Factors Influencing Teenager’s Perception on Food Quality and

Service Quality at Drive Thru Fast Food Restaurants in

Bangkok: Case Study of Thai Teenager’s in Bangkok

Natnaphinpapha Hongsrimuang 1, Chompu Nuangjamnong 2 and Kitikorn Dowpiset 2

1
Master of Administration, Graduate School of Business, Assumption University of Thailand;
asia_angel134@yahoo.com
2
Advisors, Graduate School of Business, Assumption University, Thailand;
chompunng@au.edu, kitikorndwp@au.edu

Abstract:
Purpose – The purpose of this study is to determine the factors influencing teenager’s
perception and behavior towards food quality, service quality and physical environment
quality at drive thru fast food restaurants in Bangkok. 42 percent of the respondents were
male while 58 percent were female. Of those respondents living in Bangkok, 47.2 percent
were 13-18 years old and 52.8 percent were 19-25 years old. The results of this study can be
beneficial to those wanting to improve their businesses within the food industry.
Design/Methodology/Approach – Online questionnaires were used as a convenient method
to collect data from a sample of 400 people. The data was analyzed using Cronbach’s Alpha,
descriptive frequency, and multiple linear regressions, where information from the
questionnaire was also used to analyze the demographic distribution. Hypotheses testing
were also conducted.
Findings – Food quality, service quality as well as physical environment quality all play a
part in determining a teenager’s perception and behavior towards drive thru fast food
restaurants. Looking at the regression lines, there were no significant differences for each
factor, but service quality and food quality were found to have the strongest influence on
teenage behavior towards drive thru fast food restaurants.
Research Limitations/Implications – The findings of this study demonstrated the various
behaviors teenagers can have towards drive thru fast food restaurants, specifically regarding
food quality, service quality and quality of the physical environment. However, food quality
and service quality were found to have the greatest influence on teenage behavior amongst
other examined factors. Hence, marketing practitioners should take this into consideration
when trying to build a positive perception and word of mouth regarding the fast food
restaurant.
Originality/value – This study examines the factors influencing a teenager’s perception on
food quality and service quality at drive thru fast food restaurants.
Keywords – Food Quality, Service Quality, Physical Environment Quality, Perception of
Teenage Behavior, Drive thru fast food.
Paper type - Research paper

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1. Introduction
Nowadays, people’ lifestyles change from gradual living to living among competition
in many points, such as business operations. Therefore, time has become the constraint for
living. This economic and environmental change causes people to eat out at restaurants or
buy food at their convenience more often than ever.
There are many fast-food restaurants in Thailand. This is influenced by the Western
culture of food consumption. Fast food is food that the manufacturer has prepared and
cooked prior to selling it to the consumers, in which they are able to consume immediately.
The consumers can then choose to eat in the restaurant or order to eat outside.
Franchises in Thailand that have been established come from the western region. The
main types of food they focus on is fast, convenient, clean and affordable such as fried
chicken, hamburgers, donuts, pizza, cakes, sandwiches, pies and ice cream etc. Therefore,
drive thru fast food a chain have now become the daily needs of teenagers, and provides
them with the satisfaction of deliciousness, quickness and unique tastes (Lee, 2007).
In addition, when considering the nutritional value, it is found that fast foods are not
completely nutritional to the body. A long-term study has demonstrated that these foods
contain saturated fat and high levels of sodium. It is also found that eating western fast food
once per week will increase 56 kilocalories of energy per day and add on weight of 0.72 kg
(Dinger, 1999). Because people are often in a rush, they prefer the option of eating at their
convenience rather than cooking at home. Therefore, this convenience provided by fast
foods has inevitably gained in popularity.
The purpose of this article is to determine the major aspects of teenagers in Bangkok
about food quality and service quality of fast food restaurants and the influential factors of
teenagers' perception on food quality and service quality in Bangkok. The targets are to:
1.) Examine affecting factors. The results of this research show that,
1.1) Most of the samples are below 25 years old and graduated below the bachelor’s
degree. Most of them are students and have a salary lower than 15,000 baht.
1.2) The factors that are covered consists of 7 marketing mix factors (7Ps) which
includes product, price, place, distribution channels, promotion, people, process and
physical environment and demographic factors (Kotler & Keller, 2012). For example:
1) Product and service – Teenagers' attitude against product and services are at a
high level.
2) Price –Teenagers’ attitudes towards prices are at a good level.
3) Places/Locations – Teenagers’ attitudes towards the place/location are at a good
level.
4) Promotions – Teenagers’ attitudes towards promotions are at a good level,
5) People – Teenagers’ attitudes towards a good level and the right type of people
for the product/service
6) Processes - Teenagers’ attitudes towards the process are at a good level.
7) Physical environment and demographics - Teenagers’ attitudes towards the
physical environment are at a good level and are demographically matched to the
product/service.

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Moreover, teenagers can also experience high brand loyalty towards a food chain. An
example would be the drive thru at McDonald’s because they produce meat of unique taste
even though the price was higher than other places. Likewise, these teenagers were
persuaded by the food at McDonalds, and came back again (Surlock, 2005). It could be
concluded that the samples had trust in McDonald's brand, which explains the high brand
loyalty.
According to the marketing data and the growth of fast food drive thru market to this
day, there have been more competitors; that’s why the researcher is interested in studying
factors like demographic factors and market-mixed attitudes of product and services, prices
of products, locations, distributions, and marketing promotions that will be affecting the
loyalty of teenagers in Bangkok. And through good consideration of these factors, it could
lead to re-consumption. The information from this research can be taken to improve any
aspects of the fast food chain so that consumers would have higher loyalty to the brands
later.
Today, fast food drive thru are growing in numbers, mainly because the consumers are
more often in a hurry. Hence, they buy junk food from places like KFC, McDonalds, and
Starbucks.
The lifestyle of a greater hassle makes teenagers in cities experience the behavior of
eating quick and easy foods, such as sandwiches, bread, and microwavable food like frozen
foods, these are very popular options. Because it is easier for teenagers to order food rather
than buy all the ingredients and cook themselves, the growth of fast food
restaurants/businesses are increasingly high, especially so teenagers can choose from a
greater variety of food offered from more restaurants.
In Bangkok, the economic and social conditions have expanded rapidly, with the
expansion of shopping malls and hypermarkets such as Big C and Lotus. These places now
have a large number of fast-food restaurants to serve the needs of increasing consumer
demand. This expansion especially applies to restaurants that are franchised from abroad
such as western fast food. They come in many forms such as KFC, Pizza Company, Mister
Donut, Swensen, Potato Corner etc. Due to this growth, consumer trends and patterns of
public food intake have changed. Additionally, teenagers that are influenced to increase
consumption of fast food in the west at risk of developing obesity and chronic
non-communicable diseases. The result of these diseases from an unhealthy lifestyle can be
a problem to teenagers. The researcher realized this about the teenager’s health and started
to notice the importance of it. Therefore, there is a need to study the western fast food
consumption behavior of teenagers in Bangkok.

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2. Literature Review

2.1 Fast Food Consumption Behavior of Teenagers

Currently, food consumption by teenagers has shown to have undesirable effects on their
health, especially when they are buying food that has not been prepared by them. This can
lead to obesity due to the intake of too much sugar, fat and sodium. People of a younger age
group tend to eat very little vegetables and fruits but consume more instant food and soft
drinks than an older age group (Cullen, 2002). Teenager’s behaviors towards fast food
consumption have changed dramatically because of the changes in modern society, culture
and technological progresses. In the past, people would eat breakfast together, but now,
they are more often in a rush, so they have to eat outside of restaurants. Likewise, they choose
to buy fast food more frequently because of the convenience and speed (Lowe, 2009). In
addition, social media is another factor that influences the behavior of teenagers, where their
behavior is affected by personal media and advertising media such as from the radio,
television, newspapers, magazines and the internet (Robertson, 2007). This gives the
teenagers a variety of choices and selections through the platforms that are easily accessible,
making up a two-way communication that creates and changes the teenager’s beliefs or
values regarding the consumption of a food.
Adolescents who eat food without dietary fiber tend to have constipation and obesity by
choosing to eat unhygienic food, and this leads to malnutrition (Gortmaker, 2011). Moreover,
teenagers often give less attention to breakfast compared to other meals due to being in a rush
and having a lack of time to wait. Another important point is that teenagers are encouraged to
eat like famous people that advertise the product, and this produces propaganda. Teenager’s
preference of food is also different from that of children, who enjoy more colorful foods. For
adults and seniors, they prefer healthier food.
Food is important and of necessity to humans. People who want to live a longer life
should eat food that is appropriate for their age. If teenagers continue to eat processed and
malnourished food, their health will become worse over time. Currently, advertising media is
becoming more popular. Purchasing instant food through the internet has been made easier
than ever because teenagers can just save photos advertised on the social media platforms of
well-known restaurants, in which they can place an order later on.
It is necessary to understand the nature of adolescents, and they must be educated about
the appropriate choices by using correct reasoning in deciding what food to consume. Since
social media has a great influence on a teenager’s life, we should use this platform to promote
good and appropriate choices by requesting cooperation from celebrities to participate in
advertisements on the correct dietary habits (Macdonald, 2007). The objective of this article
is to provide information regarding the factors which affect the food consumption behavior
and dietary habits of adolescents (White, 2009).
Food and nutrition are fundamental factors for living. They play an important role to the
physical and mental growth of an individual, and this benefits their personal health in the
long-term. Therefore, people should pay more attention to their health. The food
consumption behavior of people comes from predisposing factors. There are the internal
factors which support or obstruct an individual’s motivation to the consumption of food.

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These factors consist of attitudes, beliefs, and values (Daness, 2013). The reinforcing factors
are the external factors. According to research, it is found that these reinforcing factors such
as being influenced from advertising media, personal media and beliefs can influence the
food consumption behavior.
The time period of being a teenager is critical because there are many changes occurring
in the body. Specifically, it is the emotional and mental changes that are happening. These
changes require energy and hence teenagers will tend to eat more food at this stage. Having
good eating habits can contribute to a strong mind, enable emotional stability and promote
enthusiasm. Unfortunately, we can see that the typical teenager's consumption behavior is
consuming fast food, which is the more convenient and time saving option, as well as being
able to consume it immediately. Teenagers should have the right knowledge to choose good
foods as well as being aware of the negative effects that fast food can have on their health.
They should be consuming appropriately, doing exercise, and have proper emotional
management.
Currently, advertising media has become more popular because product manufacturers
and sellers are increasingly investing in the promotion of their product. They hope that it can
reach out to the consumer’s heart, satisfaction and taste buds. From the information
mentioned above, the researcher has become aware of the importance of food consumption as
a teenager, and is interested in studying the habits, knowledge, attitude, food consumption
behavior of a typical teenager. The researcher is also interested in studying the influence of
social media on food consumption because if teenagers have the right knowledge and
attitude, their consumption behavior could be changed correctly and appropriately. Food
forms the base for living and is important for the growth and the physical, mental, emotional,
and intellectual and health development of adolescents.

2.2 Perception of Food quality

Food quality can affect consumers greatly. The quality and standard of a restaurant’s
food must meet the expectation of customers in order to attract them back again. Food quality
takes into consideration the presentation, color and temperature of the food (Sulek &
Hensley, 2004). We can analyze food in many ways, such as in terms of safety, nutritional
value, and the food processing process (Caswell & Mojduszka, 1996).
The quality of food makes up the most important aspect of a restaurant’s success
and can be an indicator of customer loyalty. Food quality may also reflect towards a positive
dining experience. In addition, the quality of fresh food and raw materials are also important,
because they are the reasons a customer will visit the restaurant again. The success of the fast
food restaurant consists of 5 dimensions: menu diversity, flavors, healthiness, freshness and
the temperature of food (Namkung & Jang, 2007). Food and beverages should be the most
important determinant in ensuring satisfaction and enjoyment of consumers. Nevertheless,
consumers should benefit not only from the taste of food, but also the freshness, the safety,
the cleanliness of the environment as well as a suitable food temperature.

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2.3 Perception of Physical Environment Quality

This section discusses the concepts and theories regarding the physical environment.
Besides the quality of food which can affect a consumer’s perception of a restaurant,
environmental qualities such as decorations, volume of surroundings, room temperature,
cleanliness, smell, the use of light and music can also affect a consumer’s perception, hence
their experience. Furthermore, the atmosphere within a restaurant has the potential to fulfil a
person’s expectations or needs, such as physiological needs, social needs, self-esteem needs,
safety needs and so on (McLeod, 2007).
The nature of needs is such that some of the needs are more important than others. The
quality of the physical environment refers to the design of the service area which will then
contribute to a customer's level of satisfaction. The condition and state of the physical area
has been shown to stimulate a consumer’s behavior (Kotler, 1973). A pleasant and
eye-catching physical environment within the restaurant tends to make customers spend
more time there and hence spend more money. According to recent research, the physical
environment and service offered by the restaurant plays a key role in obtaining customer
loyalty. Moreover, there are many physical aspects of the environment that a
restaurant/business can focus on; this includes lights, patterns, sounds, color and temperature.
Within the fast food industry, there are numerous competitors looking to build up their status
over others in order to attract customers.
For this to work, customers should not only feel comfortable at a restaurant, but there
should be enough seats so that no one is left standing or waiting for too long to get a table.
Focusing on the seating aspect of the environment is very important especially for customers
who have travelled a long way. To ensure an enjoyable meal, customers should be able to
spend their time at the restaurant under proper air conditioning. The restaurant can also
stimulate a customer’s response to the experience, hence affecting their emotions and
behavior. The physical environment should aim to interest the consumers and promote a
feeling that is different to when customers enter other restaurants or stores. In terms of
following current trends among teenagers, appropriate food service with comfortable tables
or in trend music can lure them into dining at a restaurant. Of course, this will affect each
teenager differently depending on what their specific tastes are, but the goal would be to
attract as many teenagers as possible if they were made the target audience. If the customers
exert a good attitude towards the experience and environment, they will surely be inclined to
come again.
Therefore, in determining the attitude of adolescents towards restaurants, we must
observe their external behavior. In general, the physical environment plays a major role in
whether a second visit would be likely. It must be noted that the attitude of an individual
towards a restaurant can be good just as it can be bad. Likewise, with bad reviews comes
room for improvement.

2.4 Perception of Service quality

This section discusses the concepts and theories regarding the quality of service.
Unfortunately it is difficult to assess the quality of service in the fast food industry since
there’s no form of measurement, but the closest way to assess it is to offer follow up surveys

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for customers to fill out regarding the service they’ve received. Service quality plays an
important part towards customer satisfaction, especially in the food service industry where
bad service could ruin someone’s dining experience. The quality of food, the convenience of
getting it, and the option of making reservations can improve customer satisfaction and
encourage them to come back again (Liu, 2000). A good example would be the McDonald’s
drive thru, where the customer first stops next to a speaker for the employee to take their
order, in which a payment is made after the order has been placed, followed by a brief wait by
the window where the food is received. Time management is crucial to customer satisfaction;
this is especially true for teenagers as they tend to be impatient. The quality of a product or
service serves as an indicator of customer values. Great customer service comes from good
credibility, good responsiveness as well as an appropriate amount of attention paid to each
customer. This ultimately leads to customers thinking that the service they’ve paid for is of
good value.
We know that product quality can affect the way a fast food restaurant is perceived.
Nonetheless, the quality of a product is a determinant of customer loyalty. This type of
loyalty is an important aspect all businesses should strive to achieve from their consumers
because it contributes towards the sustainability of the company. Additionally, loyal
customers tend to recommend the products to their friends and families. Likewise, they can
act as part of the viral advertising agency (Lee, 2001).

2.5 Conceptual frameworks

The conceptual model in this research was developed from previous study models. The
researcher selected the variables by picking the most interesting factors that may have an
influence on teenage perception. The research consists of three independent variables which
includes food quality, physical environment quality, service quality, whilst the one dependent
variable being measured was teenage behavior.

Figure 1. Conceptual framework

Constructed by authors

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2.6 Statistical Hypothesis

There are three hypotheses formulated based on the above framework.
H1: Food quality has a significant influence on the perception of teenager behavior to
consume food at drive thru fast food restaurants
H2: Service quality has no significant influence on the perception of teenager behavior
to consume food at drive thru fast food restaurants.
H3: Physical environment quality has no significant influence on the perception of
teenager behavior to consume food at drive thru fast food restaurants.

3. Research methodology

This research focuses on the influential factors of teenagers' perception on food quality
and service quality of fast foods at shopping centers in Bangkok. This study was conducted
in the form of a quantitative research. Questionnaires in this research were developed in
English and translated into Thai for better understanding. Moreover, the sampling of this
research was chosen randomly with a total sampling of 400 respondents. In analyzing the
research, the researcher has adopted a quantitative method by creating a questionnaire to be
filled out by appropriate respondents. The questionnaire consists of four sections:
Part I: Screening Question, this part of the questionnaire helps to verify that the
respondents were appropriate for this research.
Part II: Demographic information which included age, gender, education, and income
Part III: Measurement of variables, consisting of 28 questions and the use of a 1-5
Point Likert Scale ranging from:
1 = Strongly disagree
2 = Disagree
3 = Neutral
4 = Agree
5 = Strongly Agree

3.1 Measuring Variable

3.1.1 Research Design
The purpose of this study is to understand the factors influencing Teenagers perception
of food quality and service quality at drive thru fast food restaurants in Bangkok.
Furthermore, the research study is designed to use quantitative data for analysis. The types of
analysis most suitable to this research topic include Cronbach’s Alpha, Descriptive Research
and Multiple Linear Regression.
3.1.2 Scale Design
The questionnaire design was available in English and Thai. Questions included aspects
of the 3 variables of the research model (regarding the perception of teenagers). This study
adopted the use of a 5-level Likert Scale, whereby the respondent rated each
statement/question from: 1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree. Likewise, the responses
to the questionnaire made up the data collection process.

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3.2 Data collection

3.2.1 Sample Plan
3.2.1.1 Target Population
In terms of the number of teenage citizens in Bangkok aged between 13- 25 years old,
there are approximately 974,015 of them (source www.stabbi.nso.go.th). Therefore, the
target population of this study is the teenage citizens who are amongst the 974,015 people,
who also happen to be at drive thru fast food restaurants in Bangkok. Moreover, the research
data was collected in the months of May and June 2020.
3.2.1.2 Sample size
Taro Yamane (1976) is used for random sampling but in your case, you have used
purposive/convenience sampling. This study focusses on the category of teenagers since fast
food has become popular amongst Thai teens, as mentioned in the literature review section.
Consequently, focusing on this group out of the entire population is fit to our study. To
calculate the value of the sample size in designing the appropriate amount of responses to the
questionnaire, the Tara Yamane formula can be used. The formula of Tara Yamane has a
confidence coefficient of 95 percent and allows 5 percent for error. According to Yamane,
when the population is greater than 100,000 people, the appropriate sample value is 400.

4. Data analysis and critical discussion of results

4.1 Demographic
In this research, the questionnaire respondents are Thai Teenagers aged between 13- 25
years old. These teenagers are based in Bangkok and have consumed food at the drive thru
fast food restaurant; this is also reflected in the table. The sample consists of 400 valid
respondents, from which 42.3 percent (168) were female and 57.7 percent (232) were male.
The age of respondents were mostly ranged between 13 to 18, making up 47.3 percent (188)
and those aged between 19 to 25 made up 52.7 percent (212) of the total sample (400).Those
with an education level up to high school made up 47.5 percent of the sample (190), whilst
education up to a bachelor’s degree made up 45 percent (180) and lastly 7.5 percent (30) of
the total sample had an education level above a bachelor’s degree.
In terms of frequency, 50 percent (202) of the total sample consumes food at the drive
thru restaurant 3 to 4 times a month. This is followed by those visiting the drive thru 1-2 times
a month, making up 24.9 percent (100) of the sample. 24.1 percent (96) of individuals within
the sample were reported of visiting the drive thru more than 5 times a week and 0.5 percent
(2) claimed to never visiting. Regarding whether teenagers had an enjoyable experience at
the drive thru fast food restaurant and whether they enjoyed the food, 89.1 percent (356) said
yes, 9.7 percent said maybe and 1.2 percent (5) reported on table 1.

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Table 1. Demographic Information

4.2 Results of Hypothesis Testing

Multiple linear regression was used in a statistical and analytical manner to determine
the level of perception of food quality, service quality, and physical environment quality
towards teenage behavior. In the case of multiple linear regression, multicollinearity should
be computed as it will suggest which unnecessary variable should be removed. Furthermore,
all the variables have a VIF value of less than 5, this is indicative of no overlaps between the
variables. In the same manner, this means that the independent variables of food quality,
service quality and physical environment quality can explain the dependent variable of
teenage perception, thus their behavior. The results presented on table 2.

Table 2 The result of Multiple Linear Regression

Hypothesis Variables Beta T-Value Sig VIF Results
(standardized
coefficient)
H1 FQ .329 7.666 0.000* 2.027 Supported
H2 SQ .242 5.289 0.000* 2.369 Supported
H3 PQ .220 5.232 0.000* 1.832 Supported

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R 0.575
R Square 0.569
Adjusted R 0.566
Square
Remark: Significant at the 0.05 significant level (* p < 0.05)

Multiple linear regression on table 2 was used to determine the main variable influencing
the perception of a teenager regarding drive thru fast food restaurants. A significance was
applied. Food quality was concluded to be a strong variable (Beta= 0.329, p = 0.000)
whereby it significantly and positively affected the teenager’s perception of drive thru fast
food restaurants, this is especially true for teenagers in generation Y. Looking at the model,
the value of R² (0.575) predicts a 57.5% in total variance regarding food quality. The
independent variables were inclusive of three factors, being quality of food, quality of service
as well as the quality of physical environment. The table demonstrated that these three
independent variables were positively and significantly influential towards the perception of
teenage behavior. Ultimately, food quality was the main factor in determining teenage
perception towards fast food restaurants in Bangkok.
Hypothesis: 1 According to the table 3, the significant level was at .000, which is less
than .005. Therefore, the null hypothesis is rejected. From this, it can be concluded that food
quality has a significant influence on teenager perception and behavior. The standardized
coefficient of .329 implies that when food quality increases by 1%, teenager perception and
behavior will increase accordingly by 32.9%.
Hypothesis: 2 According to the table 3, the significant level was at .000, which is less
than .005. Therefore, the null hypothesis is rejected. From this, it can be concluded that
service quality has a significant influence on teenager perception and behavior. The
standardized coefficient of .242 implies that if service quality increases by 1%, teenager
perception and behavior will increase accordingly by 24.2%.
Hypothesis: 3 According to the table 3, the significant level was at .000, which is less
than .005. Therefore, the null hypothesis is rejected. From this, it can be concluded that
physical environment quality has a significant influence on teenager perception and behavior.
The standardized coefficient of .220 implies that when physical environment quality
increases by 1%, teenager perception and behavior will increase accordingly by 22.0%.

Table: 3 summary of results from hypotheses

Hypotheses Significant Standardized Status
Value Coefficient
H1: Food quality has no significant .000* .329 Rejected
influence on the perception of teenager
behavior to consume food at drive thru fast
food restaurants.
H2: Service quality has no significant .000* .242 Rejected
influence on the perception of teenager

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behavior to consume food at drive thru fast

food restaurants.
H3: Physical environment quality has no .000* .220 Rejected
significant influence on the perception of
teenager behavior to consume food at drive
thru fast food restaurants.
Note. * P-value < .05

Additionally, the approach of Multiple Linear Regression was used to test the influence
of food quality, service quality and physical environment quality towards teenage
perception and behavior. The level of strength of influence was ranked and summarized on
table 4 as follows:

Table: 4 Strength of influence of variable towards teenage perception/behavior

Rank Independent Variable Beta
1st Food Quality .329
2nd Service Quality .242
3rd Physical Environment Quality .220

The table 4 above displays the ranking of the three independent variables, 1st being the
most substantial influence on 3rd being the weakest influence towards teenager perception
and behavior. The average beta was calculated to determine each variable’s level of
influence. Moreover, current studies have demonstrated a positive relationship between food
quality, service quality and physical environment quality against teenager perception,
whereby the perceived value of food quality was B = .329, service quality being B = .242, and
physical environment being B = .220.

5. Summary, Conclusion, and Recommendations

5.1 Discussion and Conclusion
The research findings were used to address the objectives of this study regarding the
factors that affect the perception of teenage behavior, specifically in purchasing at drive thru
fast food restaurants in Bangkok.

5.2 Summary of Findings

Relationship between Demographic Characteristics and Teenager Behavior. The results
for this relationship are as follows:
5.2.1 Age
The factor of age did not show any relationship towards the frequency of visit by a
teenager, nor did it influence the number of members in a group visiting the restaurant or the
amount of money spent on fast food. An individual's way of living is mostly controlled by
internal factors such as personality, values, emotions and memory. It is also determined by
their culture, subculture, age, as well as their circle of friends and family.

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5.2.2 Origin
There is a relationship among teenager’s behavior regarding the frequency of visit,
amount of money spent on fast food and the number of members in a group visiting each
time. Hence, this discovery allows us to understand that there are differences between
teenagers in Bangkok and the role that culture plays in their behavior. Specifically, culture
represents the common values, norms and behaviors of a distinct group of individuals.
Furthermore, culture is learned, shared amongst individuals, multidimensional and is also
passed down to following generations. Understanding cultural differences is vital, especially
in-service marketing because it can affect a consumer’s response towards a good or service.
5.2.3 Education Level
There was no relationship found between education level and teenage behavior in regard
to time spent, frequency of visit, the number of members in a group visiting or the amount of
money spent on fast foods. The findings of this research concluded that education level only
affects how much one can purchase due to the differences in income and occupation.
Nonetheless, the level of education can also influence how an individual thinks or makes
decisions.
5.2.4 Relationship between Food Quality and Teenager perception/behavior
There’s a positive relationship between food quality and the teenage behavior towards
purchasing the fast foods. The findings of this study demonstrated that good food quality is
characterized by its tastiness, flavors, the temperature to which it is served in and the
freshness of the ingredients. Teenagers have also stated that they choose to purchase fast
foods due to the convenience, speed and taste.
5.2.5 Relationship between Service Quality and Teenager perception/behavior
There’s a relationship among the services provided for by fast food restaurants and
teenage perception, thus their behavior. Almost all teenagers agreed that their food order was
correctly and completely interpreted. Overall, the fast food restaurant received numerous
comments on the excellence of their service, specifically for making the menu board easy to
read. The service is especially great during lunch hour when the drive thru is busiest, where
the employees were able to manage their time efficiently at the restaurant whilst serving the
teenagers quickly.
5.2.6 Relationship between Physical environment quality and Teenager
perception/behavior
There is a relationship between the physical environment provided by fast food
restaurants and teenager perception. Teenager’s response and behavior towards fast food
restaurants tend to be more positive when the environment is clean and comfortable to be in.

5.3 Recommendations
In regard to food quality, all respondents either agreed or agreed strongly to the
statements. The percentage of individuals that agreed/strongly agreed to all statements was
50%, in which 61.4% of individuals agreed that the environment of the fast food restaurant is
clean. This is followed by service quality whereby 57.4% of the total sample agreed that their
food order was correct and complete. This goes to show that the service quality of the fast
food restaurant is good.

Hongsrimuang, N., Nuangjamnong, C. & Dowpiset, D. (2020)

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6. Further study

Regarding future study of this topic, instead of studying the factors that influences
consumer behavior towards purchasing and consuming fast foods, one should extend the
research further by comparing the findings of this study against other current studies
regarding the same topic, in which the paper would focus more on investigating conceptual
behaviors such as the likelihood of revisiting fast food restaurants.

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Electronic copy available at: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3787508