Strategic Food & Beverage

Management
The Meal Experience
 Last Week
• Model of Consumer Behaviour (What is the process?)

• Characteristics Affecting Consumer Behaviour

• Distinction of loyalty
 Overview
• Variables in Foodservice Operations

• Factors Affecting a Meal Experience

• Customer Service Vs. Resource Productivity

• Mintel reports Overview

 Discussion

Identify the level of customisation of a fast food brand offer

To what extent they are willing to offer their products outside of the
stated menu?
What is the meal experience
“A series of events, both tangible and intangible, that a
customer experiences when eating out.”

“ …difficult to define exactly where a meal experience actually

starts and indeed ends”
(Davis et al: 22)

Moments of truth – any contact point

 Factors Affecting a Meal Experience
Eating out may be split into two parts:
The decision to do so
&
the decision as to what type of experience is to
be undertaken

• Food and drink on offer e.g. range of F&B

• Level of service e.g. depend on people needs
• Level of cleanliness and hygiene e.g. equipment and staff
• Perceived value for money and price
• Atmosphere of the establishment e.g. design, décor
• F&B staff
• The menu
 Food and Drink
• Focus on needs and demands of the customer

• Focus on what food and beverage different market segments require

• Opportunity to be creative (modifications of tastes, textures) as a means of

generating product differentiation

• Offering influences customers’ perceptions and expectations of the product and

consideration of the market’s needs, wants and demands

• Customers construct a package to suit their needs

Level of service : Standards of service

• Level of service
– very limited to complex with high levels of
personal attention
• Standards of service
– measure of how well the operation deliverers the
service level it is offering
Level of customer service

• Written statements of both:

– Technical specification
– physical characteristics of the products
– Service specification
– procedures and the way they are carried out 

• Often called the ‘customer service specification’

• Need for balance between maintaining customer service and resource
productivity
 Cleanliness & Hygiene

• Premises, equipment and staff

• Increased media focus and reinforcement of legislation

• Customers are prepared to complain

• Essential to ensure high standards at all times

• Design of processes and procedures

 Perceived value for money and price
• Price relates to value, and is directly related to profitability

• Prices should be set to create a quality and value perception

• Need to establish the price range customer is prepared to pay

• Establish the price range in which the operator can provide a

product
Value a personal judgement

• Good value is where the worth is perceived as

greater than the costs

• Poor value is where the costs are perceived as

greater than the worth
Cost is not just the price

• Also includes:
– not being able to go somewhere else
– transport costs
– time
– having to look and behave in a certain way
 Atmosphere
• Created through the combination of factors such as:

– Design
– Décor
– Lighting
– Heating
– Furnishings
– Acoustics and noise levels
– Other customers (proximity)
– The staff and their attitude
– Decision on policies

14
 Level of Service
• Human interface between the product and
the consumer
• Operators identify different service methods
to meet the demands of customers
• Service involves a personal interaction
between customers and staff
• Quality and authenticity of the interaction
can deliver customer benefits
• Efficiency and Conviviality (friendliness)

• EXAMPLES
Service Quality Management

Integrated service quality management model (Cousins, Foskett and Pennington,

Customer Service Vs. Resource Productivity

Customer service Resource productivity

 Variables in Foodservice Operations
Variables can be identified for different food service operations based on three
categories:

 Organizational variables
 Customer experience
 Performance measures

These groups of variables enable a systematic comparison of types of food and

beverage operations
 Organizational variables

• Legislative controls • Capacity

• Scale of operations • Staff working hours
• Marketing/merchandising • Staff organization
• Menu style and drinks list • Staff capability
• Range of choice
• Number of staff
• Opening times/service period
• Specialized service requirements
• Production methods
• Provisioning/storage methods
• Type/capacity of equipment
• Billing methods
• Service methods
• Dining arrangements • Order taking methods
• Seating time • Clearing methods
• Number of covers available • Dishwashing methods

19
 Variables in Foodservice Operations
Customer Experience Variables
• Food and drink available
• Level of service and other
services
• Price range/value for money
• Cleanliness and hygiene
• Atmosphere (décor, lighting,
air-conditioning, acoustics,
noise, size and shape of
room, other customers, staff
attitude)
Performance Measure Variables
• Seat turnover/customer throughput
• Customer average check
• Revenue per member of staff
• Productivity index
• Ratio of food and beverage sales to total sales
• Sales/profit per m2/per seat
• Sales analysis
• Departmental profit
• Stock turnover
• Stock holding
• Complaint levels
• Level of repeat business
Mintel Reports
Source: Mintel
 Factors Influencing Choice of Restaurant
Factors influencing choice of venue when eating out/ordering a takeaway/home delivery, May 2017
"Which factors are important when choosing somewhere to eat in for the following occasions? Please select
all that apply per occasion."
  Everyday meal Special occasion

  % %

High quality food 58 73

Friendly customer service 35 43

Convenient location 54 34

Attractive décor 10 30

Family friendly 23 30

Special offers 31 18

Space to hang out after meal 9 18

Quick customer service 29 16

Free Wi-Fi 10 7

None of these 7 6

Base: 1,828 internet users aged 16+ who eat in at food outlets or restaurants
Source: Lightspeed/Mintel
 Seating Preferences
Preference for type of seating arrangement, May 2017
"Which type of seating would you most prefer when eating in at a food outlet or restaurant with the following
people?"

With friends 2 55 28 10 5

With a partner 2 40 47 4 7

Alone 21 24 27 9 19

With young children 2 30 23 25 20

Counter seating Lounge seating Bistro-style seating

Communal seating Don't know

Base: 1,828 internet users aged 16+ who eat in at food outlets or restaurants
Source: Lightspeed/Mintel
 Behaviors Relating to Marketing
Behaviours towards restaurants, May 2017
"Do the following statements apply to you?"

%
I prefer restaurants that offer everyday low prices
82 18
than loyalty cards
I would use a quiet zone in a restaurant when dining
72 28
alone
I am interested in receiving discounts/special offers
70 30
through email
I have used a paper/leaflet voucher at a restaurant 51 49
I enjoy looking for restaurant special offers on the
41 59
internet (b)
I like to visit restaurants that take discount cards (a) 38 62
I have been given a gift card to spend at a
29 71
restaurant
I have used apps that update me with free gifts from
25 75
restaurants
I have received discounts/special offers after
23 77
'checking-in' at a location on social media
I have bought end-of-day food from restaurants at
21 79
discount prices

Yes No

(a) eg Tastecard
(b) eg Time Out offers
Base: 1,828 internet users aged 16+ who eat in at food outlets or restaurants
Source: Lightspeed/Mintel
 Menu Interest
Menu features that drive interest, May 2017
"Which of the following would you be interested in when eating in or ordering a takeaway from a food
outlet/restaurant?"

Customizable dishes 38

Smaller portions of classic British

32
dishes (a)

Calories on menus 26

Dishes that make me feel more

21
energetic

Flexitarian meal options (c) 21

Specials created from edible food

17
waste (b)

(a) eg mini fish and chips

(b) eg potato skins
(c) ie meals with larger portions of vegetables than meat
Base: 1,912 internet users aged 16+ who eat in at restaurants/outlets or order takeaway from restaurants/outlets
Source: Lightspeed/Mintel
 Reasons for Eating Out
REASONS FOR EATING IN AT FOOD OUTLETS OR RESTAURANTS, MAY 2017
“Why do you eat in at restaurants or food outlets? Please select all that apply.”

%
To treat myself 60
To celebrate birthdays/special occasions 57
To take a break while shopping 32
It is affordable 29
When I don't have time to cook at home 22
To save me from having to clean up after eating 18
To take advantage of a special offer/gift card 17
For a work day lunch^ 14
Other reason 10
Don't know 2

^shown to 1,137 internet users aged 16+ who eat in at food outlets or restaurants and are working
Base: 1,828 internet users aged 16+ who eat in at food outlets or restaurants
Source: Lightspeed/Mintel
 DINING COMPANIONS, MAY 2017
Dining Companions
“Who do you most typically eat in with at restaurants or food outlets? Please select one.”

Don't know/can't
Business
remember
partners/colleagues^
1%
1%

Business partners/colleagues^
By myself
12% Don't know/can't remember
By myself
Friends
Partner Friends
44% Family
20%
Partner

Family
21%

^shown to 1,137 internet users aged 16+ who eat in at food outlets or restaurants and are working

Source: Lightspeed/MintelBase: 1,828 internet users aged 16+ who eat in at food outlets or restaurants
 Behaviors towards Eating Out
BEHAVIOURS TOWARDS EATING IN OR ORDERING TAKEAWAY, MAY 2017
“To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements?”

%
Restaurants are a good space to socialise with
77 19 3
friends/family
Eating out/takeaways are a good way to enjoy
77 19 5
food you don't typically cook at home
Restaurants should use recyclable packaging for
75 22 3
takeaways/home delivery
Restaurants should make it clear where the
75 22 3
service charge goes
Trying food/drink from different restaurants is a
49 36 14
good hobby
It's better to order takeaway directly from
49 43 8
restaurants than delivery companies
Takeaways that give me free gifts for my loyalty
44 35 21
appeal to me
You can trust online reviewers to give honest
40 44 17
feedback on restaurants
It's better to pre-order and pay for a meal than
31 48 21
wait to be served

Any Agree Neither agree nor disagree Any Disagree

Base: 2,000 internet users aged 16+

Source: Lightspeed/Mintel
ATTITUDES, BY BRAND, JULY 2017
Brand Research
Offers good value

Côte
Cares about my
health/wellbeing
Innovative
A brand that I trust
Has a good
Makes me want
reputation
to go back
Has great Worth paying
customer more for
service Consistently
high quality

Widely available

This chart shows the level of association of each brand surveyed with a set of key performance attributes core to eating out brands overall. The more significant an attribute is as part of a brand’s image relative to other attributes, the nearer it will be to that attribute. If a brand is between a number of attributes, it is reasonably closely associated with each of these.
Base: internet users aged 16+ who have heard of the brand
Source: Lightspeed/Mintel
BRAND PERSONALITY – MACRO IMAGE, JULY 2017
Brand Research
Accessible Engaging
Boring Ethical
Tired Exclusive

Vibrant

Unappealing Fun

Unethical

This chart shows all brands in relation to a set of broad image attributes applicable to all categories.
Base: internet users aged 16+ who have heard of the brand
Source: Lightspeed/Mintel
BRAND PERSONALITY – MICRO IMAGE, JULY 2017
Brand Research
Impersonal Tacky

Cool
Exciting Family
Samey
Special

Responsive

Efficient Convenient
Authentic

Welcoming Friendly

Healthy

Traditional

This chart complements the wider brand image display, using a set of image traits specific to the eating out sector.
Base: internet users aged 16+ who have heard of the brand
Source: Lightspeed/Mintel
 Next Week
Eating-out and experiential consumption: a typology of
experience providers
Read the article and prepare a summary to discuss in
class
Reference list
Cousins, J.A., Foskett, D. and Pennington, A. (2011) Food and beverage management: for
the hospitality, tourism and event industries. 3rd edn. Oxford: Goodfellow.