Here are some findings from Brian Wansink's studies, as detailed in "Mindless Eating":

Ambience counts: A restaurant with dim lighting and soft music relaxes people, influencing them to linger longer and order more drinks. An atmosphere that's brightly lit with a high-arousal yellow-and-red color scheme, and loud music and noise, influences people to eat faster — polishing off lots of food before their stomachs can send a "full" signal.

What's in a name? Food given a glamorous name, such as "Succulent Italian Seafood Fillet," was judged more appealing than identical food with the same plain-Jane title, such as "Fish Fillet." Four descriptors that raise expectations are geography (such as Southwestern Tacos, Kansas City BBQ); nostalgia (Old World Manicotti, Grandma's Chicken) sensory (Satin Pudding, Sizzling Beef) and brand labels (Jack Daniels Glazed Ribs, Niman Ranch Pork).

Far and away: When secretaries had a candy dish sitting visible on their desks, they tended to eat more than when the dishes were moved to a filing cabinet 6 feet away. They also ate more if the dish had a clear lid so the candy was visible

Beware of healthy halos: People who dined at a "healthy" restaurant like Subway tended to eat under the illusion that everything — including cheese, mayo, chips and cookies — was OK. People also tend to eat more food if it's labeled "low-fat."

Comfort foods: Men surveyed tended to prefer meal-type comfort foods that evoked a feeling of being pampered or waited on. To women, those foods represented preparation and cleanup, not comfort. Instead, their favorite comfort foods were sweets involving little work, such as ice cream or chocolates.