Buffet Restaurant Research Articles

Influence of qualitative menu labeling on diners' food choices: A controlled quasi-experiment in self-service buffet restaurants

Menu labeling is a strategy to promote healthier food choices in restaurants. This study aimed to analyze the influence of a qualitative menu labeling on the healthfulness of diners' food choices in self-service buffet restaurants. A controlled quasi-experiment comparing parallel groups at baseline and intervention periods was conducted in a control restaurant and an intervention restaurant. Qualitative labels provided information on the name and ingredients list of the dish, highlighting the use of organic vegetables. The same food menu was served in both restaurants. Menu labeling was implemented at the intervention restaurant for six dishes each day, three considered healthier and three less healthy. Dishes were weighed at the beginning and at the end of the service to estimate the average portion size (g) of diners, during five consecutive days at baseline and intervention. Diners who had lunch at the intervention restaurant were invited to participate in a survey on the use of menu labels. Of the 153 interviewed diners, 31% reported noticing menu labels. Of these, 57% said menu labeling had influenced their food choices at the restaurant. No changes in portion sizes were observed between baseline and intervention periods within control and intervention restaurants. However, it was found that the provision of qualitative menu labeling sparked the interest of restaurant managers in improving meal quality and modifying recipes to eliminate ultra-processed ingredients. Thus, the implementation of the proposed menu labeling model can promote healthier food choices through the reformulation of culinary recipes. However, it is essential to adopt strategies to enable its direct impact.

Satisfiers and Dissatisfiers for Las Vegas Casino Buffet Restaurants: A Google Review and LIWC Analysis

This study aims to identify satisfiers and dissatisfiers by analyzing Google Reviews on Las Vegas Casino Buffet Restaurants. It also compared its results to the nascent literature regarding satisfiers and dissatisfiers for restaurants, as revealed in online review by analyzing 14,064 reviews using Nvivo and Excel, with content analysis and text analysis with Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count to gain insights into reviewers' emotional expressions. It found that food, option/variety, price/value, employees, and atmosphere were important satisfiers/dissatisfiers. For casino buffets, the theme of options was present as both satisfier and dissatisfier, indicating it is important to this type of restaurant.

An analysis of the viability of the Buffet restaurants’ model using SWOT analysis

An analysis of the viability of the Buffet restaurants’ model using SWOT analysis

A Content Analysis on TripAdvisor Reviews of Customer Satisfaction in a Buffet Restaurant

This study aimed to assess customer satisfaction through TripAdvisor reviews of a buffet restaurant in Pasay City, focusing on positive and negative feedback from 2022-2023 to enhance future dining experiences and pinpoint areas for improvement. Employing a qualitative, descriptive method, the study analyzed 660 reviews, categorizing them by food quality, service quality, price, and location. The findings indicated a predominance of positive feedback while highlighting specific areas needing improvement.

The Role of Coworkers in Improving Employee Performance at the Padepokan Buffet Restaurant

The aim of writing this article is to discuss the role of colleagues in improving employee performance at the Padepokan Buffet Restaurant. This research uses a qualitative research method approach using two data sources, namely primary data through interviews and secondary data using literature studies. The analysis technique used in this research is descriptive analysis technique. The results of this study indicate that the role of coworkers has a significant impact on employee performance in restaurants. The effective role of coworkers can influence employee performance through several mechanisms. Through good teamwork, colleagues can increase employee productivity and work quality. Synergistic teamwork enables the exchange of knowledge and experience that can improve individual skills

FACTORS AFFECTING CUSTOMER LOYALTY WITH SATISFACTION MEDIATION AT THE KINTAN BUFFET RESTAURANT

The variety of lifestyles has an impact on several business fields, including the culinary field. Sales of food and beverages grew in line with rising income or the level of public consumption. Customers are the basis of a business and become an important party in the development of the company. The purpose of this research is to find out how far customer loyalty to the Kintan Buffet restaurant in Central Park Mall Jakarta is due to the quality of service received, the perceived atmosphere of the store, and how reasonable the price to be paid is. Satisfaction is the first thing before consumers become loyal. Consumer opinion was collected by distributing questionnaires online and managed to get 200 respondents. Intake of respondents using non-probability sampling method with certain criteria or purposive sampling. The collected data is then processed using the SmartPLS 3.0 program. Convergent validity testing uses the Outer Loadings test and the AVE test. Discriminant validity testing using Fornell-Larcker and Cross Loadings analysis. Reliability testing uses Cronbach's Alpha and Composite Reliability tests. Formative indicator testing uses the Multicollinearity test and the Sign of Weight test. The results of the data analysis show that the quality of service provided by restaurants, the atmosphere of the store, in this case, the restaurant, and the fairness of the prices paid positively influence customer satisfaction and also influence customer loyalty positively and significantly. Indirectly, only the atmosphere of the restaurant does not significantly affect loyalty through customer satisfaction.

The Effectiveness of Travel Agent Contracts in Increasing The Number of Booking at The Café - International Buffet Restaurant

Purpose: Travel and leisure demand reach a considerable number through tourism development. In accommodating travel and leisure needs, the solution was found by using a third party to arrange the itinerary. This is how travel agent existence could be used as a marketing strategy. This trick also done by The Café - International Buffet Restaurant. This research was conducted to analyze the implementation of travel agent contracts in increasing the number of bookings and identify the most effective travel agent contracts in advancing the number of bookings.
 Research methods: Regarding finding the result, this research used the quantitative technique by applying the effectiveness formula and categorizing the result with the effectiveness level. The result is performed using tables, numbers, percentages, and charts processed by Microsoft Excel. In describing the explanatory, it uses descriptive analysis, which uses quantitative techniques to interpret the meaning of the result. The results will be solved as information on the problem formulation, conclusion, and suggestion.
 Results and discussion: The implementation of travel agent contract Chinese market and travel agent contracts in the non-Chinese market are the objects of this research.
 Implication: Based on the analysis, the travel agent contract in the non-Chinese market is more effective in increasing the number of restaurant bookings regarding its contribution exceeding the target that must be achieved.
 
 Keywords: Effectiveness, travel agent contract, restaurant booking

Using AI to Control the Cost of a Buffet Restaurant

This paper focuses on the application of AI technology to control costs in the buffet industry, using the example of the restaurant KAMII as a case study. Our analysis of KAMII and the buffet industry overall has revealed that a significant proportion of operational issues are related to cost control. Moreover, there is also room to reduce restaurant costs. To address these challenges, we have drawn inspiration from Haidilao’s “Smart Cloud Migration” technology and propose to leverage AI for dish prediction and ingredient usage control. By doing so, we aim to achieve cost control not only for KAMII, but also for the broader buffet industry, as well as the catering industry. Ultimately, the project aims to generate practical solutions for real-world problems.

An application of choice-based conjoint analysis to measure willingness to pay for casino buffets

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to discover what attributes of casino buffet restaurants are the most important for customers’ willingness to pay (WTP).Design/methodology/approachChoice-based conjoint analysis was used in this study to test seven attributes: food, price/value, real price, service, atmosphere, the number of reviews and user-generated star ratings. Sawtooth Software was used to do the conjoint analysis, and a series of significance t-tests were run to determine the significance of each attribute on WTP with Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS).FindingsBased on a survey of 483 respondents who had visited a buffet at a casino within the last two years, this study found that food is ranked as the most significant attribute of a casino buffet restaurant, followed by real price and service quality.Originality/valueTheoretically, this work is the first to the authors’ knowledge to apply the antecedents of behavioral intention to willingness-to-pay for niche restaurants. Practically, the results of this study will help casino buffet operators as they re-open after COVID-19. Future studies could collect data in the post-pandemic environment and examine WTP at casino buffets in different geographic locations.

Understanding Hotel’ S Buffet Restaurant Assurance After Covid-19: A Case of Thailand

Purpose: The aim of this study is to examine tourist expectations and perceptions of hotel’s buffet restaurant assurance to obtain an overall understanding of restaurant assurance after COVID-19 situation. Theoretical framework: The concept of SERVQUAL, particularly assurance dimension, is employed to examine tourist expectations and perceptions of hotel’s buffet restaurant assurance. The study expects to expand the literature in the area of service quality of restaurant assurance. Design/methodology/approach: The questionnaire survey is employed to collect data from 384 participants through a convenience sampling method. Factor analysis and t-test are used to analyse the data. Findings: The results indicate that there are two factors associated with hotel’s buffet restaurant assurance, and they are identified as: 1) employee courtesy, knowledge, and service confidence and 2) sanitary restaurant environment. Both factors are related to common and new assurance attributes of buffet restaurant services. Practical & Social implications: The stuyd has expanded the knowledge of hotel’s buffet restaurant assurance based on the current situation. Assurance is a key element of several models used to assess restaurant service quality. The current finding helps to update the literature as well as assists restaurant managers to thoroughly understand tourists’ trust and confidence when dining in hotel buffet restaurants. Originality: The value of the study is the identfication of the two factors associated with hotel’s buffet restaurant assurance. This is an initial study to integrate the new normal services into restaurant’s new assurance attributes by examining tourist expectations and perceptions of hotel’s buffet restaurant assurance based on the current situation (after COVID-19).

THE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION AND ADAPTATION POLICY OF BUFFET RESTAURANT UNDER PANDEMIC SITUATION

The objectives of this study are: 1) to learn the opinions of entrepreneurs regarding the adjustment of buffet restaurant business in Bangkok under the epidemic situation; 2) to suggest a guideline for the adjustment of buffet restaurant business in Bangkok under the epidemic situation. The study used phenomenological research methodology by collecting data with in-depth interviews using semi-structured interviews from key informants of buffet restaurant entrepreneurs to apply with a descriptive analysis. The results showed that most entrepreneurs pay more attention to cleanliness in the on-site restaurants and use social media as an additional channel to help their business grow quickly. Moreover, there are suggestions for adaptation using TOWS Matrix format, including: 1) Strengths and Opportunities strategy (SO) is a proactive marketing in offering products and services via social media; 2) Weaknesses and Opportunities strategy (WO) is using information technology in buffet restaurants and limiting the number of daily customers; 3) Strengths and Threats strategy (ST) is building consumer confidence in the quality and safety of businesses; 4) Weaknesses and Threats strategy (WT) is using online channels to create awareness and transfer to delivery platform.

The Impact of Awareness, Certification, and Quality of Halal Food on Consumer Purchase Intentions at Asia Kintan Buffet Restaurant

ABSTRACT This study aims to obtain empirical evidence regarding the effect of halal certification, halal awareness, and food quality on purchase intention. This study uses a quantitative approach with a questionnaire. The population of the research was UNAIR students for the 2020 academic year with a sample of 376. This study used a linear regression analysis technique using the SPSS application. The results of this study indicate that all three variables have a positive effect on purchase intention. Keywords: Halal Certification, Halal Awareness, Food Quality, Purchase Intention. ABSTRAK Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk memperoleh bukti empiris mengenai pengaruh sertifikasi halal, kesadaran halal, dan kualitas makanan terhadap niat pembelian konsumen. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kuantitatif dengan kuesioner. Populasi dari penelitian adalah mahasiswa UNAIR tahun ajar 2020 dengan sampel sebanyak 376. Penelitian ini menggunakan teknik analisis regresi linier dengan menggunakan aplikasi SPSS. Hasil dari penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa dari tiga variabel semua berpengaruh positif terhadap niat pembelian konsumen n. Kata Kunci: Sertifikasi Halal, Kesadaran Halal, Kualitas Makanan, Purchase Intention.

Reducing Food Waste in Buffet Restaurants: A Corporate Management Approach.

Food waste has become a significant issue in the foodservice industry. However, food waste management in buffet restaurants has rarely been investigated. Considering the popularity of buffet restaurants in Taiwan, this study serves as the first attempt to identify a corporate management approach to food waste reduction in Taiwanese buffet restaurants. The study case comprises two buffet restaurants of a large chain restaurant company in Taiwan. This study uses both individual in-depth interviews and a focus group, comprising 15 managers, chefs, and front-line employees. The results identify various strategies to mitigate food waste in buffet restaurants at different stages of operation: establishing a central kitchen, cooperating with qualified suppliers, accurate forecasting of food demand, aesthetic buffet table design, redesigning the service method, continually monitoring food waste, and proactive communication to customers. The 3R (Reduce-Reuse-Recycle) food waste hierarchy is also developed to encourage buffet restaurant practitioners to design appropriate food waste mitigation programs.

Linguistic Analysis of Trademarks of Selected Buffet Restaurants in SM Mall of Asia, Manila

Trademarks are important for business establishments because they express the origin and quality of the companies, but it is not always easy to know and employ linguistic elements to craft good trademarks. Thus, to see the linguistic characteristics and strength of trademarks, the study has an objective to examine the trademarks of selected buffet restaurants at SM Mall of Asia, in Pasay, Metro Manila, Philippines. The data were taken from nine buffet restaurants. The analysis was done by referring to Shuy’s (2002) linguistic tools and Butters’ (2010) framework. The findings reveal that the linguistic characteristics mainly used by the buffet restaurants were lexicography, phonetics, morphology, and semantics. In terms of lexicography, most trademarks have their etymological meaning and historical development in the dictionaries, except Charaptor and Yakimix, which are coined words. In phonetics, the trademarks have phonetic characteristics of 1-3 syllables. Then the morphological analysis shows that the trademarks consist of noun phrases, affixation, and word formation (clipping). In semantics, five trademarks do not have synonyms and polysemy; three have synonyms, and two have polysemy. In terms of strength, the trademarks were classified from the weak to the strongest as follows: Buffet 101 (descriptive); Cabalen, La Fiesta, Oceana (suggestive); Four Seasons, Vikings (arbitrary); and Charaptor, GEN, Yakimix (fanciful). The findings imply that business owners need to create their companies’ trademarks in arbitrary or fanciful categories.

Nudging Finnish Adults into Replacing Red Meat with Plant-Based Protein via Presenting Foods as Dish of the Day and Altering the Dish Sequence

This study investigated whether Finnish working-aged omnivores (n = 163) could be nudged into replacing red meat with a fava-bean-based protein source via “Dish of the Day” (DoD) and main dish sequence alteration (SA) strategies in a controlled real-world Finnish self-service buffet restaurant with smart scales (Flavoria® Multidisciplinary Research Platform). A further aim was to study whether the effectiveness of the strategies differed by gender, age, and body mass index. The participants were assigned one of four experimental treatments: standard menu (T1), DoD (T2), standard menu + SA (T3), or DoD + SA (T4). The participants could choose any amount or combination of salad components and casseroles with minced meat or fava bean protein. Being subjected to a DoD menu and/or SA had no effect on main dish choice or the share of the meat-based dish in the meal weight. Men were more likely to choose a meat-based main dish and had a higher share of the meat dish in the meal weight compared to women, but no differences were observed between those aged 18–29, 30–44, or 45–65 years or those who were normal weight, overweight, or obese. Future studies should have a larger sample size and investigate food choice motives such as price or environmental awareness.

Customer Satisfaction with Food Quality in Buffet Restaurants in Vietnam

Food quality (FQ) has been recognised as one of the fundamental factors that affects customer satisfaction in restaurant operations, yet research on buffet restaurants is still underdeveloped. This study focused on diners’ perceptions of buffet restaurants in Vietnam to (1) determine the most important dimensions of FQ, (2) identify the relationship between FQ dimensions and customer satisfaction, and (3) identify the relationship between the overall FQ and customer satisfaction. A total of 143 valid responses to a self-administered online survey were obtained. This study found that according to these respondents, food freshness is the most important variable followed by food taste, food presentation, menu variety, food temperature, and healthy food options. The results of regression and correlation analysis reveal that among the six dimensions of FQ measured, food temperature is the only attribute that is significantly related to customer satisfaction. Nevertheless, the overall FQ significantly contributed to customer satisfaction. It implied that restauranteurs operating this style of restaurant, should not only pay attention to FQ but especially food temperature, which is often overlooked in other forms of restaurants.

Examining effective means to reduce food waste behaviour in buffet restaurants

“All you can eat” buffet restaurants are one of the most popular franchise restaurant styles in Asia. They offer the “treat” of customer-friendly unlimited food intake at the expense of environmentally harmful plate waste at the end of the meal. When the right “tricks” are employed, consumers’ wasteful, anti-environmental behaviours can be changed, with significant positive effects on food waste volume and restaurant earnings. A field experiment was conducted for this study. First, in Study 1, a test of both moral and financial interventions under two serving conditions was conducted for 360 subjects to find the most effective combination of interventions and serving styles in mitigating food waste volume. Second, building upon the findings from Study 1, a random sample of 45 female and 45 male subjects were examined to test the differential effects of consumer characteristics (gender, age, occupation, and dining purpose) on food waste behaviour. The results show that while management interventions were equally effective regardless of gender, age, and occupation, consumers dining for the purpose of sociability (as compared to dining simply for sustenance) were less affected by either moral or financial interventions. The study of food waste mitigation also provides insights into effective management interventions for environmentally friendly consumer behaviours in a wide range of hospitality industries.

Abstract EP24: Menu Calorie Label Use Is Associated With Healthier Diet Quality In Americans

Background: Unhealthy diet quality is a risk factor for cardiometabolic diseases. The Affordable Care Act mandated menu calorie labeling in many food service businesses to promote healthy food choices, but evidence is limited on whether label use affects dietary intake. Hypothesis: We studied the hypothesis that menu calorie label use is associated with healthier diet quality in a nationally representative dataset. Methods: We included individuals age≥16 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2017-2018 who reported buying food from a fast food, sit-down, or buffet restaurant or coffee shop in the past year (n=3,823). The exposure, menu calorie label use, was dichotomized to participants who used labels vs. those who did not use labels at any of the mentioned food service sites using the Consumer Behavior Phone Follow-up Module survey data. The primary outcome was diet quality measured by the Healthy Eating Index 2015 (HEI-2015; range 0-100) using two days of 24-hour diet recall data (n=3,809). Secondary outcomes included certain HEI components (added sugars, saturated fats, fruits, vegetables) and total daily calories. We used multiple linear regression to measure the association between label use and outcomes, accounting for the complex survey design of NHANES and adjusting for demographic, socioeconomic, and comorbidity factors. Results: Of 3,806 participants (representing 224,305,985 Americans), 903 (26.9 weighted %) used menu calorie labels. Those who used menu calorie labels were more likely to be younger (μ=43.3 years, SE 0.58), female (60.8%), and with higher educational attainment (college degree or higher 44.6%), and less likely to be low-income (≤200% of federal poverty level 19.5%) compared to those who did not use them (age μ=47.1 years, SE 0.79; female 49.7%; college degree or higher 26.9%; ≤200% FPL 33.6%). Compared to participants who did not use calorie labels, those who used menu calorie labels had HEI-2015 scores that were 3.95 points (95% CI 2.28, 5.63) higher and consumed less calories (β=-240.4 kcal, 95% CI -384.3, -96.5). Of the HEI-2015 components, participants who used menu calorie labels ate more vegetables (β=0.41 points, 95% CI 0.20, 0.62) and less added sugars (β=0.74 points, 95% CI 0.24, 1.24). No differences were seen in saturated fat or fruit intake. Conclusions: Individuals who used menu calorie labels had significantly healthier dietary intake and consumed less calories compared to those who did not use labels, suggesting that providing caloric information may influence healthy food decisions. Those who did not use labels had lower education level and family income. Further research is needed to explore how people use label information to make food choices and why individuals may not use calorie labels to improve utility and effectiveness of point-of-purchase nutrition information without amplifying health disparities.

Stimulating food waste reduction behaviour among hotel guests through context manipulation

Food waste is a significant problem in the holiday hotel industry. However, although sustainability theorists argue for consumer-oriented behavioural interventions, there is a lack of empirical studies that could clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of such interventions. This study addresses this research gap and uses an experimental design to be able to identify cause-and-effect-relationships between an intervention promoting food waste reduction and real guest behaviour. The study context is an all-you-can-eat buffet restaurant in a typical sun-and-beach holiday hotel.The experimental results demonstrate a direct effect of the context manipulation, as reflected in a significant 14.4% reduction in edible plate waste. In contrast, attitudes remained constant highlighting that their change is not a necessary condition for behaviour change. Furthermore, significant differences in attention to the tools were found between the three contact points ‘entrance to the restaurant’, ‘buffet’, and ‘guest table’ with ‘guest table’ being by far the strongest contact point. In summary, it can be said that consumers can be encouraged to act responsibly even in hedonistic, unrestricted consumption contexts if the communication tools are placed effectively. Hotels thus have the opportunity to involve their guests in environmental protection measures.

IBuffet: An AIoT-Based Intelligent Calorie Management System for Eating Buffet Meals With Calorie Intake Control

This article proposes an intelligent calorie management system, named iBuffet, based on artificial intelligence over the Internet of Things (AIoT) techniques for eating buffet meals with calorie intake control. The proposed iBuffet system consists of intelligent buffet table modules, an artificial intelligence (AI) Wi-Fi base station, a mobile device application (app), and a cloud-based health management platform. The goal of the proposed iBuffet system is to improve consumer dining health through suitable calorie intake control by recording daily meals with calorie intake calculations via the proposed mobile device app. Furthermore, the related information is sent to the cloud-based platform for user health management. The experimental results show that the proposed iBuffet system can recognize 30 kinds of meals within 1 s, which can meet the requirements of actual buffet restaurants.