Food, Our Common Ground: A Photovoice Study

Research shows that factors like campus food environment, food accessibility, and acculturation may shape students' eating patterns and influence their physical and emotional well-being. Although research has investigated factors that contribute to student food choices, few, if any, prior studies have examined this topic from the perspective of graduate students' own experiences. By utilizing Photovoice methodology, the current study aims to fill the research gap as well as supplement the current literature, providing insights from graduate students' everyday realities and feedback from policymakers. Three overlapping themes emerged across all images: (1) unhealthiness becomes the norm, (2) the convenience of food influences decisions, and (3) healthy food consumption a symbol of cultural identity. The feedback from University policymakers in relation to identified themes revealed two key issues. First, the information about dining options on campus is not visibly present anywhere on campus. Second, much of dining services is designed with undergraduate students in mind. The findings of this study suggested that universities should provide a better environment to promote healthy food consumption, improve students' awareness of healthy options, make healthy options convenient enough to consume, limit students' access to unhealthy food, and consider the needs of international students.

To Dine, or Not to Dine on a Cruise Ship in the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Tripartite Approach towards an Understanding of Behavioral Intentions among Female Passengers

Given that cruise line companies are rushing to restart their operations with modified dining services, the aim of this research is to establish a conceptual framework that precisely outlines female passengers’ behavioral intentions towards dining on cruise ships in the time of the COVID-19 crisis. It does so by extending the theory of reasoned action (TRA) by including the social servicescape of the cruise ship dining experiencescape (stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) paradigm) and perceived health risk from COVID-19 (the prospect theory). The developed theoretical framework based on this tripartite approach has predictive power for intentions. Its effectiveness and comprehensiveness are also demonstrated. Despite the positive effect of the social servicescape on attitude and emotions and the positive attitude of female cruise travelers, the negative effect of the perceived health risk from COVID-19 appears to be the dominant factor that ultimately discourages the behavioral intentions of female cruise passengers towards dining on a cruise ship in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. The present research provides a crucial guiding framework that helps cruise academics and operators to maximize existing and potential passengers’ favorable decisions and behaviors for cruise ship dining.

Peer-to-Peer Dining: A Motivation Study

This study examined tourist motivations to determine whether peer-to-peer dining is a new, pursuable tourism product. A two-stage analysis of semistructured interview data from 28 individuals yielded three push dimensions (i.e., seeking variety, gaining authentic experience, and enhancing social circle) and six pull dimensions (i.e., food items, atmosphere, relationship with the host, value, service quality, and type of food), which were linked by word-of-mouth and publicity for peer-to-peer dining. Several motivational differences identified between participation in the sharing economy and in conventional dining have suggested that peer-to-peer dining reflects a novel product in food tourism. Interestingly, findings also suggested that tourists perceive local and overseas peer-to-peer dining services differently. This research contributes to the existing literature on the sharing economy and bears practical implications for food destination development and branding.

Analysis of Usage Factors of Restaurant Customers in Traditional Markets

Background/Objectives: The traditional market, which was at the center of the domestic distribution industry, is undermined by the trend of large size, specialization, and service. Successful cases are often seen through the coexistence of traditional markets and dining services. In the traditional market, eating out is the main product, and the customer's preference is very high.Methods/Statistical analysis: The purpose of this study is to summarize the usage factors that are important to customers of traditional market restaurants, and to analyze the priorities of the usage factors through the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). In this study, we analyzed the level1 factors of traditional market restaurant customers into traditional market environment, restaurant environment, and food feature, and proposed an analysis model that classifies detailed factors of each factor.Findings: The analysis results are as follows. First, Level 1 showed relatively high importance in order of food feature (0.41), restaurant environment (0.33), and traditional market environment (0.26). Second, the usage factor of food feature had high priority of flavor and price. In the restaurant environment, cleanliness and kindness were high priority. In the traditional market environment, cleanliness and accessibility were important. Third, overall priority was high in order of flavor, price, and restaurant cleanliness.Improvements/Applications: These results will help to improve the management of vulnerable and small traditional market restaurants.

Italian Restaurants in Danish Consumers’ Perceptions: A Multi-Cue Analysis in a Product Country Image Perspective

Studies on the country image topic in the services context are rare in comparison with the number of papers investigating the effect that the information on the country of origin exerts on consumer buying behavior when tangible products are concerned. To this regard, the current paper would contribute to the literature on the country-of-origin effect and consumer behavior, exploring the role played by Product Country Image (PCI) in shaping customers attitude when a service offer is concerned – namely: dining services. Specifically, this study tests a conceptual model developed in a multi-cue perspective, that is: evaluating not only the effect of the information on the origin of the service offer investigated, but also assessing consumers’ perceptions related to other service offer cues, such as service quality and perceived value, in this case. A specific national cuisine in the full-service restaurant setting is explored: the Italian one. From the methodological viewpoint, a survey was conducted among Danish customers of Italian restaurants in Copenhagen. The research method employed consisted in a structured questionnaire. Then, Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was applied to the data collected. Results evidence that product country image influences the formation of a positive attitude towards ethnic restaurants even when a multi-cue approach is employed. Scientific and managerial implications are discussed.

Surveying US College and University Dining Services for Potential Collaboration on Diet Change Research 2017-2018

Collaboration with colleges and universities may be a promising opportunity for collecting data on what foods people buy. This data could support research in animal advocacy and other fields seeking to change diet, including reducing the purchase and consumption of animal products. To help build these collaborations, information about the dining services at 66 campuses in the United States was collected. Using this information, we tried to identify campuses which were likely to have detailed information on the food students buy and be willing to collaborate with researchers. We identified three such campuses and 25 campuses that likely do not meet those criteria. Researchers should consider collaborating with the identified campuses, searching for additional campuses as well as alternative research methods that do not require such detailed information.

Attitudes of dining customers towards sustainability-related food values at a public University campus

The plethora of alternative food labels emerging in the marketplace reflects consumer interest in informed and sustainable purchasing. However, consumers’ preferences vary with respect to the sustainability metrics represented by labeling programs. The goal of this project was to characterize public university students’ perceptions of product parameters commonly represented by food labels for produce (e.g., cost, taste, certified organic, locally grown). A consumer survey (n = 338) was conducted at two university dining halls, located in close proximity to major residence hall communities which house approximately 2600 students. Culinary, health and cost attributes (taste, nutritional value, price and appearance) were ranked as more influential in determining purchasing decisions than sustainability attributes related to production and sourcing. While sustainability values were not as influential in driving purchasing behaviors as compared with product attributes, they were important to approximately 50% of the survey respondents. By identifying the sustainability values of students and their willingness to pay more for specific types of sustainable food, results from this study can inform efforts to align priorities of campus dining services with the values of their student patrons, as well as identify educational opportunities around agriculture and food production.

Assessing servicescape of cruise tourism: the perception of Chinese tourists

Purpose This study aims to develop a comprehensive framework for assessing servicescape of cruise tourism and provides practical suggestions to improve the perception of Chinese tourists toward cruise servicescape. Design/methodology/approach A multistage mixed-method design was used in the sequence of in-depth interviews (n = 18), expert panel (n = 5), on-site survey (n = 317) and online survey (n = 300). Grounded theory, exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were used to assess cruise tourism servicescape. Findings The cruise tourism servicescape construct was identified with six dimensions: facilities and décor, natural scenery, onshore excursions, onboard entertainment, social interactions and dining services. These dimensions were in the order of importance, as perceived by Chinese tourists. Practical implications Cruise lines operating large ships can be more attractive to Chinese consumers than luxury cruise lines operating smaller vessels. Cruise operators can enhance perceived servicescape by integrating natural and built environments, such as air, sea and on-shore tours. Services provided by foreign crew members may serve as a strong selling point for Chinese tourists. Consumer-to-consumer activities may be introduced into the Chinese market. Cruise operators may also provide quality meal service in terms of variety, quality and flexibility. Originality/value Considering that minimal research has been conducted on cruise servicescape scale development, this study serves as the first empirical research effort in this regard. The findings also identify the specific needs of Chinese tourists, which is a fast-growing market in the cruise industry.

Segmenting customers by participation

Purpose This study aims to report the results of a survey of diners’ behavior during production and consumption of dining services with three objectives. The first objective is to create customer segments that represent distinct patterns of customer participation in hospitality service encounters. The second objective is to profile these identified customer segments in terms of demographics, attitudes and behaviors. The third objective is to evaluate the relationship between customer participation segments and service outcomes. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected through an online survey of American casual dining customers. The data were analyzed using principal components factor analysis, cluster analysis on the factor scores, discriminant analysis that validated the group differences among clusters and multivariate analysis of variance on the cluster variables to determine the source of differences between groups. Findings The evidence showed that restaurant customers can be segmented into meaningful groups according to their reported behaviors and that level of participation is related to perceived service outcomes. Practical implications The findings suggest that service providers can use customer participation segments to understand those customers’ service needs and wants. They can then design service strategies tailored to the needs of target customer groups. Originality/value This study is the first to identify distinct segments based on hospitality customers’ roles and behaviors in service delivery. This study makes a significant contribution to the hospitality marketing literature by advancing the trend to improve service quality through a non-traditional approach, that is, by building partnerships with customers.

Institutional sustainable purchasing priorities

Purpose This purpose of this paper is to understand the environmental impacts of stakeholder-driven sustainable purchasing policies in institutional settings. Design/methodology/approach The research is framed using stakeholder and life cycle assessment (LCA) theories. The study uses a multi-method approach. Starting with interviews to understand the breadth of sustainability issues and significant food purchases facing institutional purchasing managers, the authors subsequently perform LCA of these various policies using the most popular food item in different categories. Findings From the interview results, the authors found that food purchasers focus predominately on cost, thus, are committed to food and packaging reduction. They are driven to buy local foods based on their consumer stakeholders but share their commitment to buying local products if the cost is appropriate. In the LCA of popular food items in multiple scenarios, avoiding food waste of various forms had significantly higher carbon emissions savings than packaging reduction or transportation minimizing (buy local) strategies. Research limitations/implications The sample relied solely on the perceptions of institutional purchasing managers in university dining services. Future research should involve collecting data from other stakeholder groups such as the customers themselves, institutional leaders, and in other types of institutional settings such as hospitals and government agencies. Practical implications The research provides managers with insights concerning the trade-offs between different sustainability objectives. In particular, findings show that reducing waste related animal protein has a bigger impact on environmental performance than many other popular sustainability objectives such as buying local or reducing packaging waste. Social implications The paper focuses on the purchasing trade-offs of buying local vs national food products, different packaging solutions, and food waste generation. These decisions offer some social benefits (improve the economic situation for local farms vs consolidated food producers) as well as multiple environmental benefits. Originality/value The paper presents new findings on the sustainability purchasing priorities of stakeholders in institutional food settings and subsequent LCA of those policies to show which might have the most environmental impact.