What perception makes diners often default to ordering shrimp over potentially excellent salmon inland?

Viewing shrimp as a lower-risk, lower-cost choice

When dining inland, where consumers are often ordering based on brand recognition and familiarity rather than local sourcing, a psychological factor influences choices between comparable items like shrimp and salmon. Diners are acutely aware they are paying a premium for seafood. If they are unsure about the quality control or freshness of the finfish at a non-specialized inland venue, they often view shrimp as a lower-risk item. This perception stems from shrimp being both generally more affordable, thus lowering the financial commitment, and historically being one of the more accessible and reliably sourced seafood items that ships well, making it the safer default selection over a higher-priced salmon fillet.