Abstract:
An extensive growth of international fast food consumption has been recognized evidencing the influence made on the eating habits of people by their modern lifestyle and the consumption patterns. Although fast food consumption in international outlets is fairly a new food trend in developing countries like Sri Lanka, a considerable growth of international fast food outlets all over the country is apparent. However, there is a dearth of literature on investigating what persuade people to eat at international fast food outlets in Sri Lanka. On these grounds, this empirical study examines consumers' motivations towards the international fast food while investigating the demographic differences of the motivational factors adopting quantitative-dominant mixed method approach. One hundred and eleven usable responds, collected through an on line survey, were analyzed using descriptive statistics to assess the relevancy of 13 identified motivational factors. Leximancer map, developed based on an open-ended question, was also applied to validate the findings. Demographic differences of motivators were also examined using ANOVA, t-test, and CHAID analysis. Results suggest that preferences of companion and taste as the prominent motivators whereas nutritious values and price are least concerned motivators towards the consumption of international fast food. Moreover, the demographic analysis reveals that there is a significant difference between age groups with respect to the motivational factors.
