ZA!

Consumer Survey Project

Sharon Beyzer | Leah Ellsworth | Wei-Ting Huang
Tzu-Hsuan Hu | Jenny Terway
Introduction
❖ COVID-19 emergence has led to shift in consumer eating habits and
the way they interact with others
❖ Austin, TX fast-growing food truck industry paired with outdoor
scenery/culture
❖ COVID-19 prevalent in consumer decisions
❖ Theoretical implications for advertising and marketing industries
➢ Shifting budgets
➢ Fill gaps
➢ Tailor messages
1
➢ Uncover factors of popularity
Literature Review
❖ Creative food options and outdoor seating are significant traits in food
truck business.
❖ Austin is city with outdoor culture.
❖ Customers feel uncomfortable to enjoy their foods indoors than outdoor
environments during the pandemic.
❖ For customers who works from home, fun, and creative food options can
provide them a way to escape from the stressful environment.
❖ Active, novelty-seeking individuals are more likely to crave more varied
food options. 2
Research Question

What are key factors that have bolstered the success of food trucks over brick and
mortar restaurants in Austin during the COVID-19 pandemic?

3
Hypotheses
❖ H1: Those who feel proud of Austin’s outdoor culture would be more
inclined to choose a food truck over another restaurant form.
❖ H2: Those that are more COVID-conscious are more inclined to choose a
food truck over another restaurant form.
❖ H3: People who want to escape from the stressful pandemic situations are
more likely to look for creative food options in a food truck.
❖ H4: People who are active, novelty-seeking would be more inclined to
choose a food truck over other options.
4
Variables
❖ Independent Variables:
➢ Pride in Austin outdoor culture
➢ Need to escape stress of pandemic
➢ Inclination towards being active and novelty-seeking
➢ COVID-19 safety consciousness

❖ Dependent Variable:
➢ Preference of a food truck over a brick and mortar restaurant

5
Sample
❖ 110 respondents, average age of 26
❖ 49 males and 61 females, as shown
in the graph on the bottom right
❖ 87 have not been to VIA 313, 23
have, as shown in the graph on the
top right

6
Sample
❖ Education is outlined in the chart below

7
Method
Online Survey:

❖ Basic demographic questions

❖ Likert scale questions
➢ Proudness of Austin’s outdoor culture
➢ How likely respondent is to compliment city
➢ How likely respondent is to volunteer locally
➢ Level of concern about contracting COVID-19
❖ Data can be easily interpreted to find meaning
8
Measurement
❖ The main questions in
survey used the Likert scale
(see chart to the right).
❖ Using this scale made it easy
for us to compare our data.

9
 Measurement
Frequency Attitude Austin Pride

Before Covid/After How proud of the

A food truck is/has……
Covid..…. following aspects of
(1)is a good place to eat Austin’s culture are
● How often have you (2)has a cheaper price you?
been to a food truck? (3)has creative options
● How often have you (4)is time efficient ❖ Outdoor activities
been to a brick and (5)is convenient ❖ Outdoor dining
mortar restaurant? (6)is clean ❖ Music scene
❖ Energetic atmosphere
10
 Measurement
After the COVID-19
pandemic began, how
frequently do you…
❖ wash your hands
❖ watch the news to remain
informed about the virus
❖ attend large gatherings
❖ practice social distancing
Covid-Conscious
How likely are you to
wear a mask in the
following situations?
❖ During a grocery trip
❖ While walking outside
❖ Inside public buildings
❖ In an elevator
In terms of contracting
COVID-19, how much do you
agree or disagree with the
statements below?
❖ Standing in line outside to
order is safer than ordering
from your table inside a
restaurant.
❖ Eating outdoors is safer than
eating inside at a restaurant.
11
Measurement
Active personality

Indicate how likely you are to... How much do you agree or
❖ participate in an outdoor activity disagree with the statements
in the evenings below?
❖ participate in an outdoor activity ❖ I am open to experiencing new
during the day things
❖ participate in an outdoor activity ❖ I like to go out with friends on the
over the weekend weekends
❖ I enjoy staying home on the
weekends

12
Measurement
Mental Stress

How concerned are you about How much do you agree or

the items below? disagree with the statements
❖ COVID-19 below?
❖ Contracting COVID-19 while ❖ I am more likely to eat at a
eating out restaurant than I was before the
pandemic.
How stressed do you feel about ❖ I am more likely to eat outdoors
than I was before the pandemic.
the pandemic? ❖ I go out more often to
compensate for the stress
associated with COVID-19. 13
Results

14
Correlations(Visit food truck)
❖ People who are more stressful are more likely to go to food truck before
Covid19.(P value<0.05/ Pearson r=0.365)

❖ Frequency of visiting food truck would not be affected by Covid19.

(P value<0.05, Pearson r=0.335)

❖ Male respondents are more likely to visit food truck after Covid19.
(P value=0.086/ Pearson r=-1.064)
15
Correlations(food truck attitudes)
❖ People who perceived more Austin pride have more positive attitudes toward
food truck.(P value=0.0.18/Pearson r=0.226)

❖ People with higher education have less positive attitudes toward food truck.
( P value=0.033/Pearson r= -0.203)

16
 Regression
❖ Individuals who are more stressful are more likely to visit food trucks before
Covid.(b = 0.52, p = .021)

❖ Individuals who show positive attitudes toward VIA313 would also show
positive attitudes toward food trucks.(b=0.66, p=0.007)

17
Summary
❖ Food truck business has a stable fanbase.
➢ Food truck person will still go to food truck despite the pandemic.
❖ VIA313 might be a successful food truck business.
❖ Austin might be a good place to start a food truck business.
➢ People who perceived more Austin pride have more positive attitudes toward food
truck.
❖ Target Audience
➢ People who are more stressful
➢ Not people with higher edu
➢ Male (after Covid) 18
Discussion
❖ H1: Those who feel proud of Austin’s outdoor culture would be more
inclined to choose a food truck over another restaurant form.
➢ People who perceived more Austin pride have more positive attitudes toward food truck.
➢ But there’s also a marginally correlation between People who perceived more Austin pride and their
frequency of visiting a brick and mortar restaurant before Covid.
➢ Austin pride might leads to a preference of dining out.
❖ H2: Those that are more COVID-conscious are more inclined to choose a
food truck over another restaurant form.
➢ We did not found any significant correlation or regression between this two variables.
➢ Instead of food trucks and restaurant, people might tend to dine home during pandemic.
19
Discussion
❖ H3: People who want to escape from the stressful pandemic situations are
more likely to look for creative food options in a food truck.
➢ The finding matches with past studies that suggest people work in a stressful environment are more
appealed to creative food options. We can also understand our respondents view food trucks as
places that can provide creative food choice by this result.
❖ H4: People who are active, novelty-seeking would be more inclined to
choose a food truck over other options.
➢ We did not found any significant correlation or regression between this two variables.
➢ The frequency of going to food truck might be affected not only by one’s personality but also by
friends, location of food truck, traffic and more, which was not included in this survey.
20
Limitations
❖ INTERNAL VALIDITY CRITIQUE:
➢ Other variables not included in this survey
➢ No access to the data before COVID
❖ EXTERNAL VALIDITY CRITIQUE:
➢ Almost 80% respondents have not been to VIA313
➢ More than 80% respondent are Asian
➢ Small sample size
❖ MEASUREMENT VALIDITY CRITIQUE:
➢ Indicators are not precise enough
➢ Cognitive bias(memory)[Solution: Track GPS/ order and payment history]
21
Discussion Questions
Why do you think…...

Male respondents are more likely to visit food

truck after Covid19?

22