In comparable restaurants with similar diner profiles, the total cost of a steak dinner has always been greater in Fairview than in Centerville, two towns of about equal populations. However, consumer studies indicate that steakhouses in Fairview process more meal transactions than steakhouses in Centerville. Therefore it is obvious that restaurant owners in Fairview are more successful than those in Centerville.
In evaluating the argument, it would be most useful to compare