Factors Influencing Purchases of Customers in a Worksite Cafeteria

Abstract

LEARNING OUTCOME: To understand employee perceptions of factors that influence their purchasing practices in a worksite cafeteria. Employees at a large insurance company were surveyed to determine factors influencing entree selection. Employees were asked to rate the importance of 13 factors that could be involved in their entree selection and to rate the degree of influence the same factors had on their decision to purchase a hot entree. Following the marketing of healthful entrees, a similar questionnaire again was sent to all employees. Analysis of variance was used to compare responses before and after marketing, using responses from individuals completing both questionnaires. Employees responding to both questionnaires rated food quality and price as the factors most important in the purchase decision as well as having the most influence on their decision to purchase a hot entree. Price appeared to be more influential than health value issues in the purchase decision. The only nutrient information that customers appeared interested in obtaining was calories per serving and grams of fat per serving.