We Eat First with Our Eyes — And Ride the Same Way
Why Presentation, Standards, and Perception Shape Trust Before the Trip Begins
Have you ever heard the saying, “We eat first with our eyes”?
The phrase is often attributed to Apicius, a first-century Roman gastronome who, long before modern neuroscience, understood that presentation shapes perception. Long before we taste a meal, our brains are already making judgments about quality, safety, and satisfaction based solely on what we see.
Modern research confirms this instinct.
An article on the nutrition and lifestyle website Nuush explains it this way:
“You know how the sight of delicious-looking food can make you want to eat it right then, or the sight of horrible-looking food can literally make you feel sick? It’s nature’s way of telling us what’s good to eat and what isn’t… The sight of food causes physiological and neurological changes, so making food look appetising is like sexual foreplay.” (2026)
Crude phrasing aside, the point is clear: visual cues trigger emotional and physiological responses before logic ever enters the conversation.
A separate article published in Science Trends reports neuroimaging studies showing that, when hungry participants viewed images of their favorite foods, cerebral blood flow increased by up to 24%. Our brains quite literally light up at the sight of something appealing.
And when food is presented beautifully, people don’t just enjoy it more — they value it more.
One study found that diners were willing to pay more than twice as much for the same ingredients when they were artistically plated rather than casually tossed together. Another study showed that even the arrangement of food — stacked versus spread out—significantly affects how much people believe they’re getting and how much they’re willing to pay. (Spence, 2020)
Same ingredients.
Same quantity.
Radically different perception.
Everything.
Just as we experience food with all of our senses, passengers experience transportation the same way. Long before a vehicle moves, customers form opinions about safety, professionalism, and value based on what they see, hear, and smell.
It starts the moment the vehicle pulls up.
The Vehicle: Where Experience — and Reputation — Are Formed
Have you ever seen a beautiful coach, cutaway, or van arrive with dirty wheels and tires?
Many seasoned operators and drivers will tell you the same thing: dirty wheels on a nice bus are like wearing old, worn-out shoes with a nice suit. The contrast doesn’t go unnoticed — and it immediately undermines confidence before a passenger ever steps onboard.
Wheels, of course, are only one piece of the picture.
Vehicles that, as my grandfather used to say, “look like they were shot through an apple orchard and hit every tree,” don’t just lack visual appeal. Dents, dings, faded paint, and worn or peeling liveries subtly raise questions in the minds of passengers:
- If this is the exterior, what about the maintenance?
- If this is what I can see, what can’t I see?
Those questions may never be spoken — but they linger.
Of course, passengers don’t ride outside the vehicle, which makes the interior even more critical.
A clean stepwell, free of trash, torn flooring, and stains, sets the tone immediately. As passengers board and their senses fully engage, the condition of the seats, headliners, flooring, and windows collectively reinforces or erodes confidence.
And then there’s the lavatory.
Anyone who has ridden a coach that clearly needed a lavatory service knows this isn’t merely unpleasant. It’s not just an experience killer — it can be a reputation killer.
Passengers don’t compartmentalize moments like this. They don’t say, “The lavatory was bad, but the rest of the operation must be fine.” Instead, that single negative sensory experience often becomes the defining memory of the trip.
And in today’s environment, that memory doesn’t stay inside the vehicle.
It shows up in post-trip surveys.
It appears in online reviews — publicly and permanently.
It gets shared in group chats and on social media.
It directly influences future purchasing decisions, often among far more people than the original passengers on that trip.
Reviews aren’t quiet.
Reputational damage isn’t subtle.
Amenities matter as well. Armrests, reclining mechanisms, window shades, footrests, power outlets, and onboard A/V equipment may seem secondary, but collectively they define the baseline expectations of today’s savvy, experienced passengers.
As important as having these amenities is ensuring they function correctly. A monitor that doesn’t turn on, a microphone that cuts out, or an audio system that crackles or fails altogether sends the same message as a stained seat or broken armrest: details were overlooked.
Just like plating a meal, the vehicle experience is cumulative. One overlooked detail can diminish everything else.
Experience can sometimes be recovered.
Reputation is much harder to repair.
The Driver: The Final and Most Powerful Signal
Vehicles don’t deliver service on their own. People do.
A driver’s appearance—grooming, uniform, posture—plays a disproportionate role in how safe and confident passengers feel. A disheveled appearance introduces doubt, whether that doubt is fair or not.
Put yourself in the passenger’s seat the next time you fly. If the captain steps into the cockpit looking rumpled or unprepared, does your confidence increase — or decrease?
The same principle applies behind the wheel of a coach.
A well-dressed driver signals professionalism and competence before a word is spoken. Conversely, a sloppy or inconsistent appearance can erode trust just as quickly.
Industry veteran Mike Waters captured this perfectly during a 40 Over 40 Legends conversation when he said:
“You knew you were driving well on the return trip from Reno to San Francisco if the senior citizens were sleeping after a long day at the casino. If they were awake and watching your every move, you knew they were concerned.”
In other words, passengers don’t need a survey to tell you how they feel — their behavior already does.
Appearance creates expectations.
Behavior either confirms them or contradicts them.
Grooming matters. Cleanliness matters. Even scent matters. Bathing, deodorant, and restraint with cologne or perfume are not superficial considerations — they’re sensory inputs that shape trust.
And of course, none of this works if behavior undermines the experience. A sharp uniform can’t compensate for poor attitude, careless language, or insensitive mannerisms.
The Operator Standards Takeaway
Strong operators don’t rely on reminders, heroics, or “best efforts” to deliver a consistent experience. They rely on clear standards that are enforced daily. Cleanliness, presentation, working amenities, and professional appearance are not special initiatives — they are the cost of entry. When standards are explicit and non-negotiable, execution becomes repeatable. When standards are vague or optional, inconsistency creeps in — and passengers notice every time.
The Leadership Lesson
Just like food, transportation is consumed with the eyes first — and the brain is already forming conclusions before the trip begins.
Operators who dismiss presentation as “cosmetic” misunderstand human behavior. Clean vehicles, well-maintained interiors, professional drivers, and functioning amenities aren’t about vanity — they’re about perceived value, safety, and trust.
The ingredients may be the same:
- The same vehicle model
- The same route
- The same driver qualifications
But presentation changes everything.
In an environment where passengers are experienced, vocal, and quick to share feedback, how you look often determines how you’re judged — long before performance has a chance to speak for itself.
And just like a beautifully plated meal, when the experience looks right, people are far more willing to believe it is right.
A Final Thought
If you’re an owner or leader who knows your operation is fundamentally sound — but suspects inconsistency in presentation, standards, or execution may be quietly costing you trust, pricing power, or repeat business — that’s precisely where a focused, outside perspective can help.
Sometimes the gap isn’t a strategy.
It’s standards.
Brian Dickson is the owner of Bus Business Consultants and author of Ground Transportation Insights on Substack. Drawing on leadership roles in motorcoach operations and Disney’s Guest Transportation, he helps operators improve performance, culture, and growth—Bus Business Consultants: Driving Performance, Culture, & Growth in Ground Transportation.
This article was originally published on January 21, 2026, at Ground Transportation Insights.
The views expressed are those of the author alone and do not necessarily reflect the position of the American Bus Association.
