旅游经济活动——英文翻译

College Students and Quick-Service

Restaurants: How Students Perceive Restaurant Food and Services

YEN-SOON KIM and JEAN HERTZMAN

Department

of

Food

and

Beverage

Management,

University

of

Nevada,Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV

, USA

JUNG-JIN HWANG

The

School

of

Hospitality

Management,

The

Pennsylvania

State

University, University Park, PA, USA

The current generation of college students has grown up with many

quick-service restaurants. In the United States, the top three quick-

service restaurants are McDonald

’

s, Burger King, and Wendy

’

s.

A survey of 499 college students was conducted regarding their

satisfaction levels with quick- service restaurant foods and services.

The results indicated that if the quick-service restaurant wants to

attract college students, they must concentrate on providing out-

standing

“

quality value

”

and

“

practical value.

”

Wendy

’

s received

the highest satisfaction scores over McDonald

’

s and Burger King.

The results from this study can assist executives and managers

in developing strategic plans appropriate for the college student

Market.

INTRODUCTION

The

restaurant

industry

in

the

United

States

is

expected

to

reach

sales

of

$$558billion

and

have

945,000

locations

in

2008

(National

Restaurant Association[NRA], 2008).

Fueled

by

demographic

and

social

changes

beginning

after

World

War II, the restaurant industry

’

s share of the food dollar has risen

from

25%

in

1955

to

48%

today.

The

average

adult

eats

at

restaurants

5.8

times

per

week

and

over

half

(53%)

consider

restaurants an essential part of their lifestyle (NRA, 2008).

Increasingly,

these

restaurant

meals

are

consumed

at

quick-service

restaurants (QSRs).

In

1970,

there

were

70,000

QSR

establishments

in

the

United

States,

and

that

number

increased

to

about 186,000 in 2005 (Spurlock, 2005). Total QSR sales were $$85.9

billion in 2005, increased to $$93 billion in 2007, and are forecasted

to be more than $$104 billion by 2010 (Mintel, 2008).In the United

States, the top three QSR brands are McDonald

’

s, Burger King, and

Wendy

’

s.

In 2006, McDonald

’

s had 13,774 (11,670 franchised and 2,104

company- owned) restaurant units. Its storewide sales increased from

$$24,390 million in 2004 to $$27,100 million in 2006 (QSR Magazine,

2007).

The

NRA

reported

that

in

November

2007,

the

restaurant

industry

experienced

a

decline

in

same-store

sales,

with

restaurant

activity falling to its lowest level since February 2003 due to slow

customer

traf

?

c.

However,

in

this

tough

market,

McDonald

’

s

has

stood out by positioning its brand as more healthful and as having

more variety. Through 2007, McDonald

’

s monthly same- store sales

comparisons

had

yet

to

go

negative

(Mintel,

2008).

Sales

and

net

income have continued to be strong with its third-quarter net income

increasing

by

11%

in

2008,

despite

the

U.S.

?

nancial

crisis.

In

addition,

McDonald

’

s

Corp

(MCD)

reported

better

than expected

pro

?

t, fueled by strong sales in the United States, possibly caused by

consumers seeking lower prices when they dine out (Geller, 2008).

In

2006,

Burger

King

had

7,534

(6,656

franchised

and

878

company- owned) restaurant units. Its storewide sales increased from

$$8,172 million in 2004 to $$8,514 million in 2006 (QSR, 2007). Its

net

income

rose

to

$$50

million

in

the

?

scal

?

rst

quarter

ended

September

30

in

2008.

The

company

expects

sales

and

pro

?

ts

to

bene

?

t

from

restaurant

remodeling,

extended

hours,

increasing

the

number

of

value-menu

items,

and

control

of

energy

costs

(Sivaraman, 2008).

In

2006,

Wendy

’

s

had

5,948

(4,638

franchised

and

1,310

company-owned) restaurant units. Its storewide sales increased from

$$7,712 million in 2004 to $$7,800 million in 2006. However, Wendy

’

s sales in the third quarter of 2008 decreased 1.2% during the quarter

to $$548.1 million for company- operated restaurants (Business Wire,

2008). In fact, it lost its position as the number three QSR chain to

Subway in 2007 (Nuckolls, 2008).

According

to

the

U.S.

Department

of

Education

(2008),

the

college student market is on the rise; enrollment in degree-granting

institutions

increased

by

16%

between

1985

and

1995.

Between

1995 and 2005, enroll- ment increased at a faster rate (23%), from

14.3 million to 17.5 million. Between 1995 and 2005, the number of

18

–

24-year olds in the United States increased from 25.5 million to

29.3

million,

and

the

percentage

of

18

–

24-year

olds

enrolled

in

college rose from 34% to 39%. These enroll- ment increases can be

attributed to both overall

population growth and rising percentages

of adults attending college (Snyder, Dillow, & Hoffman, 2008).

Much

of

the

growth

between

1995

and

2005

was

in

female

enrollment;

the

number

of

females

enrolled

rose

27%,

while

the

number

of

males

only

rose

18%.

The

demographics

of

the

college

market are also changing due to increasing age and ethnic diversity

among

students.

Enrollment

of

people

25

years

old

and

more

increased by 18% from 1990 to 2005, but is expected to increase by

21%

from

2005

to

2016

(Snyder

et

al.,

2008).

In

2006,

87.3%

of

college students were native to the United States, while 12.7% were