A Study of Factors Influencing Parental Patronage of Quick Service Restaurants

Summary

This study identified factors influencing parental quick service restaurant patronage. Results indicated that parents are influenced to patronize quick service restaurants most often by speed of service, menus that offered their childrens' favorite food items, and parents' lack of time for meal preparation at home. Children preferred French fries, pizza, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, and chicken nuggets at quick service restaurants. French fries, the favorite childrens' fast food menu selection, was ranked by respondents as one of the least healthy food items, while mashed potatoes, one of childrens' least favorite fast food menu selections, was perceived to be one of the healthier food selections by parents. Restaurateurs were encouraged to develop newer, healthier methods of preparing these popular menu items while offering more nutritious menu selections for children.     

Identifying Healthy Menu Items

Abstract

To help restaurants accommodate and promote the growing interest in nutrition, Colorado State University's (CSU) Cooperative Extension and the American Heart Association (AHA) of Colorado created the Dine to Your Heart's Delight restaurant program. The program was designed to help restaurateurs develop and promote healthful menu choices through designated menu items which were lower in fat, cholesterol, calories, and sodium. The program proved popular in the late 1980s, after which participation inexplicably declined. On May 2, 1997, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations for nutritional labeling of restaurant menu items that bear a claim took effect. These new regulations provide an opportunity and a challenge for restaurateurs. An assessment of restaurant manager opinions and criteria for selecting and participating in a point of choice nutrition program are delineated.     

Mandatory Calorie Disclosure: A Comprehensive Analysis of Its Effect on Consumers and Retailers

In 2018 restaurants in the United States will need to provide calorie information on their menus as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. In the present research, we examine the efficacy of this legislation in reducing restaurant based food calorie consumption. Specifically, we explore the likely effect of the new policy on both the supply and demand side, that is, consumer and retailer behaviors. To achieve this, two studies are included in this research: a meta-analysis of 186 studies investigating the effect of calorie disclosure on calories selected, and a meta-analysis of 41 studies examining the effect of calorie disclosure on calories offered by retailers. Across these two studies we reveal a significant and unequivocal calorie disclosure effect for menu labels; disclosure results in both fewer calories selected (?27 Calories) and fewer calories offered by retailers (?15 Calories).     

Weighing in on Fast Food Consumption: The Effects of Meal and Calorie Disclosures on Consumer Fast Food Evaluations

An analysis of consumers' Weblogs and two experiments address: (1) the differences in evaluations of menu items when consumers are versus are not provided with meal calorie information, and (2) their perception of calorie levels of different types of meals. Consumers provided their calorie estimates for specific meals offered by four different fast food restaurants, and an experiment assessed effects on consumer evaluations for calorie disclosures for actual items from two of these restaurants. Results show the complex relationship between consumer perceptions regarding the restaurants, the meals and the food items that can influence consumers' calorie estimates and evaluations of meals in restaurants.     

The influence of scarcity cues and price bundling on menu item selection

Judgmental heuristics are applied in an experiment investigating the influence of availability cues on restaurant purchase decisions. Participants evaluated menu items in a restaurant scenario that manipulated scarcity cues, bundling, and price. The findings indicate that server scarcity influences food choice more than menu scarcity. Bundled pricing reduces selection of a limited quantity item compared to a la carte pricing. Participants will pay more for a scarce item with a scarcity message delivered by the server. The findings suggest that restaurants can promote menu items effectively through server delivery, but those items should not be part of a price bundle.     

Profit measurement of menu items: In Hong Kong's chinese restaurants

Numerous uninventoried food items typical of Chinese cooking undermine a precise profit calculation of Chinese restaurants' menu items.     

A Study of Consumers' Response to Quick Service Restaurants' Healthy Menu Items

Abstract

Nutritional choices play an important role in the increasing prevalence of overweight and obese adults and children. American consumers are pressuring restaurant companies to offer healthier restaurant menu options. The current study uses a content analysis of the literature to explain consumers' attitudes toward nutrition and healthy eating and a repeated measures ANOVA of key menu items from 31 quick service hamburger restaurants to analyze actual consumer eating behavior. Based on the content analysis, it was determined that consumer attitudes regarding healthy eating have declined in the last twenty years. The statistical analysis of the data found a significant increase in the amount of “healthy” menu items purchased and a statistically significant decrease in the number of side items purchased over the past three years. The number of regular entrée menu items purchased did not change. Implications for practice in the restaurant industry and suggestions for future research are discussed.     

A Case Study to Determine the Impact of Offering Selective Menus on Customer Satisfaction in a Health-Care Foodservice Operation

Abstract

In an effort to improve patients' satisfaction with healthcare foodservice, many hospitals are implementing a selective menu program. The purpose of this study was to identify the impact of a selective menu program on customer satisfaction in a health-care foodservice setting in Korea. The results of this study indicate that patients' perceptions of food and service dimensions are significant predictors of overall satisfaction with hospital foodservices. Patients who opted for a selective menu program at high levels of frequency showed more satisfaction with the selective menu program than those in the low-user group. “Food variety,” “taste,” and “offering nutritional information about menu items” are the key drivers of overall satisfaction.     

Compromise and attraction effects in food choice

Food choices are being implicated as a key driver in the rising rates of obesity, as well as associated with other health problems that impact both individuals and society as a whole (Cawley and Meyerhoefer). Calorie listings, whether provided on menus or packaged goods, increase consumer's awareness of the calories in potential food choices and, as a result, make consumers more likely to evaluate a product relative to others in the choice set based on this attribute (e.g. choosing a higher or lower calorie option). In this research, we explore whether the provision of calorie information, when presented in the context of other food options, will result in (1) compromise effects, whereby individuals select intermediate (or middle) options in a choice set, and (2) attraction effects, whereby individuals gravitate towards items that are similar to others but also dominate these items in the choice set. In two experimental studies we find evidence for the compromise effect and the attraction effect. These findings extend work demonstrating that the context in which food decisions occur can impact choice, and builds on existing knowledge regarding the consequences of providing calorie information for food items. Although most work has shown that making calories salient has a beneficial impact on the accuracy of consumer calorie estimates and food choice, in this work we show that the compromise and attraction effects – two well‐established findings in decision‐making literature – can actually shift consumers to either higher or lower calorie options. This carries important implications for consumers making choices in information‐rich choice environments.     

FEEDING CHILDREN AT SCHOOL*

After briefly reviewing factors affecting questionnaire design with reference to Primary School children, the paper explores three methods of determining food preferences of Middle School children. The overall patterns of food preferences that emerged were similar although there were significant differences obtained for 25% of the 100 individual food items investigated. The reading ability of the pupils influenced the type of questionnaire that could be used, especially for junior schools, although other factors such as amount of paper used and analysis time were also considered. The ‘recognition’ of the name of menu items was investigated and most popular or unpopular items were well known. There was no overall influence on the preferences shown by the sex or the age of the child, although children who stayed at school tended to have higher preference ratios for dishes than those who never stayed to school lunch.     

The effect of weather factors on restaurant sales

Weather factors have been shown to affect human behavior and mood. On the other hand, mood has a strong effect on total demand and demand for specific products. In this study, we have tested the effect of 17 different weather factors on the demand for specific restaurant menu items. We have also tested the effect of weather factors on the demand for different menu item categories, on hot and cold, and light, medium, and heavy menu items. The results indicate that different weather factors have different effects on different menu items and that the sales of some items are more affected by weather while others are not affected. These results can be used in the process of menu engineering and for the differential pricing of menu items according to the changes in weather factors.     

Sodium content in foods: Brazilian consumers’ opinions,subjective knowledge and purchase intent

This study attempted to gain insights on Brazilian consumers’ subjective knowledge of sodium content in processed and homemade foods and their purchase intent for products with reduced‐sodium content. A questionnaire was distributed to 409 consumers selected by convenience quota sampling. We found that Brazilian consumers were concerned about the amount of salt (sodium chloride) in the products they consumed, regardless of educational levels, income, age, lifestyles, or health conditions. However, they still considered their consumption to be above WHO‐recommended limits and had little subjective knowledge about the term ‘sodium’. While processed products were considered the main contributors of high‐sodium intake, participants were not concerned about addition of salt at the table and salt in homemade food. The majority of respondents rarely read the sodium content on food labels; however, men and older individuals were more likely to read label information on sodium content. Products with reduced sodium were found to have market appeal, which justifies investments in research to develop these products. Therefore, in addition to the efforts to reduce sodium in the processed‐food industry, it is necessary to promote awareness about the importance of food labelling, especially sodium content, and the need to reduce salt in homemade food and additions during meals.     

Profitability analysis for table-service restaurants

Here's how to calculate contribution margins for the three meal periods, for different menu categories, and for individual menu items—as well as for the operation as a whole. The procedure is a useful method for analyzing menu items and builds on the portfolio analysis inherent in other menu-analysis methods     

The Influence of Bundling and Caloric Knowledge on Calories Ordered and Purchase Intent

This article investigates the impact of a bundle promotion on calories ordered and purchase intentions toward bundles in a fast food context. The results of our study show that consumers order more calories and have higher purchase intentions toward bundles when a bundle promotion is advertised than when it is not, particularly for consumers with low caloric knowledge. Moreover, the results suggest that the underlying mechanism influencing these results is consumers' perceptions that a bundle is considered an appropriate option among consumers.     

Local and organic food on wheels: exploring the use of local and organic food in the food truck industry

An exploratory study approach was used in this research to examine the use of local and organic food in Toronto’s food truck industry, the rationale for its use, and the challenges that food truck owners face in sourcing it. Results showed that all-but-one of the food trucks sourced local or organic food for their menu and were motivated by fresh taste/quality, social responsibility and customer preference. While there were challenges with utilizing organic/local food due to seasonality and cost, food trucks found they can derive benefits by way of increased patronage, menu differentiation, and competitiveness.     

What sells? 1991 Menu Census

The boneless chicken fillet, seasoned fries and broccoli pictured on our cover are an operator's dream: According to the operators surveyed for R&I's Menu Census, these items not only sell well enough to be on the menu--they're top good sellers. In this issue's Menu Census exclusive, "What Sells," we examine the major menu categories and identify, for both commercial and institutional operations, which menu items qualify for good-seller status. Compare your menu to our list of what sells--how do your offerings stack up? Bonus: Sidebars show most-menued items and top-scoring rookie entries.     

Shared meal preparation in residential kitchens: implications for kitchen planning

A comparison was made of the use of residential kitchen work centres by one worker and by two workers during a dinner meal preparation in which a microwave oven was utilized. When the meal was prepared by two workers they divided the work load by menu item and utilized separate work stations; typically, only one worker prepared the menu items requiring actual cooking. However, whether the meal preparation was individual or shared, the sink and preparation centres were the most frequently used.     

1991 forecast: the year of restructuring

How is the foodservice industry faring under the clouds of three big uncertainties--oil prices, recession and war? All things considered, its doing quite well. This annual status report of commercial and institutional business shows fast food, catering, nursing homes and employee feeding with growth percentages on the good, left side of the decimal point. Our forecast includes business trends to watch, food trends to guide menu planning and pricing, and interior- and kitchen-design trends that can be a blueprint for a successful new year.     

Customizing calories: How rejecting (vs. selecting) ingredients leads to lower calorie estimation and unhealthier food choices

Customization of food products has increased substantially in recent years while the desire for healthiness and an emphasis on understanding and providing calorie information continues to dynamically change the landscape of restaurant retail. The authors report four studies demonstrating that different customization routes (i.e., rejecting alternatives from a full product offering versus adding alternatives to a basic product offering) lead to systematic, but predictable, differences in consumers’ estimations of calories. In particular, this research finds that a rejection (vs. selection) customization process leads consumers to persistently estimate lower calories in the final product, which then improves evaluations of the retailer and leads to unhealthier food choices. These findings occur when consumers estimate calories of the exact same final product using the different paths to customization as well as when they create their own customized final product, while accounting for differences in the quantity and type of ingredients selected, suggesting a very general difference in estimations. This research has important implications for consumers who want to manage their weight and for firms that need to manage consumers’ health perceptions.