Restaurant Food Choice and Preferences of Salaried Employees in JinJu Classified by Age and Gender

A total of 321 salaried employees were surveyed by questionnaires during September and October 2001 in order to investigate the bases for their choices between 26 popular menu items in JinJu restaurants. The subjects were aged 20 to 61 years, and were classified into 3 age groups (ages 20-29, 30-39, and over 40) and 2 gender groups. The data were analyzed using the SAS program for factor analysis. The results of this study were as follows: 1) The 26 popular menu items were classified into 6 factors by the 20-29 age group, into 5 factors by the 30-39 age group, and into 3 factors by the over 40 age group. The younger age group had the more numbers of factor which act as choice criteria of restaurant foods according to the purpose of eating out. 2) Because subjects classified steak and fast food into the same factor named 'new generation's food', we found that steak was an unfamiliar food for most of them, 3) The 20-29 age group had an aversion to Boshintang(dog soup), while the 30-39 age group and the over 40 age group liked Boshintang as a stamina food. 4) The over 40 age group, and men in all age groups, didn't choose Buffet and Shabushabu as a dinner food because they had negative attitudes toward novel or unfamiliar foods. 5) Women distinguished between a factor called 'social drink and party food' from a facor called 'dinner food', while men integrated the factor of 'dinner food' into the factor of 'social drink and party food' 6) Men preferred Samgyetang (chicken stew with ginseng) and Yangnyeumtongdak (spicy fried chicken) as a 'social drink and party food', while women preferred Dwaejibossam (boiled pork and kimchi) and Beef Bulgogi. In conclusion, most of subjects did not recognize fast food and steak as a meal, which were introduced recently in JinJu. The choice criteria and preferences of restaurant foods were different from the age and gender groups. The over 40 age group, and men in all age groups, had more negative attitudes toward novel or unfamiliar foods than the younger age and women groups.(Korean J. Nutrition 35(9) : 996~1006, 2002)

진주시 직장인의 성별 연령별 외식 선택과 선호도