---
title: Costly Signal
description: "### Definition every Guest-facing touch (greeting, table check, problem recovery, follow-up) gets the test Open Questions: - Lock decision: promote, hold, or retire. Workshop Trail: ### Explanation Locked at the definition layer. Full explanation pending workshop pass."
url: "https://kb.jeffreysummers.com/docs/costly-signal/"
updated: "2026-08-13"
category: "The Operator's Dictionary"
---

# Costly Signal

### Definition

every Guest-facing touch (greeting, table check, problem recovery, follow-up) gets the test Open Questions: - Lock decision: promote, hold, or retire. Workshop Trail:

### Explanation

Locked at the definition layer. Full explanation pending workshop pass.