the hands of a trained specialist with an encyclopedic knowledge of bovine anatomy. Zachary Crockett chews the fat.   SOURCES: Bryan Flannery , co-owner of Flannery Beef. Katie Flannery , co-owner of Flannery Beef.   RESOURCES: " National Weekly Boxed Beef Cutout And Boxed Beef Cuts — Negotiated Sales ," U.S.D.A. Agricultural Marke...

How did a little green nut become a billion-dollar product, lauded by celebrities in Super Bowl ads? Zachary Crockett cracks open the story.   SOURCES: Sawyer Clark , director of asset management at Gold Leaf Farming. Diana Salsa , vice president of marketing for Wonderful Pistachios.   RESOURCES: " Almond Acreage Decline Prompts Industry Introspection ," by Mitch Lies ( West Coast Nut, 2023). Ame...

Once a luxury good, the soft fiber is now everywhere — which has led to a goat boom in Mongolia. Zachary Crockett tugs at the thread.   SOURCES: Myagmarjav Serjkhuu , manager of the Mongolian Sustainable Cashmere Platform for the United Nations Development Programme. Carolyn Yim , designer and owner of Ply-Knits.   RESOURCES: " Sandstorms and Desertification in Mongolia, an Example of Future Clima...

Behind almost every character you see displayed on a page or a screen, there’s a complex — and sometimes lucrative — web of licensing deals. Zachary Crockett is just your type.   SOURCES: Lucas Czarnecki , creative director of Type Network. Gerry Leonidas , professor of typography at the University of Reading. Chantra Malee , co-founder and C.E.O. of Sharp Type. Lucas Sharp , professional font des...

Americans throw away 320 million books every year. How do some of them find a second life? Zachary Crockett is just browsing.    SOURCE: Francisco Hernandez, owner of Leaves bookstore.   RESOURCES: " Reinventing Retail: The Novel Resurgence of Independent Bookstores ," by Ryan L. Raffaelli ( Harvard Business School Working Paper, 2020). Gravity's Rainbow , by Thomas Pynchon (1973). The Bluest Eye...

The tradition of sending cards to loved ones was in decline — until it was rescued by a new generation. But millennials have their own ideas about what sentiments they want to convey. Zachary Crockett is thinking of you on your special day.   SOURCES: Mia Mercado , writer and former editor at Hallmark. George White , president of Up With Paper and former president of the American Greeting Card Ass...

It’s unreactive, lighter than air, and surprisingly important to the global economy. Zachary Crockett goes up an octave.   SOURCES: Sophia Hayes , professor of chemistry at Washington University in St. Louis. Phil Kornbluth , president of Kornbluth Helium Consulting. Bo Sears , C.E.O. of Helix Exploration PLC.   RESOURCES: " Why Semiconductor Growth Will Drive Helium Demand ," by Kitty Wheeler ( T...

How did Florida International University’s new football stadium come to be named after the rapper and singer Pitbull? Adrian Ma and Wailin Wong of The Indicator from Planet Money explain.   SOURCES: Scott Carr , director of athletics at Florida International University. Adrian Ma , co-host of The Indicator from Planet Money. Wailin Wong , co-host of The Indicator from Planet Money.   RESOURCES: Th...

Mannequins may be made out of plastic or fiberglass, but for retailers they’re pure gold. Zachary Crockett strikes a pose.   SOURCES: Stacie Bornn , vice president of sales, marketing, and creative at Fusion Specialties. Judi Henderson , C.E.O. and president of Mannequin Madness.   RESOURCES: " How This Oakland Business Gives Mannequins New Life (Almost) ," by Christopher Beale ( KQED, 2024). " Ni...

Incarcerated people grow crops, fight wildfires, and manufacture everything from motor oil to prescription glasses — often for pennies per hour. Zachary Crockett reports from North Carolina. SOURCES: Laura Appleman , professor of law at Willamette University. Christopher Barnes, inmate at the Franklin Correctional Center. Lee Blackman , general manager at Correction Enterprises. Brian Scott, ex-in...

It takes millions of giant green placards to make America navigable. Where do they come from — and who pays the bill? Zachary Crockett takes the exit.    SOURCES: Lee Blackman , general manager at Correction Enterprises. Gene Hawkins , senior principal engineer at Kittelson and professor emeritus of civil engineering at Texas A&M University. Renee Roach, state signing and delineation engineer for...

When a zoo needs an elephant, or finds itself with three surplus penguins, it doesn’t buy or sell the animals — it asks around. Zachary Crockett rattles the cages.   SOURCES: Hollie Colahan , deputy director of the Birmingham Zoo and chair of the AZA's Animal Population Management Committee. Dwight Lawson , executive director and C.E.O. of the Oklahoma City Zoo.   RESOURCES: " Oklahoma City Zoo An...

Tow-truck drivers: roadside rescuers or car confiscators? Zachary Crockett gets hooked.   SOURCES: Bill Giorgis , president of Mike’s Wrecker Service. Max Karimi , co-owner of H&M Roadside. Teresa Murray , director of the Consumer Watchdog Program at U.S. Public Interest Research Group.   RESOURCES: " Getting Off the Hook of a Predatory Tow - Part II ," by Jacob van Cleef and Teresa Murray (U.S. P...

Why are these 300-year-old instruments still coveted by violinists today? And how do working musicians get their hands on multimillion-dollar antiques? Zachary Crockett is not fiddling around.   SOURCES: Frank Almond , professional violinist. Ziv Arazi , co-owner of Rare Violins of New York. Bruno Price , co-owner of Rare Violins of New York.   RESOURCES: " When It Comes to String Instruments, Str...

Casinos think they can stop skilled gamblers from eking out a tiny edge at blackjack. Is that a losing bet? Zachary Crockett doubles down.   SOURCES: "Ben," former professional card counter. Bill Zender , co-founder of Bill Zender and Associates casino consulting firm.   RESOURCES: " Blackjack Player Sues Ameristar Casino, City of Black Hawk Over Alleged Detainment for Card Counting ," by Megan Ul...

Making money in the stock image business requires a sharp eye for trends, a very specific type of model, and a race against A.I. Zachary Crockett takes his shot.   SOURCE: Yuri Arcurs , C.E.O. and founder of PeopleImages.   RESOURCES : " The Last Stock Photographers Await Their Fate Under Generative A.I. ," by Katie Deighton ( The Wall Street Journal, 2024). " The Impressive 100-Year History of St...

How does a fresh tuna get from Japan to Nebraska before it goes bad? And how does its journey show up in the price of your spicy tuna rolls? Zachary Crockett gets schooled.   SOURCES: Sasha Issenberg , journalist and author. David Utterback , owner of Yoshitomo and Ota sushi restaurants. Nobu Yamanashi , president of Yama Seafood.   RESOURCES: " Wild or Farmed? Pacific or Atlantic? Here’s What to...