Spencer Barber shared a common stress over on X: justifying big company spends.He was debating whether custom-designed manhole covers (26 of them at $4,290) were worth the extra cash.

At first glance, this seems extravagant, but it reminded me of the "95/5 rule" from Will Guidara’s book, Unreasonable Hospitality.

The rule suggests spending generously on the 5% of details that create 95% of memorable guest experiences.

In Spencer’s case, those custom manhole covers could transform something mundane into a memorable brand statement, making the hotel uniquely recognisable and delighting guests in unexpected ways.

Sometimes, going above and beyond on a seemingly minor detail is exactly what sets you apart.