HUNGRY. Espresso: Rory Sutherland EXPLAINS "Bottleneck Theory" and how it impacts your business
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Feb 26, 2026 
Rory Sutherland, advertising and behavioral science expert who applies psychology to marketing, explains bottleneck theory and why you must target the system's narrowest point. He contrasts physical distribution with mental availability using Coke and Dr Pepper. He explores how condiments reveal customer expectations, warns against one-model thinking, and shows how small fixes can remove big constraints.
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Intervene At The System's Narrowest Point
- Increasing system output requires identifying and opening the narrowest constraint rather than improving all parts.
- Rory Sutherland uses the flow-of-water analogy and Eli Goldratt's Theory of Constraints to show where interventions actually matter.
Mental Availability Limits Sales As Much As Distribution
- Sales can be limited by physical distribution or by 'mental availability'—whether customers think of you.
- Rory contrasts Coke's ubiquity with niche sodas to illustrate mental availability shaping purchases.
Condiments Reveal Local Availability Expectations
- Condiments show cultural bottlenecks: UK breakfasts expect HP sauce while Texas breakfasts expect hot sauce.
- Rory recounts differences in ketchup, brown sauce, and Tabasco use to show contextual expectations.
