Cultural Practices and Food Consumption Behaviour of Guests Dining In 4-5 Star Hotels in Nairobi City County, Kenya

Abstract

In a culturally diverse market such as Kenya, consumers form a mindset of foods to consume while dining out, have different food preferences, and assume different consumption behavior patterns while making food purchases. Cultural practices may influence their decisions, prohibiting them from eating certain foods. The study sought to investigate the influence of cultural practices on behaviors regarding food consumption of guests when dining out in restaurants found in 4–5-star hotels in Nairobi County. The study’s target population was customers dining out in restaurants in 4–5-star hotels in Nairobi County and respective restaurant managers. A suitable pretest sample of 10 respondents was selected from walk-in customers and three restaurant managers from three restaurants picked from the hotels that were not part of the sample. Cronbach's Alpha obtained from the pre-tested 13 participants was 0.743. The ideal sample size of respondents drawn from restaurants in hotels classified as four- and five-star hotels according to the Tourism Regulatory Authority classification 2016 was determined by proportionate stratified sampling. The sampling technique for the Managers was purposive, selecting each Restaurant's Manager. The estimated number of respondents was 385 from a sample of restaurants in 21 hotels ranked as 4- and 5-star hotels in Nairobi County. Data collection involved questionnaires and direct interviews, yielding an 80.5% response rate with 310 adequately completed questionnaires and seven interviews. The analysis utilized descriptive and inferential statistics, presenting the data in tables, charts, and graphs for each category of variables. The Chi-square Test was employed to assess the relationship between dependent and independent variables at a 95% confidence level. The findings showed a significant association between food taboos and the dining habits of patrons in 4-5 star hotel restaurants in Nairobi County (χ2=8.980, p=0.003), a notable link between cultural beliefs and dining habits in the same context (χ2=22.099, p<0.05), and a significant influence of rituals on these dining habits (χ2=5.361, p=0.021<0.05). The study further established that the decision-making process significantly moderated the relationship between cultural practices and consumption behavior of diners in restaurants in four and five-star hotels in Nairobi County. The study concludes that modern-day food consumption behaviors result from several factors, including culture, taboo, religious beliefs, rituals, and thus food choice diversity. Therefore, 4- and 5-star hotel professionals should factor in the cultural element during menu planning to balance the catering, financial, and marketing policies. Keywords: Cultural influences, food consumption patterns, luxury hospitality, gastronomic tourism, Nairobi city county hospitality.