Fast food consumption among tourists and residents in Macau: A means-end chain analysis

Abstract

ABSTRACT Fast food restaurants are important for both residents and tourists in Macau because they serve as a common cultural and organizational entity. The objective of this study is to identify the attributes, consequences, and value of fast food consumption among tourists and residents in Macau and to compare hierarchical value maps between the two different groups. Data were collected in fast food restaurants in Macau. A hard laddering method was utilized based on Means-end chain theory, in order to identify how attributes of fast food are connected to consumers’ final values. The findings indicate that good taste, brand reputation, and restaurant ambience are important attributes shared among tourists and residents. While brand familiarity and the lack of a language barrier were more important attributes to tourists, reasonable prices were the most important attribute that residents appreciated. This study provides useful insights that will enable fast food operators to develop and efficiently communicate their value propositions to their target customers.