Impact of COVID- 19 on Eating Out Culture and Sensory Priorities

Purpose- The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether sensory priorities & dining out habits of the society were modified during COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.Design / Methodology/ Approach- Data was collected from a total 304 respondents comprising frequent diners, academicians and industry practitioners. A structured questionnaire was designed through a detailed discussion with academicians & practitioners. Exploratory factor analysis was used to explore most preferred food choice variables whereas a paired sample t test was performed to assess shifts in frequencies of eat out prior and post COVID 19 pandemic outbreak.Findings- 'Taste and flavor of the product' was most preferable sensory priority for food selection before pandemic. However, this priority has been replaced by hygiene, cleanliness, zero touch points and contactless order due to COVID-19 pandemic. Newly emerged most preferred food choice variables include touch less consumer experience, sanitized restaurants, food safety certifications, contactless order, health and hygiene. Restaurants had to reframe, restructure their SOPs and strategies to gain the confidence of the customers as an outbreak of a pandemic disrupted lifestyle whereas consumption pattern, dining habits of consumers were modified. Originality/value- This study reveals the modified dining out habits and conscious consumption led to changed sensory priorities, as a strategy to recover from a worldwide epidemic and transition to a "new normal" phase of the service sector.

Impact of Covid- 19 on Eating out Culture and Sensory Priorities

This study is an attempt to understand the impact of COVID-19 pandemic, which essentially demands social distancing, on growing culture of eating out in consumers and determinants of food choices/ restaurant selection. The present study contributes to the changing sensory priorities and eating out habits due to the COVID-19 pandemic, using the data from frequent diners, academicians and industry practitioners. A sample of 304 respondents from Pune City and Mumbai MMR actively participated in an online survey. A random sampling method was used for this survey due to pandemic lockdown Major revolutions have been emerged in the dining habits of food lovers such as, zero touch points, contactless deliveries etc.‘Taste and flavor of the product’ was most preferable sensory priority for food selection before pandemic. However, this priority has been replaced by ‘hygiene, cleanliness, zero touch points and contactless order due to COVID-19 pandemic. Newly emerged most preferred food choice variables include touch less consumer experience, sanitized restaurants, food safety certifications, contactless order, health and hygiene. This indicates that restaurants need to reframe, restructure their SOPs and strategies to gain the confidence of the customers as COVID-19 may have a long-lasting effect and show repercussion in many more ways than thought.