A Study of the Effect of Music Genre and Intensity on Ethnic Menu Item Selection on a Military Dining Facility
Abstract
Restaurateurs spend millions of dollars yearly in the design, building, and renovations to their establishments. Nonetheless, very little time is spent focusing on the sales atmosphere that impacts customers purchasing behavior. In many cases, atmosphere has a greater influence over consumers purchase decisions than the product itself. One of the most easily and inexpensively adjusted element of the atmosphere is music. The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of music genre and intensity on patrons ethnic menu item selection of a military dining facility in the Southwestern United States. The extent to which ethnic music could influence associated ethnic menu items was examined. Three research questions were formulated to address this issue. The first question asked if specific ethnic music genre significantly affects patrons' selection of an associated ethnic menu item in a military dining facility. The second research question examined whether specific levels of music intensity of an ethnic music genre significantly effect patrons' selection of an associated ethnic menu item in a military dining facility. The final research question focused on the demographic traits of patrons. Did customers' demographics significantly affect their ethnic menu item selection? All three questions were analyzed using multinomial regression analysis. The experiment was conducted during the lunch meal at a military dining facility. Two ethnic meals, Italian and Mexican, were available for purchase during lunch. The ethnic music was then randomly played at two intensities - low and medium - over a period of six days. On patrons' first visit they were asked to complete a brief survey. On subsequent visits, only their entree selections were tracked. The survey was composed of questions about food preferences and demographics.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADA388151
Entities
People
- Tammy S. Hinskton
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology