If a retailer is trying to keep prices high it's going to lose customers, says Jim Cramer

The big retailers haven’t reported yet, but the smaller ones have already taught us an important lesson. If you’re trying to get away with maintaining high prices here, you lose customers. Fairview operators are ever willing to admit that prices are just too darn high. If you acknowledge it without doing anything about it, you’re setting yourself up for disappointing numbers going forward. Bye, bye, bye. No, it’s not easy to figure out who can get away with keeping prices higher. Chipotle pulled it off because customers think it’s worth it, something you hardly ever see. We heard Brinker, the parent of Chili’s, tell us about the success they’ve had with what they call barbell strategy, offering lower price items for more value conscious consumers and premium items for more affluent customers. Kudos to CEO Kevin Hochman for not making an either word proposition. That was a good idea. His stock keeps going higher now. Yum. Stock got hit because it wasn’t, but it wasn’t because of Taco Bell. They offered some outrageously cheap food. The cravings value meal with 10 items under 3 bucks. That looks like it did great. Some of the other divisions not as good. But McDonald’s failed the test because in my opinion, the burgers now cost you much. They just went up and price so much in 2019 so they don’t come off as a bargain. Something at the Home Office has to know. But the franchise chief seem reluctant. Reluctant to admit. Don’t miss a second of Mad Money follow at Jim Cramer on X. Have a question? Tweet Kramer Hashtag Mad Mentions? Send him an e-mail to [email protected] or give us a call at one 807 Four Three CNBC. Miss something? Head to madmoney.cnbc.com.