“No Difference, Boss” … The Devil’s Steps in F&B

Ahmed Samir Ragab, Food Marketer, Founder & MD of Food-Xperts

Across my 26 years in the food and restaurant business, I’ve seen a common trap that quietly destroys brands. I call it the devil’s steps.

It usually starts with tough times—higher costs, inflation, and pressure on profits. Management looks for a quick fix: “let’s just adjust the recipe a little.” Swap an ingredient, reduce a percentage, or tweak the formula.

Then comes the test. The original product (A) is placed next to the new version (B). The manager asks with confidence: “Can you tell the difference?”
The team tastes carefully and replies: “No difference, boss. Maybe a small one, but customers won’t notice.”
The manager celebrates: “We’ve saved 10% on costs.” Everyone agrees: “Go ahead, boss.”

A few months later, the cycle repeats. B becomes C, then C becomes D… and each time, the same answer: “No difference.”

But the truth is, the customer isn’t comparing D with E. They’re comparing today’s product with the very first version—the original promise. And that gap is huge.

Soon complaints arrive: “You don’t taste the same,” “It’s not like before.” Sales drop. Inside the company, the team insists nothing has changed. They analyze tiny differences between D and E, missing the big picture.

The real problem isn’t one small tweak. It’s the journey of compromises—the devil’s steps—that slowly take you away from your product’s soul, and away from the trust of your customer.