"lip balm" news and stories

Mignardises are the tiny, bite-sized desserts that follow a meal at high-end restaurants. Often they include tiny cookies or truffles, as well as other edible delights. Vittles Vamp reported that when she ate at Mario Batali's Otto Pizzeria in New York, all of the diners were given a very unusual after-dinner treat: a tube of lip balm. Bigelow Mentha Lip Shine/Breath Freshener, to be specific, which is a "mint-infused lip balm [that] provides a glossy high shine with a refreshing cooling sensation" and retails for $7.50. At Otto, which is a mid-range eatery, the balms were gratis with the meal. But why were they given out? Is it a form of product placement or is Batali trying to make some sort of statement in giving out an after-meal refreshment in a more unusual form than a simple mint?

Source