Marginal benefit is a concept used in economics to describe the additional satisfaction or utility that a consumer receives from consuming an additional unit of a good or service. It is also the maximum amount a consumer is willing to pay for an additional good or service. Marginal benefit is a small but measurable benefit to a consumer if they use an additional unit of a good or service. The marginal benefit generally decreases as consumption increases. Marginal benefit is used to determine the optimal quantity of a good or service that a consumer is willing to purchase. Companies use marginal analysis to assist them in maximizing their potential profits and often use it when making decisions about expanding or reducing production. Marginal benefit is often expressed as the dollar amount the consumer is willing to pay for each purchase. For example, if a consumer is willing to pay $10 for their first hamburger, the marginal benefit of that first hamburger is $10. If they are willing to pay $8 for the second hamburger, the marginal benefit of that second hamburger is $8.