Breakfast for Dinner: The Power of the Unexpected

As a kid, I remember how it felt to have breakfast for dinner. It wasn’t about the food being served—it was about the shift. Somehow those pancakes, made from the same recipe as the ones served on a weekend morning, felt extra memorable. The way they came about as a surprise, softening the regular dinner time structure, made those memories stick—and still today, makes this meal swap feel exciting.

I’ve been thinking about that shift lately, especially in communication. The smallest change in rhythm can make something feel entirely different. And one of the simplest places I see this happen? In the P.S.

The P.S. is rarely the focus. It comes after the close, after the sign-off. Technically, it isn’t necessary at all. And yet, it’s often the most read part of an email. Research backs this up—direct mail expert Siegfried Vögele found that many people look at the P.S. before reading the body of the message and behavioral studies and eye-tracking data concur, showing readers often jump straight to the end..

In marketing tests, including a P.S. increases engagement—more clicks, more replies, more action. But what I care about isn’t the metrics—it’s the meaning. A well-placed P.S. changes the tone. It adds a detail that didn’t fit in the bullet points but still matters. Like getting a text after a phone conversation that says, “Oh one more thing!” or how a parent at school drop-off will shout a final encouraging word to their child as they disappear through the school doors. It’s the unscripted, human moment that lingers.

I’ve written before about the magic of small gestures that change how people feel by offering a sense of surprise beyond the confines of an established routine

And yes, now that we know the P.S. often gets the most attention, it would be easy to think the magic is gone. But I don’t think that matters. Just because something is known doesn’t make it less meaningful. If anything, it gives us the chance to use it with intention—to apply it in a way that feels grounded and true to how we want to connect.

It’s breakfast at dinnertime. A small shift in timing, tone, or context that makes something land differently. And more than anything, it’s a reminder that what we choose to do consciously and outside our routine, is often what leaves the deepest impression.