Honestly, people see a whole watermelon and get knife anxiety. Part of the price is paying for the convenience of a quartered melon. High food prices can be driven by laziness and people are willing to pay for it. Four shucked ears of corn wrapped in a plastic package costs $4.25 at my local grocery store. At the same store, one ear of unshucked corn is $.35. Same with pre-cut vegetables -- they are three times as expensive. I will say, buying chopped onions is tempting because my eyes are so sensitive. I've tried all the tricks and even hold match sticks in my teeth. 🧅😭