Did you know?

• "When classical music was played, patrons spent on average $40 per person, compared to $36.75 when pop tunes were featured and $35 when there was silence ."

Why? The researchers speculate that classical music makes diners feel more affluent, cultured, and sophisticated so they are more willing to spend money on items they equate with such qualities. Study leader Adrian North said classical music makes us "feel a bit posh. In a restaurant, this has the effect of making you spend a bit more money."

• once the tab eclipses $100, diners tip less. The larger the bill, the smaller the tip. While tipping etiquette calls for a tip of 15 percent to 20 percent of the total bill, this only seems to hold when the tab is in the double digits. The researchers analyzed nearly 1,000 tips received by two cab drivers, two hair salons, and two restaurants over several weeks. In most cases, the tip increased along with the total amount of the bill. But once the tab hit $100, the tip plateaued. Lead study author Leonard Green says that servers are likely to get the same tip for a $100 bill as they are for a $200 bill