Category: Restaurant

Introduction

Any business, whether in the services or goods industry, has the customer as the most important stakeholder. Organisations work hard and devise strategies to satisfy the customer. Customers on the other side are motivated by factors within their psychological core, the consumer environment, and by marketer controlled activity.

Success in a business is attained when management can understand effectively the expectation of their customers and align their services and duties to satisfy those needs. As the saying goes “a happy customer tells another while unsatisfied customer tells two others”. The phrase implies that it is much easy to lose customers than it is to gain them.

Companies that are responsive to customers’ needs and whose practices are flexible to adjust their processes with the change in customers’ preferences perform better than those who do not care or are rigid to change. The hospitality industry is currently under pressure due to high competition and changes in consumer preferences. To remain competitive in this market, a company need to ensure it satisfy its customers (Cook 2008).

Sandwiches are fast foods present in most fast food joints but the choice of one is dependent on the customer. Subway is an American Sandwich specialist company with its head office in United States of America. It has been in the business for over 40years. This paper looks into how customers make decisions on the kind of product they are going to buy; the paper will focus on the case of sandwiches from Subway.

Brief History of Subway

Subway is a leading world sandwich provider with 33318 restaurants distributed in 92 countries all over the globe. Other than itself operating from a central point, it is in the business of franchising. The restaurant was established in 1965 by a duo by the name Fred DeLuca and Dr. Peter Buck (Subway Publication 2010). The first restaurant was established in Bridgeport, Connecticut, United States of America. It is known for its fresh quality fast food. The main fast food that the company is known with is sandwiches.

Mission Statement

The mission statement of the company which doubles as its goals statement states that “Our goal is to be ranked the number one Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) worldwide while maintaining the great-tasting freshness of our products that is our trademark”.

This is the statement that the company has worked with all along and has led to a strong brand name that facilitates its entry in the franchising business (Dennis 2004). Since its incorporation, it has been involved in numerous social responsibilities and all along whether it’s a franchisee or not it’s guided by the passion to delight customers by serving fresh, delicious, made-to-order sandwiches as was the case by its incorporators.

Market Segment of Subways

The company cannot be said to have a specific class or group of people that it targets in its productions but basically it aims at the whole family production. There are packages that are said to fit more to the young generation, that is, the youth and there are those that are meant for children.

In places that it is reputable it aims at establishing the most dominant population composition so as it can produce goods in that line (Neal and Quester 2006). Products are divided into different sizes to cater for the economic welfare of the people so that the well to do and the less fortunate in the society can fit.

Subways Current Market Position

Subway is currently the world largest sandwich company. It has its branches in 92 countries both as franchised names and original company. It places its branches in strategic points where it can get a good access to its customers. To attain this position the company has embarked on policies that ensure that it remain competitive in the world markets.

Some of the ways that the company has embarked on is ensuring that it has satisfied its customers in all means (Kaplan 2008). This is in offering quality and fresh food all the time. Its location is another factor that has given the company an upper hand. It ensures that it produces fresh food. All franchised companies are supposed to abide to regulations set by the central company.

The overall attitude of a brand can be evaluated by the following mathematical formulae;

Where

A = overall brand attitude/perception

N = number of important features of a brand

B = strength of attitude that the brand has strength i

E = important features of benefit

The higher the value of the A, the stronger the brand name that a certain brand has.

Sample use of the formulae

The case of shampoo: I like a shampoo called smelling nice. I like it because;

• It smells nice
• It lasts for a long period and
• It is affordable

In a scale of 1-5, I give the level of satisfaction as 4.

Smelling nice two brands include, orange scent and flower scent;

In a range of -3 and +3, I give orange scent 1 and flower scent 3,

Totals for orange scent brand is 1 + 4 = 5, this is the attitude level I have for the product

Total for flower scent brand is 3+4= 7. This means that my attitude towards flower scent is higher/better than that towards orange scent brand.

Internal Factors That Control Customer Choice of Products

Consumer Perception and Pricing Strategy

The way a company portrays its product to the customer determines whether a certain good/service will be appreciated or not. By presentation it means that the product that a company produces should be responsive to consumer needs. Subway looks at this in four angles; the price that subways sell its product is influenced by different factors and the most determinant is the behaviour of the customers.

The restaurants marketers are aware of the consumer trends and use them to price their goods accordingly. For example, in Airports where people of a higher class are expected to be found, the company sells relatively expensive. This method of price determination is called price differentiation. The social class that the product is targeted will influence the price of the products.

The price parameter can be approached from the actual product price or the possibility that the product can be divided into smaller parts, not necessarily cheap but the need for this is to enhance affordability. From a broader point of view the market can be divided into three sections; the high class, the middle class, and the lower class. The high class are not interested in how expensive the product is but the point of interest is the utility that the product is going to give.

When they are buying things they are looking for something extra that can make them feel special and different. To target this group, the product should try to show how it is different from others, the price can be set high since the possibility is that the group will think that the higher the price the higher the utility. When they are the target group, the price should be harmonized with the competitor’s prices.

Consumers have different perception as far as price of a commodity is concerned. There are customers who believe that if a product is sold expensively then it probably is of a higher quality. This belief is mostly noted with the high class people. This is the notion that Subway uses to sell relatively expensive on places where the well to do in the society are likely to be found.

In this era of industrialization and computers, the living standard of people is on an upward rise. They have varying expectations from fast foods joints and understanding this will go a long way in satisfying them. People are adopting modern methods of lifestyle to a point that they are creating recreational time. In these recreations the foods that are relied upon are snack and junk food like those produced by subway.

This has led to an increase in sales; however, there are campaigns that are against fast food joints focusing on the health risk offered by their products. The trend has created the perception that when someone is going out, the food to carry should be fast foods. Subway have realised this and have take – away services to capture this market. Understanding the trend is important to evolve by it.

Customer availability and advertising

Subways sandwiches penetration in the market is affected by the promotional strategies that the company adopts. Promotions are aimed at persuading customers and potential ones to use a certain company’s products. Where the customer is more likely to be found should be the place that the goods are provided. If the target customers are people who value recognition, most of them are the high class, they are more likely to be found in the shopping malls pooch area. The products/advertising materials should be displayed on those places.

The possibility that these kinds of clients will be in the back street shops is unlikely and thus the products should not be availed there. Subways have locations in international airports and posy areas to target the high class in the society. The common market is also a place that they are unlikely to go. If the products are targeting the lower class, they should be distributed in the super markets that are expected to be less expensive that the shopping malls. There are also some places that are regarded to be the high class estates.

When developing promotional campaigns customers are persuaded by the character in the adverts. For example the youth can be well captured by modellers or musicians while the old people are more likely to be captured by politically successful people. Subway has noted this need and has developed advertising campaigns aimed at benefiting from the perception. The adverts for a certain targets group are made in places where they live.

For example, Subways have its outlets in shopping malls and in major towns to ensure that people have a large access to it. This is in the domestic and international countries that it has invested in. Subways use different ways of promoting its products. The way to adopt in a particular period of time and place is determined by the target customer that it aims to get. There are different factors which motivate customers differently; knowing the correct tool for a certain market is the key to successful promotion.

To engage in a promotion, the first thing to understand is the availability of the target customers. Where are they likely to be found? Are they free in the mornings, is it in the afternoon? After realizing their availability and the fact that they can give you time to sell your products then know the age of the market, the promotion for the youth should be designed to target the youth.

The behaviour of the youth is that they don’t want something that feels so common, let the promotion give a different good feel on the customer. If the promotion is for the introduction of a new product, then a lot should be invested in assuring the client of better quality to that offered by the competitor.

The existence of opinion leaders should be evaluated. The customers are likely to follow the opinion leaders in making their decisions. The existence of groups in the society and their matching lifestyles can also be of great use. The way the consumers react is that they will follow the others. Investment should be made in this area.

If the promotion is for an already existing product in the market, the approach should be from the angle that we are thanking our customers. If the customer feels appreciated and recognized he will develop loyalty and influence others to follow his way. There are times that the company uses road shows selling its products along the street to target and create more awareness. These have an effect on making customers aware of the availability of the products.

Consumer Theories

Consumer Preference Theory

Under the theory, for a customer to buy a certain product, the product must be outstanding among the options that the market offers. To be outstanding, there must be continuous products innovation and an innovation which ensures that products can be differentiated. When a customer is able to differentiate a certain company’s products then the company is able to self market itself and lead to increased customer satisfaction. Creativity and product innovation comes handy in creating product differentiation.

Subway is known for its international recognised sandwiches. To ensure that it remain competitive and create a more customer satisfactory goods, the company keeps inventing and improving the quality of sandwiches they serve. When a company is developing a product, there should be the need that the product is supposed to fulfil.

Fast food joints are places where consumers should get a quick service; this implies that they should have an effective queue flow to ensure that they have ready products adequate for the consumers at a particular point in time and still the products have not stayed in the restaurant for many hours. The trend that the customers follow at one given point is a change to the product that gives them a higher utility. When the product is developed, the team should always invest in offering something extra to the consumer.

On the other hand, if the customers are not much interested in the ingredients or they even are not aware of the ingredients, the focus should be the outcome that the product will give. The packaging of the product is also influenced by the consumer behaviour. What does the target customers expect, what are they likely to be moved by? What is the age of the target customer? If the target customer are children – by extension the parents, the products should have attractive bright colours that are more likely to attract the children.

If the target market is the youth then the fashion should be of emphasis. The packaging should be one that gives a sense of superiority to the product. The youth will always want to have a better product than the peers. Effort should be made to ensure that the product is portrayed to give the impression of superiority. When subway is packing its products, it has rebranded bags that portray superiority. This is another form of advertising.

The language on the product packaging should be targeted at the desired group age. If the prices have reduced and are lower than the market prices it is important to include them on the package. In all the marketing of the products whether they are target to the high class, middle class, low class, the old, and the youth the marketer should assure the customers of the availability of the products at all times. Understanding the target market segment cannot be overlooked (Anon not dated).

Neoclassical Economic Theory

The theory assumes that customers are rational and make choices on the products they buy from an informed point of view. This is to illustrate that if customers have to continue using Subways products, then the company should invest in increasing the value and standards of their products.

Other than taking a speciality in one area, the company can tap more customers when it adopts a strategy that promotes the development of its main products as it diversifies. By doing this, the customers will get a one stop restaurant where they can get their goods more efficiently. The last experience that a customer had on any Subway branch will affect the choice he is going to make next time.

According to neoclassical theory, one of the strategies that companies should embrace is diversification. Instead of concentrating in one line of business; sandwiches, Subways should have other fast foods like coffee. In striking for the right opportunities, the company will have to analyze its main market rival.

The strategies being employed by the competitor should be critically assessed and evaluated for necessary counter action. In addition, the general plan of the competitor in a bid to control the market is a vital toolkit that the company can use to estimate the competitive edge of the market (Cook 2008). Management should always be active in learning the current trends in the market and ask itself questions like, why is the competitor able to lower the price of this commodity?

Do they have access to cheaper raw materials or is it that quality of the product has been compromised and can be offered at a lower price than normal market value? Finally on opportunities, the marketing department will have to investigate the company’s managerial structure both current and in the past and give a detailed findings as well as possible conclusions on the same (Hanssens, Rust & Srivastava 2009).

Halo Models and Summary Construct Model

Verlegh & Ittersum (2001) explain that there are two ways/models that perception towards a country’s products can be looked at; halo models and summary construct model. In halo model people make a general perception of a certain country out of the little they are exposed to.

They necessarily need not to have a hand on experience of products from the country but the speculation and little information that they have developed their attitude. For example customer perception is likely to be affected by what they heard their peers say. If they heard a positive note about the company then they are likely to use the company’s product when they are in a position. To tap this perception, Subways should aim at developing a strong brand name (Paley 1999).

When consumers use summary construct model, they are guided by a certain experience that they have had and lasts in their memory for a long period of time. A prior hand-on experience is seen as the known point of view and from it a generalization is derived. This calls for service and products improvements to ensure that (Han 1990).

Conclusion and Recommendation

Customers are the main force behind the success of a company. There is need for a company to understand its target market and the kind of motivation that can be used on the customers for better results. In the fast food industry, the case is no different where customers increasingly are demanding for more satisfaction. This is attained if companies are willing to produce consumer focused goods.

Despite subways enjoying as the leading sandwich provider, there are other companies that have come up with the aim of entering the same business. To ensure that it maintains its stand then it has to utilize its available opportunities well. Opportunities for the company are dependent on both the internal and external assessment criteria of the company’s profile of operation. The company can still optimize on the various opportunities available to bring about sustainable growth through effective competition.

Customer’s perception is shaped by the environment they are living in as well as the internal processes of a company. In the case of Subways, it should ensure that it improves its internal process in terms of product differentiation and offering fresh foods. Consumers are affected by the general perception that people who have had an experience with a company hold. This calls for efficient and satisfactory services from subways always.

Reference List

Anon. Not dated. Buy A Franchise: Advantages And Disadvantages Of Franchising. Business Link.

Cook, S. 2008. Customer Care Excellence: How to Create an Effective Customer Focus. London, Kogan Page Publishers.

Dennis, G. 2004. Subway Sets Out To Torpedo Mcdonald’s. The Daily Telegraph (London).

Han, M C. 1990. Testing the Role of Country Image in Consumer Choice Behaviour. European Journal of Marketing, 24(6): 24-40.

Hanssens, D., Rust, R., & Srivastava, R. 2009. Marketing Strategy and Wall Street: Nailing Down Marketing’s Impact. Journal of Marketing, 73(6), 115-118. Web.

Kaplan, D. 2002. Jared’s Back Plugging for Subway. Adweek Eastern Edition, p. 8.

Neal, C. and Quester, P. 2006. Consumer Behaviour: Implications for Marketing Strategy. Australia, McGraw-Hill.

Paley, N. 1999. The Manager’s Guide to Competitive Marketing Strategies. London, CRC Press.

Subway Publication 2010. Official SUBWAY Restaurants Web Site. Web.

Verlegh, P W J & Ittersum, K.V. 2001. The Origin of the Spices: The Impact of Geographic Product Origin on Consumer Decision Making. In Frewer, L, E Risvik, & H Schifferstein, editors, Food, People and Society. Berlin, Springer.

Originally, the lighting design is an important element of environmental design, and when related to dining places, lighting can be considered as one of the most important design features, drawing attention and stimulating particular moods. In the light of the fact that lighting design is one of the key components of interior creation, it should be emphasized that the concepts, which are used in this aspect of design are subjected to essential changes in accordance with the time trends.

The lighting design is an important element of environmental design, and when related to dining places, lighting can be considered as one of the most important design features, drawing attention and stimulating particular moods. The efficiency and the types of lighting can be considered as recurring themes in many sources of literature, where generally speaking, in the 21st-century lighting is a complementary part of a building and interior spaces that is efficient, affordable, and comfortable (Department of Energy, 2003). This research was arranged on the basis of annual observations and inspections by the department, consequently, as an essential part of the cost-saving features, the integration of natural and electric lighting is a major part of a modern dining interior space design. Thus, common elements of lighting design can be seen through the maintenance of balance between the three elements, cost, type, and implementation, which can be examined through the following review.

The efficiency of lighting can be outlined in the form of strategies, where the Office of Building Technologies Program established design recommendations for designers, architectures, and builders, related to the reduction of energy use. For fluorescent sources such recommendations include using fixtures for fluorescent lamps (CFL), using Underwriters Laboratory (UL) for recessed lights in ceiling with unconditioned space, light wall colors, and maximization of daylight use (Department of Energy, 2003). The use day light was specifically was outlined in (Bachman, 2004), where the author argued that the new technologies in lighting sources are approaching the efficiency of day lighting systems. In that regard, the author pointed to that the elements of successful design integration will include widely saturating and full spectrum daylight and “well-controlled and effectively distributed electrical illumination” (Bachman, 2004). Originally, the research was aimed to discover the new trends in the lighting design, and was based on the common practices of design.

Accordingly, the author outlined that essential elements of a successful integration, which will reduce harm of such scenarios such as the daylight is too dim, while the artificial illumination is over-illuminating, are blending, dimming or task/ambient separation. Additionally, the author pointed to the fact that day lighting techniques are not limited to windows and their positions, where “Mirrored heliostats, sun tracking fiber optics,… and a host of similar inventions are being used…” (Bachman, 2004)

Regarding the efficiency approach, in (Ozturk, 2008), the article argues that the cost efficiency characteristics are not only related to the energy costs of the sources, but also to the light losses, which are not contributing to the visual needs of a place. In that regard, the article analyzed the characteristics of good lighting conditions, energy production, and the light distribution, in order to examine the light wastefulness. The main design factors outlined through examination were”luminance, correlated color temperature and color rendering, light direction and shadow effect, luminance distribution, and glare restriction” (Ozturk, 2008). Oztuc grounds his research in the issues of physical reasoning of the location of light sources, thus, confirming o disproving the latest design tendencies. The findings of the article indicated that a created definition called “Good Vision Efficiency” (GVE) could be used to assess the losses when designing the lighting for a particular setting, with consideration to the factors outlined in the study. Addressing the various innovations and strategies in lighting design in the last years, it can be stated that one of the approaches is in the issue of sustainability, where a balance between the energy consumed, the quantity of light, and the type of light produced is an essential consideration in the design (Dorothy L. Fowles, 2008).

The factor of the quality of light, as stated in (Fowles, 2008), is concerned with “having the right amount of light in the right place” (Dorothy L. Fowles, 2008). Analyzing the issue of sustainability of lighting design, the author examined several elements of design related to the issue sustainability, the author indicated such techniques as adding a sparkle (i.e., small amounts of bright light) while reducing the general light level, providing “light-valued surfaces for ceilings, walls and floors”, using indirect, direct/indirect, or low-intensity direct lighting to eliminate the discomfort in lighting contrast, and control of glare (Dorothy L. Fowles, 2008). The latter were also outlined in (Ozturk, 2003), where the study evaluated the effect of the differences in luminance/brightness of surfaces on interior perception. The findings indicated that the perception of the interior is affected by the luminance distribution of the inner surfaces, which implications indicate the necessity to control the luminance through the determination of the reflectances.

In (Phillip, 2009), the lighting design principles were outlined specifically as elements of stimulating the restaurant and dining environment. As a part of the review in the work, Philips combined the aforementioned element as daylight, ambient light, and sparkle, stating that differentiation of lighting sources should be accustomed to the specific areas in the restaurants, e.g. bright light in washing and receiving areas, while lower lights can be lowered in areas such as waiting areas, and between dining tables (Phillips, 2009). The statistical data, which was used by the author may be derived from the general designing tendencies of the restaurant business, consequently, the research discovers the latest trends, and is based on the possible forecasts in the lighting design trends.

It can be seen that most of the studies are too general in terms of the lighting strategies related to the restaurant/ dining setting, where such elements as perception and comfort are not measured in the context of diners’ responses. Additionally, it should be mentioned that cost-saving features in a restaurant should be perceived in another perspective, where efficiency can be reduced in favor of architectural, environmental, or interior design elements, principles, and atmosphere. Additionally, the differentiation of dining spaces, between café, fast food restaurants, and hotel restaurants implies a differentiation between the functions, designs, and accordingly different considerations when implementing.

The timeframes, which were used for the research entail the period 2003-2009. Originally, this period is featured with the deepest ever changes in the design trends. If the interior changes were minor, in comparison with the tendencies of the previous decade, the modifications of the light design were explained by appearing of the new types of indoor and outdoor lighting. The research was arranged in several restaurants of Europe, and the tendencies of different parts of this geographic region were compared.

These are the high-class restaurants, and student cafes, which offer the widest range of meals and services, and are aimed at different target audiences. Originally, the main concept of all the types of restaurants, independently of the target audience and price category, is to create an atmosphere of coziness and comfort, as people often come not only to satisfy their hunger or thirst, but, mainly spend some time with a collocutor, or in a company of friends.

The restaurants and cafes, which were examined, are the following:

• Golden Moon, Skopje (Macedonia)
• Tsukernya, Lvov (Ukraine)
• Yolkala Palkala, Tallinn (Estonia)
• Yozin Z Bazin, Vizovice (Czech Republic)

Originally, Yolkala Palkala and Golden Moon are high-class restaurants, while Tsukernya and Yozin Z Bazin are cafes, popular among the youth. Nevertheless, all the restaurants have combined the aforementioned element as daylight, ambient light, and sparkle, stating that differentiation of lighting sources should be accustomed to the specific areas in the restaurants, e.g. bright light in washing and receiving areas, while lower lights can be lowered in areas such as waiting areas, and between dining (Phillips, 2009). These concepts of lighting are used dependently on the time of the day and season, as various effects and aims are pursued in entertaining the guests. Some types of lighting are used for the open-air summer grounds, the others may be used only for indoor lighting.

As for the themes, which are used in the research, it should be emphasized that these are associated with the types of interiors, the concepts of lighting design, and the matters of coziness, associated with the described concepts. Originally, there is a strong necessity to mention, that the general theme, which is used in lighting design is the light-valued surfaces for ceilings, walls, and floors. This is the most trendy approach towards lighting, and this theme is used in different variations, with the only aim – to minimize the space, which lighters often place and create the atmosphere of the cozy, comfortable, and spacious place, where massive lighters do not create an impression of pressure.

It can be concluded that the main subject in lighting design in recent years is mainly directed toward increasing efficiency while reducing costs. In that regard, it should be mentioned that lighting is perceived as a part of the overall design of the place. Accordingly, the considerations of the design are made to be intact with the general principles and elements of the interior design space, such as constructions, architecture, energy, budget, cost, environmental designing, and interior decorating. Nevertheless, it can be seen that sustainability is a major trend in lighting, where the type of lighting is measured in terms of its cost-saving characteristics and the way it can be implemented effectively in the right place. Thus, the main direction of research should be established through narrowing the area of examination toward specific variables, which might require designing specific tools of measurement.

References

Bachman, L. (2004). The Perfect Blend. Lighting Design +Application, 34(4), 65-69.

Department of Energy (2003). Efficient Lighting Strategies. Office of building technologies program.

Dorothy L. Fowles (2008). Sustainable Lighting: Watts it all about?. Fowles Design. Web.

Ozturk, L. D. (2003). The Effect of Luminance Distribution on Interior Perception. Architectural Science Review, 46(3), 233

Ozturk, L. D. (2008). Determination of Energy Losses in Lighting in Terms of Good Vision Efficiency. Architectural Science Review, 51(1), 39.

Phillips, E. M. (2009). An Approach to Design A Stimulating Restaurant Environment and Experience that Informs and Inspires Its Patrons About Nature, the Environment, and Sustainability. Unpublished Thesis, Auburn University.

The restaurant report outlined a number of violations that were discovered during the restaurant review. In this essay twelve of these violations will be discussed.

First, there is the issue of insufficient hot water. Hot water is used mainly for hand washing and dish washing and may also be used for other cleaning activities.

Its inadequacy or lack can be classified as a Microbiological hazard. Dirty hands are a perfect means of spreading germs. Increasing the amount of hot water can serve as both a short and long term corrective measure.

Handling ready to eat foods with bare-hands is a Microbiological hazard. Germs can be easily spread through the hands from one surface to another or to food. This can be corrected by use of sanitized gadgets that are specifically designed for that purpose.

Storing foods at inappropriate temperatures is another Microbiological hazard. Micro-organism multiplication is highly likely when food is not stored at the recommended temperature. Also food poisoning may occur when food stored at improper temperatures is consumed. If this happens it will be termed as a chemical hazard.

Cockroaches in flour spread germs in the flour. This is a Microbiological hazard. When the roaches are in flour, they are likely to be cooked together with the flour. This is a chemical hazard as the food may turn out toxic. The cockroach itself will be a foreign object in food which is another hazard.

As a short term correction the flour should be discarded and a parasite and pest control program should be initiated right away. For the long term such food items as flours, sugars and the like should be kept in tightly lidded containers.

Improper hand-washing procedures will lead to multiplication and spread of disease causing pathogens. It is a Microbiological hazard. For both long and short terms, the hand washing procedures should be revised.

Packaged chicken nuggets stored on a chair are likely to collect pathogens. This is a Microbiological hazard and can be corrected by ensuring that all packaged food either raw or cooked, is stored appropriately.

Dish machine sanitizing improperly is a Microbiological hazard. If the dishes are not sanitized properly, they are likely to transfer germs to the food served in them. If the machine is not working properly, hot water with sanitizer can be used in the short term as the machine awaits repair or replacement.

When the paper-towel dispenser at hand sink not working people may resort to using cloth towels which spread germs very easily. This is a Microbiological hazard. The dispenser should be repaired or replaced and better.

Ice-scoop handle touching ice means that germs from the hands of the many people who touch it will be transferred to the ice, making this a Microbiological hazard. Invest in a long handled ice scoop.

Employee food left on prep table puts the food at risk of getting foreign objects. The prep table is used for preparing food mainly raw food. All food ready for consumption should be kept on the dining table.

The rest room harbors many types of germs and it is very easy to transfer these germs too food in poor hygiene conditions.

Use of hand sanitizer only is not enough especially when handling food and after visiting the rest room. This is a Microbiological hazard and can be corrected by washing hands with soap and rinsing under hot running water.

Placing unlabelled food in walk-in may cause confusion during service. This is a chemical hazard as some people may end up consuming foods that they are sensitive to. All food should be labeled.

All microbiological hazards encourage spread of germs which cause diseases mainly related to the digestive system. These include diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pains and nausea.

More serious infections such as jaundice and hepatitis A can be transmitted by improper hand washing after visiting the rest room. Chemical hazards may cause life threatening reactions to food, due to allergies and sensitivity and/or intoxication.

In 2014, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued legislative support for calorie labeling on restaurants’ menus. The intervention focused on increasing customer’s awareness of the food they consume and maintaining the transparency of the calorie intake per each meal. Although calorie labeling increases the costs of menu development and does not provide any distinction between beneficial and empty calories, it still draws consumers’ attention to calorie content, its influence on their health and disease management.

The importance of calorie labeling is in its ability to provide the consumer with the exact number of calories per meal, nutrition information about the meal, and support his or her decision toward a healthier choice. It does not directly change consumer behavior but raises awareness about their eating habits, thus fueling consumers’ demand for healthier items in the menu and potentially preventing the development of chronic illnesses. Moreover, consumers tend to underestimate the number of calories they take each day. Such menus will help them navigate their standard course of meals and see whether it has to be changed or not.

Another important aspect is that these menus will help people with chronic illnesses support healthy behavior. Obesity can increase the risk of developing diabetes, hypertension, stroke, heart disease, etc. Consumers with diabetes can evaluate the facts and added sugar in a meal, as well as carbohydrates, which increase blood glucose levels. People with obesity can compare the number of calories in different kinds of meals, choosing the one that is healthier and beneficial for them due to their condition. They can also find out whether the meal they prefer is not too high-calorie. If a person with obesity follows a specific diet and lifestyle interventions, he or she will be able to decrease their daily calorie intake to lose weight.

It is important to be health-conscious for all consumers, not only those with or at risk of gaining chronic illnesses. Research shows, however, that calorie labeling together with the traffic light system (the division of meals into best, careful, and limited choices) have more impact on people with unhealthy eating behaviors than those already aware of the problem. Nevertheless, it is important to increase the number of individuals aware of the impact of calorie intake on their daily lives by displaying them on menus. First, it will draw the attention of those unfamiliar with the issue of their food choices. Second, it will support those who are attentive to their calorie intake. Third, it will spread the general awareness of calorie intake among the American population and influence the obesity epidemic.

The problem with calorie labeling is that it is costly for chain restaurants and might not be supported; some of the meals will become less popular, affecting restaurants’ revenues. Restaurant chains might provide wrong calorie labeling to increase the consumption of a particular meal or refuse to provide detailed data about it. Calorie labeling can lead to a public backlash, thus negatively influencing the image and market share of chain restaurants. Nevertheless, to remain competitive, they will have to add new, healthier items to maintain their market share and consumer loyalty. Consumers’ choice of healthier foods will allow restaurants to increase sales by introducing a new line of items suitable for dieting.

To conclude, calorie labeling will help consumers evaluate nutritional information of meals, estimate their daily calorie intake, pay attention to their food choices, support healthy behaviors in case of chronic illnesses such as diabetes and obesity, and make conscious choices about their health. Although calorie labeling increases the costs for restaurant chains and does not always use the traffic light system, it still draws consumers’ attention to calorie content, its impact on their health and disease management. Calorie labeling should be supported to address the epidemic of obesity in the USA and maintain a healthy approach toward one’s own body.

Introduction

The term “simple” is an adequate description of the website of 1789, it has a simple purple background, the graphics aren’t too flashy, it presents just enough information without overwhelming the average website visitor and has interesting functions in the form of an online reservation tool, descriptions on what products are available and a brief overview of the restaurant itself to entice people to come and try the food. Unfortunately, when looking at the section for foods and wine a slight problem appears wherein the food and wine list is placed in a downloadable PDF file instead of merely being written on the site itself.

While it may be true that downloadable PDF files are a convenient way of sharing information the fact remains that most internet goes, myself included, would prefer the convenience of merely reading information on a site without having to do any other action. In fact, it really wouldn’t take much effort to type the information and it would make customers that much more likely to go to restaurant. On the other hand this section of the site does have a rather interesting feature, placed prominently on the right hand portion of the site is a button where customers can make a reservation to the restaurant, this is actually a rather brilliant idea since it encourages people to take action immediately rather than give them the option of changing their minds afterwards.

Use of Social Networking

It must also be noted that the restaurants use of a facebook and twitter social media sharing button is a very good idea. Not only does this help customers to tell their friends and family about the website but it acts as a free method of advertising for 1789. With more and more people integrating themselves into online forms of social media having this sort of tool on a website is almost a prerequisite in order to make its name known without having to utilize costly and expensive online and marketing campaigns.

Display and Functions

Another interesting aspect of this portion of the site is the graphic at the top half of the page which features are delicious looking dish of what appears to be meat, from my perspective this really would encourage people to eat at the restaurant since it looks quite yummy and delicious. Overall what I would recommend is that the restaurant change the way in which consumers view information on the site by placing all the names of food, what they consist of and how much they would cost on the food and wine page in a written rather than downloadable format.

Furthermore, it is recommended that the company increase the number of food items on display in the food and wines section, the reason for this is quite obvious, if people are to enticed into eating in a particular location it is usually a good idea to show pictures of more than just a few food items so as to create a visual “buffet” for them to make them hunger and year for the food even more. It must also be noted that if 1789 remains insistent in having a PDF format for the menu there are possible ways to make less “complicated” Websites such as Scribd do offer free online services where a PDF reader can be embedded onto a website for free using their tools and as such this would enable customers to either download or read the PDF file directly on the site itself.

It should be noted that the research carried out on Shavasana Hammock Café has allowed detecting new trends and initiatives both in the industry and marketing in particular. Importantly, the restaurant business is developing rapidly, and leadership needs to react accordingly to ensure the company’s marketing practices are reflective of the changes. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the main trends in the industry and anticipate the future of marketing.

Restaurant Industry

An analysis of the industry has shown that mono concepts and specialized restaurants, in particular, are gaining greater popularity. Visitors want to observe that the interior of the restaurant is combined with the overall concept of the menu (Pakroo, 2018). This creates a space with an immersive atmosphere in which clients can fully relax and enjoy the food they are served. Moreover, the mono concept is one of the main gastronomic trends in the industry. A restaurant can offer one specialized dish or serve only one type of food that will surely attract new visitors and make them come back again.

Marketing Tendencies

In terms of marketing, an interesting trend may be observed as well, which is an orientation at a holistic strategy. This approach implies shifting the focus from the product or service to the customer as well as from the sale of goods to customer satisfaction (Haines, 2016). Such an initiative requires the company to expand its understanding of the needs and lifestyle of its customers (Traitler, Coleman, & Burbidge, 2017).

The study of Shavasana Hammock Café showed that the company decided to offer customers comfortable hammocks instead of the usual sofas to better reflect the philosophy of both the place and the clients. Thus, the holistic approach assumes that organizations can no longer consider buyers as consumers of goods and services, and they need to find new ways to serve clients based on their lifestyle.

Apart from that, this trend affects not only the way the company perceives its customers but also how employees of each department contribute to customer satisfaction. Clients experience negative emotions and discomfort when the goods are delivered late, if they face poor service, when the invoices are written out with errors or when other problems occur. The goal of a holistic marketing approach is to encourage each employee to regard consumers as their top priority and help confirm the brand’s reputation (Alon, Jaffe, Prange, & Vianelli, 2017). Thus, holistic marketing is a trend that assumes that all components of the process are considered as a whole and not as a combination of individual elements.

It is important that management should assess the impact of all company operations on all parties, including consumers, employees, distributors, dealers, and suppliers, and not just on main shareholders. Any group that is not interested in the success of the business can ruin plans and hinder the development of the company (Traitler et al., 2017). Holistic marketing encourages enterprises to cooperate closely with all the participants to deliver value to the customer. This tendency suggests that organizations will take a step towards restructuring all business structures to achieve the closest cooperation between the consumer and the company.

Conclusion

Thus, it can be concluded that the research and analysis of Shavasana Hammock Café have revealed interesting perspectives in the restaurant industry and marketing practices. Businesses strive to satisfy their customers by delivering goods and services in an environment that will be reflective of clients’ lifestyles. This may be achieved through new holistic initiatives that aim at the greater engagement of all stakeholders and closer cooperation with customer groups.

References

Alon, I., Jaffe, E., Prange, C., & Vianelli, D. (2017). Global marketing: Contemporary theory, practice, and cases (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.

Haines, S. (2016). The new manager’s survival guide: Everything you need to know to succeed in the corporate world. New York, NY: McGraw Hill Professional.

Pakroo, P. H. (2018). The small business start-up kit for California (12th ed.). M. Stewart (Ed.). Berkeley, CA: Nolo.

Traitler, H., Coleman, B., & Burbidge, A. (2017). Food industry R&D: A new approach. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Introduction

In all entrepreneurship projects the decision making principles ascribed to it will either make or break the potential business. Success in all ventures is determined by how well the venture is planned, what goals are set in the beginning, how it plans to run its operations and finally what are its plans towards mitigating risk.

For this venture, the Al Hallab restaurant chain, the chosen decision making principles is that of effectuation whose tenets are based on controlling the future through meticulous planning in situations where there is a certain degree of uncertainty. In this case the uncertainty is whether or not a restaurant that specializes in Lebanese food will be able to become a success in markets that are already inundated with various restaurants with the same theme.

The reason why Al Hallab is an effectuation entrepreneur can be determine due to these three factors:

Patchwork Quilt: The basic product of the restaurant is Lebanese food yet it had gained main stream popularity in various consumer sectors despite the availability of similar types of food in other restaurants. The patchwork quilt principle of effectuation emphasizes the creation of something new through existing means.

That is exactly what was done with the Al Hallab restaurant chain wherein the existing method of cooking Lebanese food was enhanced and brought into modern day mainstream consumption by modernizing its overall look and method of preparation as well as the ambience of the restaurant. As such the restaurant chain was able to discover a new way of achieving success by reinventing the way Lebanese food is consumed.

Affordable Loss: The concept of affordable loss can be described in terms of committing to a particular business plan with the intent of focusing on a particular consumer base and accepting that you will lose other types of customers. This can be seen is the emphasis of the Al Hallab restaurant chain on serving only Lebanese food. This means that it is forgoing the possibility of gaining other types of consumers by merely focusing on the type of consumers that enjoy eating Lebanese food.

Pilot in the Plane: The concept of the pilot in the plane revolves around the concept of people and service and being the prime drivers of business operations rather than trying to focus on external opportunities such as producing a particular product at time when it is in demand and continuously shifting production to different types of products as demand changes without ascribing to a particular type of product.

In the case of Al Hallab the focus is completely on the production and sale of Lebanese food despite the fact that it is losing consumers to other types of business with a more varied selection of products.

Problems that Need to be Addressed with the Venture

Market Saturation

An investigation of the various areas near a particular Al Hallab restaurant reveals that on average the concept of a restaurant serving Lebanese food in locations such as KSA, Lebanon or Dubai is actually quite common. Al Hallab is not the only restaurant within a specific area that serves Lebanese food and at times it is not the most affordable.

There are various restaurants that serve the exact same type of food yet are able to do so at lower prices. While it can be argued that the ambience of Al Hallab is better than the other locations the fact remains that due to the recent financial crisis various consumers located within Dubai and Lebanon have started changing their buying habits into a more conservative route due to the economic uncertainty affecting local and foreign markets.

Combining the change in consumer behavior with the offerings of competitors near various Al Hallab restaurants presents a distinct problem that the venture must overcome in the near future if it is to stay in business.

Changing Tastes

In relation to changes in consumer buying behavior is a distinct change in consumer eating habits. As evidenced by recent reports on consumer buying behavior within the U.A.E. it can be seen that as of late consumers have been flocking to various fast food restaurants and establishments due to the convenience and affordability such types of food provide.

While it may be true that the areas such as KSA, Lebanon and Dubai have had a long history of consuming Lebanese cuisine the fact remains that due to pop culture influences people have been increasingly turning towards modern rather than traditional eating establishments.

What this means for traditional Lebanese restaurants such as the Al Hallab chain is that a growing percentage of its consumer base are starting to shift away from eating at the restaurant towards eating in other establishments that have a more “modern’ flare. Another distinct problem is the fact that as of late new generations of consumers do not have the same tastes as the older generation, as a result restaurants such as Al Hallab find themselves with an aging consumer base that may run out as time passes.

Poor Customer Service

While the quality of the food is unquestionable the level of customer service at Al Hallab leaves much to be desired. Various online restaurant review websites as well as general consumer opinion reveal that it is widely known that the customer service at Al Hallab is terrible.

This ranges from gruff unsociable waiters, inefficient staff, unanswered phone calls to a plethora of other similar types of behavior that are discourage people from continuously visiting the establishment. With other choices available in various other restaurants within KSA, Lebanon and Dubai the service at Al Hallab definitely needs to be improved otherwise the chain may lose customers to places with better customer service.

Possible Solutions to Indicated Problems

One of the first problems that the venture must overcome is the concept that an Al Hallab restaurant does not have good customer service. Various studies show that consumers pick restaurants due to a variety of choices however customer service ranks among the top reasons aside from ambience and the taste of the food. While Al Hallab does not have any problems in relation to the taste of its products the fact remains that its poor customer service skills is detrimental towards more people visiting its various locations.

Word of mouth goes a long way towards either promoting a business or causing it t close down due to bad press. Based on this one of the first steps needed to be done by the venture is to have all its employees undergo extensive customer services training in order to improve the quality of service of the restaurant and encourage more consumers to come to the restaurant.

The second problem that needs to be addressed is the changing tastes of the consumer market. Based on this what is needed for the venture is to possibly establish an extensive marketing campaign within a local area in order to encourage people to come and eat in the restaurant.

The third problem is the market saturation of similar restaurants offering the same type of food. In this particular case in order to properly establish a restaurant in a particular location a market analysis must first be conducted in order to ensure that there are few competitors within the general area and that if an Al Hallab restaurant were to enter into that particular area it would immediately become a success.

After examining the different restaurants present at Boise and scrutinizing the diverse backgrounds of the population residing in the city, it is notable that the largest population emanate from East and Central Africa. I was convinced to augment the quantity of ethnic food produced in such locations. Additionally, I noted that the industry provides insufficient categories of the ethnic food, which the majority of these people adore most.

The idea of ethnic food is not new in the market since a proportion of restaurants in the city already offer such foods. However, the industry has not yet utilized the idea fully due to inefficient information and know how on preparing most of the ethnic foods from these specified locations.

Boise is amid the swiftly emerging cosmopolitan cities in Idaho. This consequently eases the entire process of marketing the idea. Since the city comprises individual from diverse ethnic and cultural settings, it will be effortless conducting the marketing. It will be crucial to formulate a strategy aimed at sensitizing them on the significance of meeting and partaking the food together.

I am certain that customers will prefer my idea because of the uniqueness depicted in my services. In respect to the above, the restaurant’s theme will take a centre stage in the entire food provision process.

The shrewd use of colors that fully depict the exact appearance of Eastern Africa hotels will significantly contribute to the escalation of customers. Furthermore, the design of the dining room alongside the combinations of a variety of food will attract multitudes of individuals. The Boise city has a longing for ethnic taste thus the sustained visit of individuals in search for ethnic foods.

Being a cosmopolitan city, Boise comprises of people from varied backgrounds. A recent study designated a growth in capacity of immigrants from Middle Eastern community. Therefore, many individuals from such areas have settled at different parts of Boise, thus the incline of the targeted market. In addition, the market niche will comprise of other groups residing at nearby locales.

A number of qualifications that I posses will significantly facilitate the entire process in pursuing a business in this niche. Having previously undertaken great responsibilities in offering the same services in a different restaurant, the challenges anticipated will be minimal. Additionally, I am proficient in restaurant management since I undertook such classes at college. Largely, my father has worked in the same field for an elongated period; I will rely strongly on his undisputed advises for achievement of my goals.

The two key personal goals for the next five years are incrementing my income and achieving personal satisfaction. The essence of devising the current idea was to gain financial independence. Consequently, the profits obtained from my business will resolve the above concern. In addition, the business success will eventually result into personal satisfaction. For a long duration, I have yearned to establish such a business. Therefore, I will feel gratified once the business starts operating thus the satisfaction.

In launching and operating this business, I anticipated encountering numerous challenges. First, the location of the restaurant will be at a very deserted location, therefore, a less number of customers. Furthermore, the business will not benefit from the competition as, not a lot of such restaurants operate within its vicinity.

The price of leasing a minute piece of land is high, therefore, the amplified expenditure. However, in counteracting such challenges, I intend to embrace numerous advertising methods in order to draw an augmented fraction of customers. In reaction to the high-leasing cost, I will try to construct a smaller restaurant in an effort to curtail the expenses.

A successful business thrives on services offered by well skilled and trained personnel. That is not the case with a recently established restaurant, Chiefs.

A close evaluation of the restaurant’s employees reveals a striking skills gap for the restaurant’s cooks (Marshall, n.d). To ensure better service delivery and increased productivity, the proprietor of Chiefs restaurant resolved to introduce a training program for the cooks.

Code named ADDDI, the training program’s model incorporates various training elements. To conduct an effective training based on this model, the initial step involves conducting an analysis of employee performance and assessing their training needs.

Having identified these needs, the model involves moving on to the design stage where training objectives are set. At this stage, test items are developed, and knowledge for the training is evaluated, information content is classified, and instructional strategies such as the use of presentation aids are designed.

This is followed by the development stage where the trained personnel and the training are evaluated and implemented through various strategies. One of the development strategies is prototyping (Marshall, n.d). A prototype will be used to evaluate and analyze the efficiency, productivity, benefits, and performance expectations.

Marshall (n.d) notes here that the developed system is put on a pilot test. A Pilot test is used to evaluate the system for implementation and to isolate flaws that have been incorporated in the design and development stages. Further tests are used to evaluate and identify any weaknesses in the system, system organization, work flow control, system efficiency, and possibly to re-tailor the system if it does not perform to the restaurant’s objectives in meeting the stated business goals.

Successful testing leads to system implementation. Once the system has been put in place and running, it undergoes formative and summative system evaluations. One of the evaluation models is a bottom up approach that includes evaluating if the cooks perform to the established benchmarks and whether service delivery is satisfactory.

In addition to that, the cooks are evaluated to determine if they can perform as per the newly acquired skills. According to the ADDIE model, the cooks are then tested for consistent application of the acquired skills before the whole training is evaluated for strategy propagation.

The ADDIE model comes with a host of benefits. The system employs empirically proven scientific principles in system development. The system is also defined, it is self-correcting. The self correcting nature makes it flexible for use in any environment and with people of different skills levels. The system is characterized by a unique ability to help in planning within available resources.

The system’s development strategies help evaluate whether the system has been developed in line with the goals and objectives of the restaurant’s business goals.

According to the paper Strategy Process (n.d), the process is also flexible to implement and it can be tailored to meet the restaurant’s different business goals. In addition to that, the system provides system evaluation tools to enable the manager evaluate the performance of the cooks in terms of productivity and service delivery.

Startsz (2005) asserts that such as system will help in the current work situation by providing a model for training the cooks, identifying training needs, evaluating employee training effectiveness, and implementing the training in line with identified skills gaps with the employees. Once used, the knowledge acquired through this model is self-regenerating (Startsz, 2005). There could be no need for new training sessions as the model is always self-regenerating.

References

Marshall, J. Don Deans’s Personal Knowledge Management System. Instructional System Development. San Diego State University. Web.

Strategy Process. Web.

Startsz, J. (2005). Measurement for Process Improvement. Web.

Introduction

Chinese restaurants and groceries are very common around the world and the increase is notable in America. These small businesses are now becoming the most popular and in fact research reveal that they are very famous of all the ethnic businesses in the world today. The food somehow consists of homogenous collection much like numerous channels for fast food outlets. There industry is spreading very fast and attracting even foreigners like tourists and so on. The big question about this therefore becomes that; ‘why is it that many Chinese invest in restaurants and small groceries?’ the paper discusses the factors that have enabled this investments.

Interview with Kapur Ashish (Chinese Restaurant Owner)

Kapur has been able to run a Chinese restaurant in the US and its becoming very favourite joint for most people in the area. It’s very interesting how Chinese foods are being accepted around the world by almost every nation (Toren 1).

How did you come up with niche idea of pricing the food?

Ashish: there was a great opportunity in the US and still is to establish a healthy eating food brand. The top cuisines in America usually require that the western perception be sustained. These foods have not been able to create a national healthy eating brand in the industry (Toren 1). Choosing Chinese food was a very great idea since it’s not like the US food, it’s healthier and organic. Furthermore, since the target was youths and young adults, there was a need for serving quality food in stylish atmosphere with exciting menus (Toren 1). The existing restaurants were very expensive or were local kiosks that sold unhygienic foodstuffs.

The business grew at tremendous speed, was it as planned or projections?

Ashish: the business was lucky to be at the correct location at the appropriate time as more retail places were opening up in New Jersey over the past decade. My business was able to create a healthy food brand that could be identified with younger consumers and sloe enjoyed (Toren 1). The driving force was meal experience and not just outlet.

Since you business provides value for money experiences, how has economic crisis influenced this?

Ashish: basically, our brand was able to do better even with the economic problems since our clients are value conscious. With great value at reasonable prices, food variety, exceptional; service and relaxing ambience and friendly workforce, the business was able to retain loyal customers. Another contributing factor was that in the fast moving economy, eating out at our restaurants is very convenient and saves time. The brand equity build was strong enough to survive economic downturn (Toren 1).

So where will the business be in two years?

Ashish: the business will grow a great deal according to the projections to reach an extent that will have a lot of branches in other cities. We based the sacrifice to work in the business from the perseverance and diligence of the pioneers of Chinese restaurants in America (Toren 1).

Factors Boosting Chinese Restaurants and Small groceries

There are several factors that have been behind the increased investment in the Chinese restaurant and groceries over the past few years. The lifestyle of the Chinese has a very rich history that can be used to explain why they are able to run small groceries and restaurants (Li 218). There were very many Chinese immigrants during the 19^th and 20^th centuries to the west as well as other places in the world. This is because there was a very high rate of population increase in china making and hence cases of poverty were also high. People had to move out to seek fresh pastures for survival. As the Chinese moved they brought along their food stuffs to the regions they settled. They opened Small eateries top serves their traditional food and a result many other immigrants came to such places and eventually the non-Chinese came to accept these foods. They served a type of food that was not just plain as the west (Li 218). They included ingredients like seaweed, bird nests and lotus roots this was quite interesting for westerns. The Chinese food is also cheap and very healthy.

As many Chinese moved to the western nations, struggling for survival by al means was not only unavoidable but very essential. This is because there US had set up a Chinese exclusion act that banned more Chinese workers getting into the country. A similar directive was also issued in Canada (Li 219). Considering that the Chinese were very poor starting a very large restaurant was unlikely. At the same time even eating in the American restaurant was too expensive. Thus way they had to find a way of ensuring that they spent less on food or they had a cheaper source (Li 222). They became cheaper source of labour as they had to do the odd jobs in America for survival. During the same time in 20^th century when there was serious economic depression, the Chinese were again blamed for the American problems since they were accepting peanuts for hard work (Li 225).

The Chinese success is can be attributed to their zeal to work. It’s remembered from history that they were experts in fishing, shoe making and farming. Through farming, they could produce enough food. However, as the world developed during industrial revolution and population increased with subsequent need for places to live many people took to do other jobs like construction of railway (Li 226). Since most of the jobs were denied to the Chinese, they hard to find self-employment. Considering that they had very little cash, not fluent in English and lacked experience, they could only do the domestic jobs. They begun operating they own small businesses. Basically they started laundries, small grocery stores, restaurants and small farms (Li 226). This was initially in regions that were occupied by groups of Chinese. They became most important means of survival out of absolute necessity.

The Chinese have the skills and the experience that are needed to run a restaurant or groceries. This have also a historic connection as they farming background enabled Chinese to collect extensive knowledge about food stuffs that has been past over generations that today they are able to prepare healthy foods with diverse ingredients and an assortment of grocery products in their stores. Since many Chinese also worked as domestic workers, they earned experiences in these areas that turned out to be to their benefit as self-sufficient in operating restaurants and stores (Li 227). With such a rich background, the Chinese food industry has become very strong gaining wide acceptance in many regions, partly due to the fact that as Chinese worked as cooks and domestic caretakers, their way of life started getting integrated with that of the westerners (Li 226). Through such development, Chinese foods have gained a bigger market. It’s therefore easy to sustain the businesses even in areas that are not totally inhabited by Chinese.

A critical factor for starting a Chinese restaurant of a grocery store is finance. A critical question to ask, especially in the western nations is: how is it possible for the Chinese to easily start the restaurants? How do the finance it? Basically, most of the Chinese who migrate to the US are in search for better jobs and may not have adequate finances to start businesses yet restaurants could need a great amount of cash and manpower.

Raising Capital for Restaurants

There has been a very strong source of income for individuals to become self reliant called the Hui, a rotating credit scheme. Through this system, the Chinese are able to access credit enough to start their businesses. Every member of the group contribute equal amount which is then pooled and they can take turns to borrow from that kitty (Li 226). In some instances, individual can take direct loans from their relatives or friends to open up small stores. On the other hand, several individual can partner and start a restaurants or a store in which they can be fully employed providing the source of labour and finances needed (Li 229).

In the recent world, credit firms are available to support individuals to better their lives by financing smaller projects like this. Since the Chinese immigrants are not very financially stable, they can only access cheap loans which the can invest. Considering that the market of the groceries and Chinese food is high these business are easy to sustain, furthermore healthy eating campaign favour use of groceries and Chinese food as its considered healthy since its mostly organic or produced in most natural means.

Conclusion

Chinese restaurants and groceries are increasing very fast and offer alternatives to hotdog and burger joints. They are filing and cheap. Nonetheless, nothing could be far from reality as these Chinese restaurants are present in numerous forms that range from luxurious restaurants to those that resemble fast food kiosks.

Works Cited

Li, P.S. Chinese Investment and Business: Ethnic Entrepreneurship Reconsidered. Pacific Affairs, 66. 2 (1993): 218 – 244.

Toren, Adam. Interview with Ashish Kapur. 2009. Web.