Analyzing Consumer Behavior and Food Waste in Hotel Buffet Settings

This report presents a research proposal to investigate the correlation between consumer eating habits and food wastage in hotel buffets. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative desk research with quantitative data collection through surveys, questionnaires, and observations of consumer behavior before and after educating them on good eating habits. The methodology involves two experiments: one observing consumers' initial food handling habits and waste, and another observing their behavior after an educational intervention. Statistical tools like ANOVA and SPSS will be used to analyze the data and test hypotheses related to the relationship between eating habits and food wastage. The research also includes survey questions directed at both consumers and hotel operators to gather additional insights into the causes of food waste and potential mitigation strategies. The ultimate goal is to determine whether educating consumers on good eating habits can significantly reduce food wastage in hotel buffet settings. Desklib provides access to a wealth of similar solved assignments and study tools to support students.

Running Head: Food and Beverage Management
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Food and Beverage Management
Name:
Institution:
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Food and Beverage Management 2
Research Proposal Plan: Methodology
Research Problem
The world produce large amounts of food for human consumption every year. However,
one-third of the food produced internationally is not consumed as required and therefore end up
being wasted despite different ramifications in social, environmental and economic aspects
(Arnold, 2010). The main aim of this plan is to design a methodology so as to investigate the
reaction of consumers in hotel buffet before and after educating them about food wastage and
good eating habits.
Research Methods
The study under investigation will apply mixed method that incorporate both qualitative
and quantitative approaches. This is because the types of data required for the research need to
answer and focus on the project objectives. There are three main decisions required to design the
project research methodology. That is, qualitative Vs quantitative research, empirical Vs desk
research and breadth Vs depth. The research methodology is designed based on the research desk
model as discussed below. First, the desk research involves qualitative research approach where
the researcher collect information on the general overview on the topic on food wastage (Camm,
2016). Again, through desk research, the researcher can access information on food wastage
from online media and books.
For the quantitative approach, data will be collected from participants so as to respond to
research objectives and questions. The most appropriate methods to collect data in this study are
survey study,, questionnaire and observation. Through observation, the researcher is required to
visit hotel buffet and observe different behaviors of consumers in the process of handling food
(Davis et al., 2012). The researcher is required to observe consumers in two scenarios. That is,
before they are educated on good eating habits and after they have been educated on good eating
habits. This method assists the researcher to determine any change in consumer behavior (June &
Theis, 2011). The sample observed from the entire population is 150 participants.
Similarly, questionnaire and survey study should be applied in data collection. They are
performed using similar model. The sample considered in survey should involve 150
participants. 100 participants are selected from population of food consumers while 50
participants are selected from the population of workers in hotels. Since the study need to be
unbiased in gender representation, 50 consumers should be male participants while 50

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consumers are female participants. Similarly, 25 male hotel attendants and 25 female hotel
attendants. There is also need to formulate survey questions that are directed to answering
research questions and objectives. These questions are administered within one week after
commencement of the study.
In order to gather data in this study, two groups will be involved in data collection
experiments. The first group is required to collect data on consumers eating habits that result to
food wastage before they are fully educated on the same. This experiment will be conducted in
one week. The following week, the group will educate consumers on good habits of handling
food. After educating the consumers, another experiment will be conducted on how consumers
behave when handling food so as to determine any improvement that would reduce food
wastage.
In the first one-week experiment, 100 consumers will be involved in the study. We will
request hotel operators to serve consumers with food as per their preference. Each day we will
observe the behavior of each consumer and record our data. We will record the amount of food
wasted within the week. We will also record reasons behind food wastage from each participant.
After educating consumers on good eating habits, we will conduct another experiment to
determine any changes in food management and wastage. In this experiment, 100 consumers will
be used as a sample. We will observe the behavior to determine whether they improved on food
management. By the end of the two experiments, we will compare data on both case to find out
whether there is any significant change.
Again, it very important to analyze the data from the experiment through use of
hypothesis. In the experiment, we anticipate that a bigger sample from the population will
respond negatively when handling food in hotel buffet in the first experiment. This assumption is
made because the first experiment involves a sample with little knowledge on how to handle
food. Their eating habits are not good. The process of testing hypothesis in the two experiment
will be applied to determine the decision of food wastage. The general statement in the
hypothesis that need to be tested is; there is relationship between eating habits and food wastage.
This hypothesis need to be tested and proved. In the first experiment, the team will collect data
on the mode of food handling. This data will be analyzed statistical using statistical tools. Then,
there researcher will test the hypothesis by calculating the confidence level of this data. This will

Food and Beverage Management 4
be compared to tabulated values from ANOVA tables or Chi-square tables. If calculated value
exceed tabulated value, we accept the null hypothesis and vice versa.
The hypothesis will also be tested for second experiment. In this experiment, the
participants are will be educated on eating habits. In that connection, the results of this
experiment will be different from the first experiment. Again, this data will be analyzed and
hypothesis will be tested based on this data. If the calculated value is more than tabulated value
from statistical tables, then null hypothesis will be accepted and vice versa. Lastly, the researcher
will evaluate the decision of the first experiment and second experiment so as to determine the
relationship between first and second experiment. In that case, the researcher will determine
whether there is any significance difference between eating habits and food wastage by
consumers in hotel buffet.
From the survey study, data is collected concerning the issue of food wastage and food
management. Once data is gathered, various tools are applied to analyze the data. The statistical
tools such as ANOVA analysis, SPSS and SAS are applied in data analysis. This helps the
researcher to test a hypothesis. In this case, the hypothesis is required to determine whether there
is any relationship between consumers eating habits and food wastage (June, 2016). From the
data analyzed, it is possible to determine whether to accept or reject the null hypothesis. Again,
the content of the research is compared to research questions and objectives (Gamble, 2016).
Lastly, the findings of the study are presented in a summarized form so as to enhance a clear
understating of all stakeholders interested in the study as well as facilitate relation to the given
context under consideration. Lastly, we will administer survey question from the entire sample
so as to support the assumptions made in the experiments. The team will administer the
following survey questions as a method of collecting quantitative data.
Survey Questions
These questions are subjected to both consumers and hotel operators.
1. Do you think that most people clear their meal in a hotel?
2. What would the reasons that may make a consumer fail to clear meal in a hotel?
3. Have you ever ordered food in excess of what you can consume?
4. If you fail to clear you meal in a hotel, would you request the operator to package the
food for you to carry home?
5. Do you plan prior to purchasing food in a hotel?

Food and Beverage Management 5
6. How do you treat leftovers after consumers fail to clear their meal?
7. In a day, how many consumers fail to clear their ordered meals?
8. What contributes to food wastage by consumers?
9. Could hotel management be one of the cause for food wastage by consumers?
10. Which type of food is mostly wasted?
11. Do you think consumers need to be educated about good eating habits?
12. What are some of the habits would you highlight from consumers?
13. What are some of the strategies would you recommend to mitigate food wastage?
14. Do you think these strategies will bring positive changes after consumers are educated?
15. Do you agree that one-third of food produced for human consumption ends up as a
waste?

Food and Beverage Management 6
References
Arnold, J. (2010). Coaching skills for leaders in the workplace: How to develop, motivate and
get the best from your staff. How to Books.
Camm, J.D. (2016). Essentials of business analytics. South-Western College Pub.
Davis, B., Lockwood, A., & Pantelidis, I. (2012). Food and beverage management. Routledge.
Gamble, J.E. (2016). Essentials of strategic management: The quest for competitive advantage.
McGraw-Hill Education.
June, P.P. (2016). Foodservice management: Principles and practices, global edition. Person
education.
June, P.P., & Theis, M. (2011). Foodservice management: principles and practices. Pearson.