An empirical investigation on the factors affecting consumers' attention when scanning menu of quick-service restaurants
Date of Publication
2012
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science in Industrial Engineering
College
Gokongwei College of Engineering
Department/Unit
Industrial and Systems Engineering
Thesis Adviser
Rosemary Seva
Abstract/Summary
The menu board is considered as silent salesperson of a quick-service restaurant and that most customers rely on the menu board when deciding what to buy at the point of purchase, the study on menu boards has not been largely explored. Previous researches have not investigated to determine the significant menu design factors that affect customers‘ attention when scanning quick-service restaurant menu boards. These significant factors are important in order to help menu designers identify what to prioritize when designing menu boards. Hence, this study aimed to determine the effect of size of picture, size of text, type of text, location of picture and location of text on consumers‘ attention given that attention is one way of predicting that a purchase decision will be made. In this research, the dependent variable considered is attention which is measured by mean fixation. Data collected were validated through conducting a laboratory experiment wherein two menu board prototypes were used. In the experiment, a briefing session, a personal profile, a visual condition questionnaire and a consent form were given in order to know if subjects comply with the participant profile. In the experiment, the Dikablis Wireless Eye Tracking device was used to capture the participant‗s point of gaze and eye movements while they scan the menu board. This eye tracking device must be calibrated first with the pupil of the participant. Given such, menu boards were covered at first during the process of calibration. A total of 17 participants were considered wherein participants were asked to imagine themselves inside a newly opened fast food restaurant and instructed them to scanning for as long as they want. The wireless eye tracker recorded all eye movements to determine fixations on each menu item to measure attention. Lastly, a debriefing session was conducted to capture qualitative data and to know the reasons behind their fixations while scanning the menu board and allow the subjects to explain their experiences during the experiment. At the end, a reward was given for each participant. Multiple Linear Regression analysis was used to analyze the results of the experiment The result of the study revealed the significant effects of size of picture, type of text and the horizontal location of picture on menu design. It was found that the bigger the size of the picture the higher the attention would be given by customers. Subsequently, the type of text that customers prefer is sans serif fonts like Arial. Lastly, given that participants in the experiment usually scan the menu board from left to right, the horizontal location of picture was found to have a significant effect with attention in which the closer the menu item is placed at the leftmost panel of the menu board, the higher attention would be given. In addition, based from the result, a set of menu design guidelines were constructed. Overall, applying science or understanding thought process of consumers would be one solution to address the issue on improving driving customers‘ attention to the items that restaurateurs want to sell. This research provided significant factors and design guidelines that can be used by menu board designers on how to match the thought process or information-processing of customers to capture their attention immediately. This in turn would establish new theories regarding current menu formats in quick-service restaurants catch customers‘ attention leading to purchase intent.
Abstract Format
html
Language
English
Format
Electronic
Accession Number
CDTG005136
Shelf Location
Archives, The Learning Commons, 12F Henry Sy Sr. Hall
Physical Description
1 computer disc ; 4 3/4 in.
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Recommended Citation
Gallevo, K. F. (2012). An empirical investigation on the factors affecting consumers' attention when scanning menu of quick-service restaurants. Retrieved from https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_masteral/4131
