Factors Affecting The Selection of Cuisine: A Study on The Restaurant Sector of Bangladesh

Abstract

Nowadays people eat out in restaurants for work-related reasons and for entertainment as well. In most cases, restaurant goers have a choice of venues to choose from (Koo, Tao, & Yeung, 1999). Ethnic (foreign) cuisines are also available, these days, beyond their places of origin and dining at ethnic restaurants has become very popular. It is possible for consumers to be selective as to which cuisine they will choose while eating at restaurants. As such, it is important for restaurateurs to have an understanding about the decision-making process of their customers. Considerable research has been conducted on how consumers select restaurants while eating ‘out’. However, study on how customers select which one to choose, amongst the various cuisines offered to them is quite limited. This research is expected to fill up this gap in our knowledge on consumer behavior. The main objective of this research has been to identify and rank (according to importance) the factors that influence customers’ selection of cuisines while availing restaurant services. In addition to this, the evolution of the Bangladeshi cuisine and restaurant sector as well as the marketing practices of Bangladesh restaurants has been explored. Social science research is different from scientific research; it concentrates on finding explanations of human behavior. A social researcher’s outlook about people often depends upon his/her philosophy. This research is based on the constructionism position of ontology and the interpretivism position of epistemology (ontology and epistemology being two branches of philosophy). It is believed that, in this case, multiple, socially created realities may be present, which are constantly changing and are to be interpreted by subjective research. This research has an exploratory component where an attempt was made to generate new ideas and insights. It also has a descriptive part where research was conducted to find out the level of significance of these factors. This study on identifying and assessing the factors affecting the selection of cuisine, while consuming restaurant food, is thus at first, deductive in nature,. However, its last step is inductive in character as there is a possibility that it will add to and may bring about a revision in the existing theory. Both qualitative and quantitative study was utilized. The qualitative research methods used were literature reviews, focus group discussions, interviews, etc. which provide in-depth information about consumer behavior. The quantitative tools used included surveys, structured interviews and analysis of numeric data. Literature study was used to review the evolution of food habits in Bangladesh and the contribution of Bangladeshi restaurants. The constructs that influence customers’ selection of cuisines were also identified with the help of research literature. 7 focus group discussions were conducted to identify the factors that influence customers’ selection of cuisines in restaurants. A questionnaire survey was conducted on around 400 restaurant goers to understand the relevant importance of each factor contributing to the selection of cuisine; a judgmental (non-probability) sampling technique was used to select the respondents. 18 restaurateurs were interviewed during this research to understand the marketing practices in the restaurant sector of the country.xvi It is essential in marketing, for marketers to know what, why, how, when, and where consumers buy (Kotler and Keller, 2012). They also have to know how customers decide which product to buy. This research on buyers’ selection of cuisine while consuming restaurant food focuses on this aspect of consumer behavior. Consumer behavior is influenced by culture, social class, family, reference groups, age, income, gender, education, perception, attitude, beliefs, personality, etc. The research revealed that the geographic location of Bengal (of which Bangladesh is a part) has influenced the eating habits of its people. The abundance of rice and fish has given rise to the saying, “fish and rice makes a Bengali”. Bengali cuisine has also been greatly influenced by the cultures it came in contact with. This includes trading partners like the Portuguese, rulers like the Mughals and British and settlers like the Chinese. The ingredients used in Bengali cooking have also changed over time owing to introduction of foreign components. Similarly, the economic and social environment has influenced the local cuisine. Not only has industrialization leading to urbanization caused a change in the food habits of the masses, the increase of women in the work force has resulted in a decrease in home cooking and more reliance on commercial sources of food. Globalization has also affected the food habits in the country. The distinctive foods of rural Bangladesh (like the pitha) were gradually losing ground. However, now-a-days it is gradually making a comeback. Fast food has also become extremely popular, especially amongst the younger generation. Religious beliefs have affected the cuisine of the people of Bengal. While this is not peculiar, there is evidence to suggest that the food habits also had influence on religious practices. The people of Bangladesh have not only adopted food habits from other cultures, but have also ‘exported’ their cuisine to different countries. These days Bangladeshi restaurateurs and chefs are active all over the world. Globally, Italian, Indian, Japanese, Mexican, Chinese, Thai and various other cuisines are found to be extremely popular. In Bangladesh too these cuisines are offered in restaurants along with the local food. There is enough evidence to suggest that the restaurant industry is changing owing to the growing popularity of ethnic cuisines. One aspect that can be noticed about these cuisines is that they are different in nature. While some cuisines are ancient (Italian, Indian, Chinese, etc.) others are comparatively modern (USA). Some cuisines are regionally diverse (Italian, Indian, Chinese, etc.), and others have been influenced by foreign cooking styles and ingredients (Indian, Thai, Chinese, etc.); the cuisine of Japan, is rigidly homogeneous and based on traditions, which is the opposite of the cuisine of the USA. Bangladeshi restaurants have been more or less successful in feeding those who need to eat outside their homes and in providing entertainment to those who seek it. However, their areas of failure are the inability to please the foreign tourists who visit the country and in branding the Bangladeshi cuisine. The failure of Bangladeshi restaurants in branding the local cuisine is somewhat surprising inasmuch as it may be argued that Indian cuisine has been made world famous by Bangladesh restaurateurs, especially from the Sylhet region. However, though earlier Bangladeshi restaurants abroad hadxvii masqueraded as Indian eateries, these days they are proudly disclosing their true identity while serving Bangladeshi food. A number of weaknesses were identified in marketing activities of restaurants in Bangladesh. The most severe of these was the lack of people management in the industry. Also, many restaurants do not consider service to be part of their product. Management of some restaurants treats cleanliness just as a compliance issue, though customers value it very highly. A considerable number of restaurateurs are not aware of the concepts of targeting and positioning. In Bangladesh the majority of consumers avail restaurant service at least 3 times a month where they usually go with friends and family. Bangladeshi food is the most popular cuisine amongst them. The research indicates that significant differences exist in customers’ preference of cuisine based on their demographic characteristics. Motivational factors, social factors, restaurant infrastructure, marketing factors, service quality factors and branding & loyalty also influence the selection of cuisine based on customers’ demographic profile, but to a lesser degree. A total of 29 factors were identified influencing the selection of cuisine when consumers avail restaurant services. Among these, taste, cleanliness of the restaurant and religious beliefs of the consumers secured the first three places respectively. Speed of service and preference of other diners were found to be in the next two positions. Positions five to ten were secured by preference of other diners, ability to customize dishes, visual appeal of food, purchase price, error free service and brand reputation of the restaurant. Positions eleven to fifteen were obtained by desire to try new food, desire for change, diversity of the menu, health benefits and location of the restaurant. However, the ranking of the factors influencing customers’ selection of cuisine were found to vary for different demographic segments. Similarly, the ranking of the factors were dissimilar for different cuisines. A model could be developed using the fifteen factors identified to help restaurateurs understand their clients better. Some of the other findings revealed by this research are: (i) Bangladeshi cuisine is not ethnocentric; it has adopted the best from all cuisines it has come in contact with. This may have resulted in taste being the most important criteria influencing the selection of cuisine. (ii) The people conform to religious norms in their dining habits but are not orthodox. (iii) Cleanliness is treated as a compliance issue. (iv) Both hedonistic and utilitarian factors influence the selection of cuisine. Restaurateurs can play a very important role in branding the Bangladeshi cuisine. This may revolutionize tourism in Bangladesh. To accomplish this it is necessary to overcome the weaknesses plaguing the restaurant sector of Bangladesh. Industry leaders need to introduce more professionalism in the industry. The government also has an important role to play in this regard.